Squashman
New member
What began on Lafayette as a way to bond with my then 7 year old son 1992 has come to an end 18 years later on Cabot. In the interim I introduced a somewhat reluctant friend to peak-bagging who soon surpassed me in the zeal to complete the list. I was distracted by an interest in learning to play golf and to attend to my son’s youth soccer career, so after a promising start I suffered an extended hiking lay-off of nearly 8 years. But as my friend was nearing the end of the quest, and as we were getting on in years, I decided to try to finish with him. He enjoyed many solo hikes, but as any devoted reader of the accident reports in Appalachia knows, solo hiking is sometimes not a great idea. So, I came back to the list with the goal of sharing in his experience and providing him a hiking companion. Alas, illness and injury slowed my pursuit, but I gave it everything I had.
I admire peak-baggers who do the list quickly. As we get older it is too easy to be distracted by life’s responsibilities, and too difficult to manage the energy needs of sustained hiking. I notice this now, as I near 60 years old, and have become a very slow and cautious hiker. I am easily 20% slower than book time now, something I first noticed five years ago on the Flume Slide where I was dismayed to watch younger trampers bound past me.
When I came back to the quest five years ago, I had only bagged 13 peaks. My friend was in the high 30’s but I thought I could catch him. In 2005, on a Presi hut-to hut, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury, so I figured I could make some headway. In 2005 I hiked 6 mountains, several of them as solo expeditions. My best year was to follow: in 2006, I added 16 peaks to my count. I was on my way to catching my pal in 2007 when I was laid low for most of the summer with a case of Lyme disease. Still, I managed to add 6 mountains to my count. Surely I would catch my friend in 2008.
2008 was a lost year, as family responsibilities kept me out of the mountains until mid-summer. My friend continued toward the end, and I joined him for his 46th peak, Willey, one I had already done. I had high hopes of catching up, but a back injury put an end to that plan. Toward the end of the summer I managed some painfully slow hikes in southern NH, but was in no shape for 4000-foot mountains.
2009 – would I catch him? I planned to, but an unexpected opportunity to travel to West Africa robbed me of much of August. I managed to join him for his 47th (Along with my son, he and I bagged Owls Head.) and with my wife we helped him grab Carrigain for his 48th, but it left me at 43. We were his guests at the award ceremony last April, inspiring me to finish. My hiking season began with 3 straight days to climb Waumbek and Carter South, with a re-hike of Tom thrown in as a conditioning hike. A week later, Carter Middle was added to the list, leaving only the dreaded Isolation and Cabot.
Why the “dreaded” Isolation? The name itself is daunting, and trip reports as well as my friend’s description of his hike filled me with foreboding. And, as I couldn’t find anyone to accompany me I had to do it alone. I had planned to it with a colleague as a loop from Glen Boulder to Rocky Branch but when the weather twice failed to cooperate I did a Rocky Branch out and back solo. 11 ½ hours of hiking and resting and picture taking left me exhausted for 2 days afterwards (getting old ain’t for cowards, they say, and they are right).
Why finish on Cabot? I wanted a relatively easy hike as both my friend and wife promised to join me for my 48th. Cabot provided a perfect final destination. A bald eagle greeted us as we neared the parking spot. The air was crisp, the foliage on the way to stunning, the trails relatively deserted. Shoulder surgery ended the hope that my bride would make the hike, but she was there with a celebration picnic at the trailhead as three great friends and I finished the hike.
I admire peak-baggers who do the list quickly. As we get older it is too easy to be distracted by life’s responsibilities, and too difficult to manage the energy needs of sustained hiking. I notice this now, as I near 60 years old, and have become a very slow and cautious hiker. I am easily 20% slower than book time now, something I first noticed five years ago on the Flume Slide where I was dismayed to watch younger trampers bound past me.
When I came back to the quest five years ago, I had only bagged 13 peaks. My friend was in the high 30’s but I thought I could catch him. In 2005, on a Presi hut-to hut, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury, so I figured I could make some headway. In 2005 I hiked 6 mountains, several of them as solo expeditions. My best year was to follow: in 2006, I added 16 peaks to my count. I was on my way to catching my pal in 2007 when I was laid low for most of the summer with a case of Lyme disease. Still, I managed to add 6 mountains to my count. Surely I would catch my friend in 2008.
2008 was a lost year, as family responsibilities kept me out of the mountains until mid-summer. My friend continued toward the end, and I joined him for his 46th peak, Willey, one I had already done. I had high hopes of catching up, but a back injury put an end to that plan. Toward the end of the summer I managed some painfully slow hikes in southern NH, but was in no shape for 4000-foot mountains.
2009 – would I catch him? I planned to, but an unexpected opportunity to travel to West Africa robbed me of much of August. I managed to join him for his 47th (Along with my son, he and I bagged Owls Head.) and with my wife we helped him grab Carrigain for his 48th, but it left me at 43. We were his guests at the award ceremony last April, inspiring me to finish. My hiking season began with 3 straight days to climb Waumbek and Carter South, with a re-hike of Tom thrown in as a conditioning hike. A week later, Carter Middle was added to the list, leaving only the dreaded Isolation and Cabot.
Why the “dreaded” Isolation? The name itself is daunting, and trip reports as well as my friend’s description of his hike filled me with foreboding. And, as I couldn’t find anyone to accompany me I had to do it alone. I had planned to it with a colleague as a loop from Glen Boulder to Rocky Branch but when the weather twice failed to cooperate I did a Rocky Branch out and back solo. 11 ½ hours of hiking and resting and picture taking left me exhausted for 2 days afterwards (getting old ain’t for cowards, they say, and they are right).
Why finish on Cabot? I wanted a relatively easy hike as both my friend and wife promised to join me for my 48th. Cabot provided a perfect final destination. A bald eagle greeted us as we neared the parking spot. The air was crisp, the foliage on the way to stunning, the trails relatively deserted. Shoulder surgery ended the hope that my bride would make the hike, but she was there with a celebration picnic at the trailhead as three great friends and I finished the hike.
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