Another winner in views, weather, and companions.
On a picture perfect day for hiking our group consisted of Smiths, Barbara(my much better half), Jo, Ralph R, Jay H, Da Lunatik, Haunted Fox, and Bookah.
The woods were bone dry, but we had Kanape Brook and its feeders for company and water breaks for Bookah. The first half of the trail is an old jeep road, lined with mountain laurel and hardwoods. At the saddle the trail picks up its next 1,000', with laurel, ferns and dwarf oak all the way to the open ledges on the summit.
We did the loop off the top after lunch, stopping in a couple of burned over areas that are now meadows, with view of Slide, Witt, Cornell, Balsam Cap, Friday, Lone and Rocky. More of the same on the way down, laurel, oaks and so many fern glades that you came to almost not pay attention to their last hurrahs of summer.
Good old Ralph suggested a short cut 'whack that cut a mile off the trail, and we were back to the trailhead in no time.
I can't wait to go back more times - when the acres and acres of blueberry bushes are in bloom, or the laurel are in flower. With Denman and Overlook, another gem of a hike.
Besides our friend Ralph surprising us today, Jay slept on Samuels point last evening, and 'whacked 4 miles with his full overnight pack to intercept us on the way up.
Also had the pleasure of meeting Hoosier on the way up. He recognized us by the brown Lab in the group. Hope we can hike together soon.
Just a spectacular day all the way around. We hiked 7.5 miles, Bookah ran more than double that, often from the front to the tail of the conga line to keep her entire pack in sight.
The day was topped off with a tour of Keegan's brewery, food and some good draft beer.
Bookah 64/100
On a picture perfect day for hiking our group consisted of Smiths, Barbara(my much better half), Jo, Ralph R, Jay H, Da Lunatik, Haunted Fox, and Bookah.
The woods were bone dry, but we had Kanape Brook and its feeders for company and water breaks for Bookah. The first half of the trail is an old jeep road, lined with mountain laurel and hardwoods. At the saddle the trail picks up its next 1,000', with laurel, ferns and dwarf oak all the way to the open ledges on the summit.
We did the loop off the top after lunch, stopping in a couple of burned over areas that are now meadows, with view of Slide, Witt, Cornell, Balsam Cap, Friday, Lone and Rocky. More of the same on the way down, laurel, oaks and so many fern glades that you came to almost not pay attention to their last hurrahs of summer.
Good old Ralph suggested a short cut 'whack that cut a mile off the trail, and we were back to the trailhead in no time.
I can't wait to go back more times - when the acres and acres of blueberry bushes are in bloom, or the laurel are in flower. With Denman and Overlook, another gem of a hike.
Besides our friend Ralph surprising us today, Jay slept on Samuels point last evening, and 'whacked 4 miles with his full overnight pack to intercept us on the way up.
Also had the pleasure of meeting Hoosier on the way up. He recognized us by the brown Lab in the group. Hope we can hike together soon.
Just a spectacular day all the way around. We hiked 7.5 miles, Bookah ran more than double that, often from the front to the tail of the conga line to keep her entire pack in sight.
The day was topped off with a tour of Keegan's brewery, food and some good draft beer.
Bookah 64/100
