rocksnrolls
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2005
- Messages
- 371
- Reaction score
- 47
Cannon has always had a special place in my hiking heart. It was the peak I first climbed, back in my couch potatoe 20s and the peak I first climbed when I started to get into hiking as I approached my 40th birthday. Both those hikes, as well as the third time I climbed it, were via the Kinsman Ridge Tr with a descent via the Tram. The first and second time I felt like I was gonna die! The third time I was actually getting into the feeling that I was gonna die 
. In fact, I liked it so much that I continued to hike and never looked back. After the 3rd hike, I climbed it from the Lonesome Lake Tr and descended via the Hi-Cannon, marking it as my first official 4K.
This weekend I wanted to make a long-dealyed return and bag this peak for my winter list. I decided the best route would be my old Kinsman Ridge Tr climb only this time I would return the same way and finally see the 'other side of the trees'. I was curious to see how the trail would feel to me after climbing nearly 200 other peaks in the intervening years. Would it seem easy by comparison or would it still kick my butt?
Well, turns out it was the latter . That's alot of elevation in just 2 miles, no matter how you look at it! No one had answered my open call for the climb so I was doing it solo, which gave me plenty of time to stop and rest whenever I felt like it. And I did that alot. The 4 mile round trip ended up taking me about 4.5 hours. Well, I spent maybe a half hour in the cafeteria having an overpriced, not too tasty burger and fries and watching the many skiers clomping around in there boots, so I did ok with my 1 mph hike.
On the way up and down I spent alot of my rest breaks admiring Eagle Cliff and The Eaglets (the name I gave to the lower bumps along that ridge) and contemplating a bushwhack up there later this year. The higher peaks where obscured by clouds (as would be the summit of Cannon), but I was happy enough with Eagle Cliff.
On the climb I stuck with my Denalis. The snow was well packed and probably 3-4 deep all the way. At the bottom of the trail there is some kind of old road that seems to go straight up the mountain and I noted many tracks where heading up that route. Some of those tracks would later intersect with the trail. Looks like whoever made them had decided to avoid the switchbacks and just cut a swath straight up. Looked like it was quite a workout!
There were no tracks on the spur to the cliff top, so I made some myself. It was very icy at the ledges, so I didn't get too close. The views were pretty well obscured so I didn't feel like stopping to don my crampons just yet.
Just before the cliff spur I met the first other hikers of the day, a man and woman from Concord with whom I had a nice chat. Later on the final ascent I encountered another pair of hikers who didn't stop to say much. And the other two hikers I met that day were more chatty, one at the summit, and another on the way down at the junction for the trail to the summit and the Tram.
The final climb up to the top was fascinating! Lots of rime ice on the low trees and icy boulders all over the place. I'm glad I had tracks to follow as it would have been tough to find the correct route otherwise.
The summit was socked in so I didn't climb the tower, being satisfied with a rest on the highest rock under it. I strapped on my crampons, chatted with that other hiker a bit and headed down.
I was happy to have the extra traction of my crampons for the descent. Especially that first section in the low scrub trees. Lots of ice up there. The clowds had broken a bit by the time I got back to the cliff spur, so I took the chance to head back out there for further ledge exploration and picture taking.
On the way down I did a bit of glissading on the steeper, less curvy parts. Fun! I love my new winter pants ! Thanks Dugan!!
I took my time on the descent and that guy I chatted with on the summit caught up with me in the lot and we chatted about Eagle Cliff before hopping into our cars and heading home.
It was beautiful day and a great hike bringing me to 17 for my winter list and 18 for my solo list. Bring on the next one!!
. In fact, I liked it so much that I continued to hike and never looked back. After the 3rd hike, I climbed it from the Lonesome Lake Tr and descended via the Hi-Cannon, marking it as my first official 4K. This weekend I wanted to make a long-dealyed return and bag this peak for my winter list. I decided the best route would be my old Kinsman Ridge Tr climb only this time I would return the same way and finally see the 'other side of the trees'. I was curious to see how the trail would feel to me after climbing nearly 200 other peaks in the intervening years. Would it seem easy by comparison or would it still kick my butt?
Well, turns out it was the latter
. That's alot of elevation in just 2 miles, no matter how you look at it! No one had answered my open call for the climb so I was doing it solo, which gave me plenty of time to stop and rest whenever I felt like it. And I did that alot. The 4 mile round trip ended up taking me about 4.5 hours. Well, I spent maybe a half hour in the cafeteria having an overpriced, not too tasty burger and fries and watching the many skiers clomping around in there boots, so I did ok with my 1 mph hike. On the way up and down I spent alot of my rest breaks admiring Eagle Cliff and The Eaglets (the name I gave to the lower bumps along that ridge) and contemplating a bushwhack up there later this year. The higher peaks where obscured by clouds (as would be the summit of Cannon), but I was happy enough with Eagle Cliff.
On the climb I stuck with my Denalis. The snow was well packed and probably 3-4 deep all the way. At the bottom of the trail there is some kind of old road that seems to go straight up the mountain and I noted many tracks where heading up that route. Some of those tracks would later intersect with the trail. Looks like whoever made them had decided to avoid the switchbacks and just cut a swath straight up. Looked like it was quite a workout!
There were no tracks on the spur to the cliff top, so I made some myself. It was very icy at the ledges, so I didn't get too close. The views were pretty well obscured so I didn't feel like stopping to don my crampons just yet.
Just before the cliff spur I met the first other hikers of the day, a man and woman from Concord with whom I had a nice chat. Later on the final ascent I encountered another pair of hikers who didn't stop to say much. And the other two hikers I met that day were more chatty, one at the summit, and another on the way down at the junction for the trail to the summit and the Tram.
The final climb up to the top was fascinating! Lots of rime ice on the low trees and icy boulders all over the place. I'm glad I had tracks to follow as it would have been tough to find the correct route otherwise.
The summit was socked in so I didn't climb the tower, being satisfied with a rest on the highest rock under it. I strapped on my crampons, chatted with that other hiker a bit and headed down.
I was happy to have the extra traction of my crampons for the descent. Especially that first section in the low scrub trees. Lots of ice up there. The clowds had broken a bit by the time I got back to the cliff spur, so I took the chance to head back out there for further ledge exploration and picture taking.
On the way down I did a bit of glissading on the steeper, less curvy parts. Fun! I love my new winter pants
! Thanks Dugan!! I took my time on the descent and that guy I chatted with on the summit caught up with me in the lot and we chatted about Eagle Cliff before hopping into our cars and heading home.
It was beautiful day and a great hike bringing me to 17 for my winter list and 18 for my solo list. Bring on the next one!!
