Advanced beginners and true greenhorns on Lafayette 2/20/06

[Jazzbo]

Hiked Mount Lafayette with Bob Kittredge & Doug Paul who I’ve never hiked with, but met through Views From The Top. Doug Paul is a senior Views From The Top member with almost 1800 postings. Bob lives in Newton so it was easy for him to pick me up and Doug was also quite easy to pick up as he lives in Bedford. We were on our way up Route 93 at 6:30. We made good time arriving at Old Bridle Path trailhead at 8:30. We suited up and headed up the trail by 9:00. The trail started as hard shallow crust. We started with low-grade traction. My Yak Trax were practically useless. Doug had insteps which worked pretty well. Bob had Stabilicers which worked best. When it got steep we switched over to crampons and proceeded with confidence.

The skies were blue with lenticular clouds over the summits when we arrived. Doug taught me about lenticular summit clouds. The moisture in the skies steadily increased (the lenticular cloud got bigger) to where we couldn’t see much of Cannon and the top of Lafayette was covered. Doug hadn’t been getting out much this winter so he wasn’t going too fast. When we got to Greenleaf at 12:00 he decided to turn back and left Bob and I to go on by ourselves.

Bob and I had a quick bite and proceeded to hike 1.1 mile and 1100 feet up to the summit. The exposed summit didn’t look too appetizing to two advanced beginners like ourselves as it was shrouded in cloud, but the temps and winds at the hut were mild so I figured the summit might not be too bad. We pushed ahead giving ourselves 60 minutes to make it to the top. I layered up a bit before getting out of the spruces and added more layers further up the slope. The wind wasn’t too bad, but a hiker who was coming down named Cal told us the wind was at our backs and we’d feel it coming down. We made it to the summit at 1:00 in exactly 60 minutes. The wind was pretty stiff so we took some quick pics and hid behind a rock while I tried to find my balaclava. Biggest lesson learned this day was not donning the balaclava earlier.

We encountered a party of four with a dog at the summit who had done the entire loop with only snowshoes for traction. The ones with MSR’s weren’t doing too badly, but the one fellow with Tubbs with aluminum crampons was having a pretty hard time. Their packs were pretty basic daypacks without even hip belts. One of the party didn’t even have a pack. They were creeping down the slope from the summit. I can’t imagine how they made it up Falling Waters Trail. I think they did have trekking poles. What could they have been thinking to attempt this sort of hike equipped as they were?

We stayed with them in the steepest section and when they looked like they would make it ok we left them behind. We paused to enjoy the splendid views at Galehead. The sun was starting to break through now and then with beautiful sunbeams shining through the towering clouds. Lafayette and Lincoln stood bright and tall. We tried to take it all in as we cramponed down that beautiful trail. We got back to the car just be fore 4:00.

We stopped at McDonalds in Lincoln to get some coffee for the ride home. Doug suggested we stop at the Mountain Wanderer where he wanted to pick Steve Smith’s latest book. I had no idea Steve Smith would be at the cash register of the store. He was talking with a fellow who was there with his terrier dog. I heard the fellow address his dog as Atticus so I knew right away it must be Tom and Atticus. I asked him if this was indeed “the” Atticus and he said yes he was and inquired who might I be. I informed him I was Jazzbo and Doug said he was DougPaul and we shook hands all around like old friends. Tom asked us how Lafayette was as he was planning to attempt it the next day. We filled him in and Doug bought Steve’s book who cheerfully signed it and I bought an interesting history book on J.E. Henry’s White Mountain railroad and logging empire which I’m looking forward to devouring.

Here’s a toast to Views From The Top that brings such a sense of community and comradery to a diffuse and far-flung community that benefits outdoors people of all levels.

 

[Chip]

We encountered a party of four with a dog at the summit who had done the entire loop with only snowshoes for traction. The ones with MSR’s weren’t doing too badly, but the one fellow with Tubbs with aluminum crampons was having a pretty hard time. Their packs were pretty basic daypacks without even hip belts. One of the party didn’t even have a pack. They were creeping down the slope from the summit. I can’t imagine how they made it up Falling Waters Trail. I think they did have trekking poles. What could they have been thinking to attempt this sort of hike equipped as they were?

This was the third or 4th group I met coming off Little Haystack, below tree line, at about 11am. I had forgotten they had a dog, a black lab, no ? but I did note the MSR's. They were VERY happy and energetic at that point, but the younger girl asked "Are we almost there ???" I said, "well, a bit of a steep section yet, but then you're above tree-line and at Little Haystack." I didn't think they were planning on the whole loop. I'm glad they did okay.

Good report. Thanks.

 

[Jazzbo]

Mountain Wanderer is a treasure trove!!

Finding the Mountain Wanderer was a real topper to a great day!!

 

[dvbl]

Sounds like the Mountain Wanderer is a bookstore with books of local interest.
Is that correct? If so, where is it?

 

[Trout]

It's a hikers "candy store"--lots of the latest maps & gudie books etc. It's on the right side coming into Lincoln from Loon Mt. IIRC it shares a small building with another business. Someone will have a better description. You could easily find the address on the net.

 

[TenPeaks]

The Mountain Wanderer is right next to the Irving gas station in Lincoln. I usually park in the gas station lot since there's never any parking on the street.

 

[DougPaul]

http://www.mountainwanderer.com/

Located in Lincoln on the N side of the Kanc ~100yds E of the McDonalds.

Doug