poison ivy
Well-known member
After a dizzying amount of changes in plans over the course of the week, I ended up on a wonderful solo hike of Camel’s Hump on Saturday via the Monroe Trail. This was my first solo trip since June (boy, I have been spoiled this year with wonderful company!) I was a regular magnet for dropped items, I found a single liner glove, a pair of liner gloves and a trekking poles (darn, no pot of gold.) If they’re yours send me a pm and I’ll get them back to you.
The drive up to Camel’s Head was an adventure itself… I was almost run off Route 89 by an oblivious UPS driver and when I arrived at Camel’s Head State Park, I couldn’t manage to get my little Honda Civic up the .4 of a mile to the trailhead parking lot. In fact, my car started sliding backwards down the hill while it was still in gear! Fearing I’d have a second “I lodged my car in a snow bank while solo hiking” story, I gave up quickly and parked in the winter lot, adding a roadwalk to my hike.
After signing in at the trailhead at 10:15 a.m., I followed a path of footprints through the three or four inches of snow off to a side trail and discovered the bomber memorial plaque before heading up the trail. Almost immediately, I regretted no bringing my skis, the first two miles or so were not particularly steep and would have been a fun and easy ski. However, the trail was much more chewed up when I returned at the end of the day so I probably would have hit a lot of rocks anyway.
The first half of the trail really reminded me of the Lonesome Lake Trail as it wound through the woods and crossed a few brooks with little wooden pallet type bridges. After climbing up a small ridge, I could see mountains through the trees including a cliff that I appeared to be angling straight toward! I kept waiting for the trail to swing away as the cliff grew closer and I could see the icy ledges were fringed with hundreds of icicles. Fortunately, the trail does head around the cliff, but not until you’re very close to the very base of it.
The cloudless sunny day turned the next portion of the trail into a river as the trail passed through a tunnel of beautiful snowy pine trees. The non-pine trees crackled overhead like wind chimes as their icy tips scraped against each other in the wind.
I had only seen three people all day until I was within a half-mile of the summit. There were a stream of people coming off the mountain, remarking that it was extremely windy & icy. So, at the junction with the Long Trail, I put on extra layers and added my crampons, figuring as a solo hiker I didn’t want to take any chances. The Long Trail section was indeed just a sheet of ice and I was amazed at the number of people who were coming down in bareboots.
I arrived at the summit to find the last hiker coming down so I had the amazing views all to myself. The 360 degree views were incredible -- I could see from Mt. Mansfield just to the north to snow-capped mountains in the distance to the East, which I assume were the White Mountains. I stayed on the summit for about 15 minutes, which was about as long as I could stand the wind. I reluctantly turned around and headed back down the way I came, arriving back at my car at 3:15 p.m.
Camel’s Hump was #54 on the New England Fours list and #57 for me on the NE Hundred Highest list.
Pictures from the beautiful day can be found
here
- Ivy
The drive up to Camel’s Head was an adventure itself… I was almost run off Route 89 by an oblivious UPS driver and when I arrived at Camel’s Head State Park, I couldn’t manage to get my little Honda Civic up the .4 of a mile to the trailhead parking lot. In fact, my car started sliding backwards down the hill while it was still in gear! Fearing I’d have a second “I lodged my car in a snow bank while solo hiking” story, I gave up quickly and parked in the winter lot, adding a roadwalk to my hike.
After signing in at the trailhead at 10:15 a.m., I followed a path of footprints through the three or four inches of snow off to a side trail and discovered the bomber memorial plaque before heading up the trail. Almost immediately, I regretted no bringing my skis, the first two miles or so were not particularly steep and would have been a fun and easy ski. However, the trail was much more chewed up when I returned at the end of the day so I probably would have hit a lot of rocks anyway.
The first half of the trail really reminded me of the Lonesome Lake Trail as it wound through the woods and crossed a few brooks with little wooden pallet type bridges. After climbing up a small ridge, I could see mountains through the trees including a cliff that I appeared to be angling straight toward! I kept waiting for the trail to swing away as the cliff grew closer and I could see the icy ledges were fringed with hundreds of icicles. Fortunately, the trail does head around the cliff, but not until you’re very close to the very base of it.
The cloudless sunny day turned the next portion of the trail into a river as the trail passed through a tunnel of beautiful snowy pine trees. The non-pine trees crackled overhead like wind chimes as their icy tips scraped against each other in the wind.
I had only seen three people all day until I was within a half-mile of the summit. There were a stream of people coming off the mountain, remarking that it was extremely windy & icy. So, at the junction with the Long Trail, I put on extra layers and added my crampons, figuring as a solo hiker I didn’t want to take any chances. The Long Trail section was indeed just a sheet of ice and I was amazed at the number of people who were coming down in bareboots.
I arrived at the summit to find the last hiker coming down so I had the amazing views all to myself. The 360 degree views were incredible -- I could see from Mt. Mansfield just to the north to snow-capped mountains in the distance to the East, which I assume were the White Mountains. I stayed on the summit for about 15 minutes, which was about as long as I could stand the wind. I reluctantly turned around and headed back down the way I came, arriving back at my car at 3:15 p.m.
Camel’s Hump was #54 on the New England Fours list and #57 for me on the NE Hundred Highest list.
Pictures from the beautiful day can be found
here
- Ivy
I was at work Saturday, I think you had the better day!!!
