Tom Rankin
Well-known member
"I've been a slow train coming". I had 78 of the NEHH in 2004. Then Laurie and I did a few. Years went by with no more additions to the list. I was always doing other things, but I never forgot about this formidable list. I consider it harder than the 115. There is a lot more bushwhacking and the peaks get less use, and are less accessible. Last year, Laurie lit a fire under me, and we started focusing on the list, rather than incidentally doing peaks on drive days.
So there we were, at 90. Let the marathon begin!
A few weeks ago, we did Goose Eye. Long drive on a dirt road (in a Prius!), trailed. Ok, nuff said.
Last week we did Vose Spur. We should have saved it for last, but more on that later. We found the giant rock and started up and soon found a drainage that gets lots of foot traffic. This path disappeared after a while, and we whacked straight up till we hit the ridge, where we found a herd path that took us to the talus slope. We traversed the slope with the aid of cairns and continued up to the false summit, and 1 minute later, we were at 'the chair'. Coming down we got off the herd path, so we whacked left till I saw the talus slope. Crossing near the base, Laurie fell, twisted, and got her ankle wedged between 2 rocks!
I lifted the rock off, but she was in a lot of pain, all over her lower body. (You should see the bruises! ). She has an iron constitution, so after a minute or two, we slowly descended, and made it out.
The next day, we did Pierce for Flags on the 48. Been there, done that before. Never forget!
Sunday we drove to Maine for what I am calling the 7-Pack, the 6 pack, plus Elephant. Here we met ManBearPig, (henceforth MBP), who would be our guide.
Monday we took a series of logging roads to 3200 feet on the North side of Elephant, partly driving and partly walking, I forget where the drive ended. After that we started the whack. At 3400' we popped out in a clear cut! Then we walked a little farther up and begin whacking again. In short order, we were at the top. We descended to the higher clear cut in 23 minutes, and then walked back to the car on the logging roads. MBP then drove us to the trailhead for East Kennabago and we did a short hike on herd paths to the top.
Tuesday MBP drove again and we did Kennebago Divide and White Cap together, and then Cupsuptic Snow, with some of MBP's egg sandwiches in between. The herd paths were easy to find and follow here. The driving was long, but the ORC managed pretty well.
Wednesday we did B*******, (aka 'Unnamed' on the AMC form, aka Panther to some), from C*****. I was able to drive the Prius all the way to 3000'! After that, we took an ATV track to an undisclosed location, and then mmb masld asdf asdf asdl fasdf fas dfas and then back down the ATV track to the car.
Thursday was a drive and laundry day. We also drove up to Mount Washington and took in the awesome views. It was clear and amazingly warm, 62F at the summit in mid-September!
Friday we prepared for the final peak, the dreaded Scar Ridge [queue ominous music]. We parked at Loon Ski Center and went up the left side of the slopes. Even though it was the Scottish Highland Games weekend, we were allowed to drive in and park for free. We passed the 'Summit Lodge', (which is not at the summit ), and then continued to the almost true summit of Loon where there is a ski lift. (There is a herd path that takes you to the true summit in less than 1 minute, which I took on the way back). You could take these 'left most' ski trails but they are quite steep. We dropped down just a few hundred horizontal feet over the top and found the out of bounds ski trail. Now Paradox was our guide. He had done the peak before in Winter conditions, and had a track log. This does not help as much for ascending as it does for coming down, but it was a useful tool. Scar Ridge alternates between easy and very thick. There are numerous blowdown fields (but at least no nettles!) and the pitch varies from easy to moderately steep, but no big cliffs needed to be negotiated. The track log did not save us from any of these difficulties. Paradox hiked the peak several years ago, (before Irene/Sandy (?) hit the area), and it was in Winter. Apparently, a lot can change...
It took 5 hours to get to the top, 2+ of which were the whack, (Laurie is still very sore), but we made it! 100! Woohoo!
The descent was aided by the track log, mostly because there are no views beyond 100 feet in the woods, but it was still arduous. The less arduous part was the 3 Pig's Ear Browns at the 'summit lodge', , and ice water, which was free.
So, that list is done, and I just hope Laurie never forces me to do it in Winter!
Thanks to all who helped along the way, most notably MBP, Paradox, J&J, Chip, and many hotels and brewpubs in New England!
I'll take suggestions for easy lists now!
So there we were, at 90. Let the marathon begin!
A few weeks ago, we did Goose Eye. Long drive on a dirt road (in a Prius!), trailed. Ok, nuff said.
Last week we did Vose Spur. We should have saved it for last, but more on that later. We found the giant rock and started up and soon found a drainage that gets lots of foot traffic. This path disappeared after a while, and we whacked straight up till we hit the ridge, where we found a herd path that took us to the talus slope. We traversed the slope with the aid of cairns and continued up to the false summit, and 1 minute later, we were at 'the chair'. Coming down we got off the herd path, so we whacked left till I saw the talus slope. Crossing near the base, Laurie fell, twisted, and got her ankle wedged between 2 rocks!
I lifted the rock off, but she was in a lot of pain, all over her lower body. (You should see the bruises! ). She has an iron constitution, so after a minute or two, we slowly descended, and made it out. The next day, we did Pierce for Flags on the 48. Been there, done that before. Never forget!
Sunday we drove to Maine for what I am calling the 7-Pack, the 6 pack, plus Elephant. Here we met ManBearPig, (henceforth MBP), who would be our guide.
Monday we took a series of logging roads to 3200 feet on the North side of Elephant, partly driving and partly walking, I forget where the drive ended. After that we started the whack. At 3400' we popped out in a clear cut! Then we walked a little farther up and begin whacking again. In short order, we were at the top. We descended to the higher clear cut in 23 minutes, and then walked back to the car on the logging roads. MBP then drove us to the trailhead for East Kennabago and we did a short hike on herd paths to the top.
Tuesday MBP drove again and we did Kennebago Divide and White Cap together, and then Cupsuptic Snow, with some of MBP's egg sandwiches in between.
The herd paths were easy to find and follow here. The driving was long, but the ORC managed pretty well.Wednesday we did B*******, (aka 'Unnamed' on the AMC form, aka Panther to some), from C*****. I was able to drive the Prius all the way to 3000'! After that, we took an ATV track to an undisclosed location, and then mmb masld asdf asdf asdl fasdf fas dfas and then back down the ATV track to the car.
Thursday was a drive and laundry day. We also drove up to Mount Washington and took in the awesome views. It was clear and amazingly warm, 62F at the summit in mid-September!
Friday we prepared for the final peak, the dreaded Scar Ridge [queue ominous music]. We parked at Loon Ski Center and went up the left side of the slopes. Even though it was the Scottish Highland Games weekend, we were allowed to drive in and park for free. We passed the 'Summit Lodge', (which is not at the summit
), and then continued to the almost true summit of Loon where there is a ski lift. (There is a herd path that takes you to the true summit in less than 1 minute, which I took on the way back). You could take these 'left most' ski trails but they are quite steep. We dropped down just a few hundred horizontal feet over the top and found the out of bounds ski trail. Now Paradox was our guide. He had done the peak before in Winter conditions, and had a track log. This does not help as much for ascending as it does for coming down, but it was a useful tool. Scar Ridge alternates between easy and very thick. There are numerous blowdown fields (but at least no nettles!) and the pitch varies from easy to moderately steep, but no big cliffs needed to be negotiated. The track log did not save us from any of these difficulties. Paradox hiked the peak several years ago, (before Irene/Sandy (?) hit the area), and it was in Winter. Apparently, a lot can change...It took 5 hours to get to the top, 2+ of which were the whack, (Laurie is still very sore), but we made it! 100! Woohoo!
The descent was aided by the track log, mostly because there are no views beyond 100 feet in the woods, but it was still arduous. The less arduous part was the 3 Pig's Ear Browns at the 'summit lodge',
, and ice water, which was free.So, that list is done, and I just hope Laurie never forces me to do it in Winter!
Thanks to all who helped along the way, most notably MBP, Paradox, J&J, Chip, and many hotels and brewpubs in New England!
I'll take suggestions for easy lists now!
