glt 7-24-25-26-12

[natron]

Great solo 2 nighter trip! Started Tuesday @ 11a., on the north side going clockwise. Was going with the forecast, showers or thunderstorms in a.m. and sunny breaks in p.m. Worked out well, as I missed the rain. I've hiked the baldpates a handful of times in my early to late 20's. I've always enjoyed the hike, except my last time 6 yrs. ago, 8-16-06 @ age 28.. I had my phone off that day while hiking. My girlfriend and I were camping @ wild river, when we drove thru Bethel I turned my phone on. Lots of voicemails from family members asking me to call them.. I got a hold of my brother 1st and he broke the news that my dad had died in the early morning hrs. This came as a complete shock to me because my dad was fit and active and only 49.. So hiking these hills would be an emotional start to the glt, so I opted to do them 1st.

I noticed the trail had facelifts since my last visits..

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fancy stone work!

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when I got to west baldpate a pocket of sun opened up above me, in a day that looked gloomy in all directions..

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no sun for east baldpate

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now sun for east baldpate

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clouds and sun for east baldpate

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exit stage right

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without the iron rungs, downhiking this rock with a heavy backpack would end badly!

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plenty of pretty woods on the glt

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bad lighting on lightning ledge

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knoll camping

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easy miles to start day #2

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[natron]

continued..

hanging out @ town corner

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A couple of miles before Stewart campsite, I got within 20 ft. of a moose that was lying down on the side of the trail. The moose jumped up and went into the woods.

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puzzle

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old speck and baldpates from puzzle

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This is my grandpa's trail, (Ken Woodsum) He recently informed me that his friend Bob Stewart named it after him! My grandpa was involved in the timber business and represented the company that sold the land/puzzle mt. to Bob in 93'.. My grandpa also informed me that most of the timber on puzzle was stripped in the 70's.

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view of the riv from grandpa's trail

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near the top o'puzzle

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26 picnic

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yummy..

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I arrived @ sargent campsite with light fading.. The water situation was pretty grim about a 2" deep puddle, good thing I filled up @ bald on my way to sargent, just in case it was dry, I still pumped 1 liter and had 1 liter from bald leftover.. That water got me to slide campsite the next day where water was plentiful.

Day#3 sargent campsite breakfast time

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The vis. only went downhill from here.. (Sunday river whitecap)

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Lots of easy hiking and pretty woods between SR whitecap and old speck.

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It light rained for the last 2 miles up old speck, making the down hike even more tedious than usual.. Back to my car @ 4:30p (53.5 hr. backpack trip) This was my 1st time doing the whole loop (did west side last month) Look forward to doing this loop again someday...

 

[una_dogger]

Great pics and narrative. Must have been a bittersweet return for you to the Baldpates.

I wish more wooden ladders in NH would be replaced with the iron rung type.

 

[natron]

thanx una

bitter sweet indeed for baldpates, but happy to see them again.. yes, iron rungs are awesome!