Blitz report

[Papa Bear]

Just a summary till I get home.

Tuesday: Dr. Mc Peak and I did the Hancocks (steep and steeper) and ended in the rain. Exhausting.

Wednesday: Did the Tripyramids in the rain. Went in via Scaur Ridge, went over north and then middle but fearing the south slide would be a river of mud, returned the same way. Wet and wetter.

Thursday (today): from Ferncroft did Passaconaway via Dicey Mills, then Whiteface then East Sleeper, back to Whiteface and out Blueberry Ridge. Great but I'm tired. First day with no rain.

more later

 

[DougPaul]

Wednesday: Did the Tripyramids in the rain. Went in via Scaur Ridge, went over north and then middle but fearing the south slide would be a river of mud, returned the same way.

The south slide is largely coarse gravel--lots of 1-2in pebbles. Probably wouldn't get too muddy.

Doug

 

[Papa Bear]

Friday: Just got back from a double with vegematic: Sandwich Dome in the AM, Tecumseh in the PM. Rain hit us the last 20 minutes. Great mountains both. Wish I could go to one a day on some nice days.

 

[askus3]

RAIN SUCKS!!!!!! I have hiked in the rain and if I have to I will (usually on a trip), but even then I usually build a zero day into my plans and have an alternate rainy day schedule so I climb a peak that I don't care if it rains or not (like your comment about Vose Spur). I just appreciate much more a pretty blue sky sunny day over hiking up some peak in amist, drizzle, just to bag a peak on a list. So, no offense and everyone has their own ideals but if you think you are going to do a peak again because it rained on your parade, then why not do a viewless summit on that drizzly day or visit some spectacular waterfall or just heck on it and spend the day on the computer like I did today Friday (rain all day in NY).

 

[Papa Bear]

Saturday: Scar Ridge - rained out!

Onestep and adamiata and I met at the appointed place and time and unanimously decided to go back to bed. The mountain will still be there (if it doesn't wash away ).

Vopse Spur and Nancy tomorrow for sure.

 

[HighHorse]

i'm pretty in shape (i like at least 15 mile hikes w/ good elevation) and i have to admit that the hancocks kicked my booty last week. i don't know if it was blood loss from the black flies or what, but they were harder than i expected.

 

[Papa Bear]

I'm in Andover Maine now on a dialup. Gotta make this brief:

Sunday: Awesome HH double. Onestep, Adamiata, MEB, ctsparrow and myself started at the Signal Ridge trailhead, up and across the Carragain Notch trail then bagged Vopse Spur. About 50% herd paths but steeeeep. Then up and onto the Nancy Pond Trail, up, up and up the ridge to the Norcross Pond ledges, then the boys climbed Nancy (Onestep said: "this is seriously steep", yeah!), then out the long descent beside the cascades and hit the cars just after 7 PM: still daylight! An 11 hour day with two serious climbs (one a bushwhack) made us proud.

Monday: Mt Blue, Maine: A nice mountain in a state park in Weld. 2 hours up and down. Another NEFF checked off.

Tomorrow I hike the AT from South Arm to Rte 17 then I meet Audrey and Pat for a few days of Maine peakbagging.

Tired.

 

[MEB]

Yup...Vose Spur is REALLY steep! Wish I could have joined you all for the trek up Nancy.

Great job Adamiata at bringing us exactly where we left our hiking poles! Amazing!

-MEB

 

[Double Bow]

Sorry I had to cancel out! It sounds like it was a lot of fun. Maybe next time...

 

[adamiata]

Thanks, MEB. I pretty much lucked out when I chose to follow the drainage back to the trail. It was kind of a gamble that it would be the right one.

Thanks to Papa Bear for organizing a great hike, and thanks to Onestep, MEB, and CTSparrow for providing excellent company.

 

[Papa Bear]

More ...

Monday: Mt. Blue, Maine. delightful mountain on the NE FF list in Weld, Maine.

Tuesday: AT section from South Arm to Rte 17 Maine. Includes Old Blue and Bemis. Hot day on miles of open ridges. Tiring! This was a make up of a section I missed in 2002.

Wednesday: Caribou Mountain, Maine. With Audrey, Pat and Cantdog. We lucked out and logging roads and a cut led very close to the summit. Another NE FF.

Thursday: Tumbledown Mtn, Maine. Incredible spot. Gotta go back. With same crowd as yesterday.

Friday: Cannon Mountain. Drove back to NH for #47. 2 more HHs in NH and Carrigan will be my finale (after I finish up Vermont).

More to follow.

 

[arghman]

Wednesday: Caribou Mountain, Maine. With Audrey, Pat and Cantdog. We lucked out and logging roads and a cut led very close to the summit. Another NE FF.

which Caribou? I was up on Caribou (the one in the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness area in WMNF) on Wed 7/13.

 

[askus3]

I would assume soome other Caribou since it was sandwiched between Bemis Mt. & Tumbledown. Also, the access to Caribou usually is directly off ME 113 in Evans Notch, so I am quite certain it was a different Caribou, as I don't know of any logging roads near the summit. If it was sandwiched the next day between Tumbledown & Cannon, I wouldn't be quite so sure.

 

[Papa Bear]

which Caribou? I was up on Caribou (the one in the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness area in WMNF) on Wed 7/13.

This was the Caribou in the NE FF list way up near the Canadian border off of Rte 27 north of Stratton. Near Kibby which is in the MMG.

 

[Papa Bear]

Weekend bang up finish:

Saturday: Peak above the Nubble: With Onestep. A good route from Haystack Road and some logging roads. 5 hours round trip. Not bad. Hit the East Peak (the real "Nubble") on the way up but sliced to the north of it going down.

Sunday: Scar Ridge: With Onestep from Big Rock on the Kanc. Good on the way up (3 hrs to cannister) sticking to the ridge and finding many herd paths, especially near the top. Some thick sections. About an hour round trip to the x3774 "True Summit" bump to the west. The first half of that .3 miles was very tough, the second half easy. Same returning. Going down we slid off the ridge and had to push hard to get back up. Practically no herd paths going down. Seemed to be more thick stuff (we were tired). 8 hours round trip from Hancock Branch, 8 1/2 hours car to car.

Exhausted from this. Arms and legs scratched up, bug bites ich, legs tired, toe has a blister. Feel real good!

Complete reports and photos to follow. Now back to work (at being retired).