percious
Well-known member
Hey all,
This is a quicky report. Last weekend I was up in NH taking my Top Rope Site-Manager Course, and on Saturday I had a chance to sample some 4Ker altitude so I went for it.
Finishing up at Cathedral ledge (an awesome spot by the way if you want to see people climbing). I headed back towards Gorham on Rt 16. I stopped briefly at the Stoney Brook trailhead and donned my running shoes, 3/4 filled a nalgene, and tied a fleece around my waist. It was 6:30pm. Moriah looked to be pretty close from a brief inspection of the map, and the sign said 3.5 miles to the carter-moriah trail. That means 3.5 miles to the top, right?
The pleasant trail followed the stream as I jogged along, passing a couple hiking out. I did not stop to chat; my goal was to summit for sunset. Soon the trail pettered out and I was left stairing at the map, stumped. I hiked left out of the ravine, and found an overgrown logging road. Re-inspection of the map sent me back to the stream, and I crossed to see if I could find a tril on the other side.
I headed up the bank of the ravine to see if I could find a trail, and sure enough, an obvious logging road appeared, cleared with a footpath in the middle. I was back on track.
I found the road easy to jog, and soon reached the 2 mile mark which was made obvious with a slippery mossy stream crossing. Now the real(well sort of) climbing began, and I gave up on the desire to run and hiked quickly towards the summit; the sky was turning colors.
I realized somewhere when I was bushwhacking that the summit was not at the junction of the moriah-carter trail, so I made the decision when I got to the junction that I would only summit if it was 1.1 miles away. Well I reached the junction, 1.3 miles. Aw crap, mind as well go for it, havn't been above 4K since Colorado. I ran down a few boardwalks, and started the slabby trail along Moriah's spine.
I got a brief glimpse of the crimson sun at one of the many lookouts along the way, I was beating the sun. The summit was too far however, and the sun dipped below the horizon a few moments before I could have watched it's descent. The summit was cold and windy. My legs were cramping. I felt alive.
I donned my fleece, turned on my headlamp and headed down. I ate some fig newtons to get some sugar flowing and fight the cramping on my legs. It sort of worked, what I really needed was to warm them up. I was soon at the trail sign, which stated the road was 3.8 miles away, which was curious because the sign on the other end reads 3.5. I wonder which is accurate? It got ever darker as the stars apeared overhead.
I stopped briefly to refill my water bottle at the mossy stream, and soon found myself running down the old logging road before crossing the stream once again. It would be useful if there were markers on the trees or a sign to indicate where the trail goes. It was obvious where the trail was when I was coming down, but I think many people make the same mistake I did because there is a semi-worn trail where I had gone off course.
I reached the car at 10:15, which gave me a RT time of 3:45. Somewhat acceptable for ten miles. Hiker's Paradise awaited, so I drove off to Gorham.
Feel free to criticise the fact that I was: a) Solo, b) with little water, c)did not filter my water, d) hiking at night, e)did not follow my own turn around algorithm. I love contraversy!
cheers!
-percious
This is a quicky report. Last weekend I was up in NH taking my Top Rope Site-Manager Course, and on Saturday I had a chance to sample some 4Ker altitude so I went for it.
Finishing up at Cathedral ledge (an awesome spot by the way if you want to see people climbing). I headed back towards Gorham on Rt 16. I stopped briefly at the Stoney Brook trailhead and donned my running shoes, 3/4 filled a nalgene, and tied a fleece around my waist. It was 6:30pm. Moriah looked to be pretty close from a brief inspection of the map, and the sign said 3.5 miles to the carter-moriah trail. That means 3.5 miles to the top, right?
The pleasant trail followed the stream as I jogged along, passing a couple hiking out. I did not stop to chat; my goal was to summit for sunset. Soon the trail pettered out and I was left stairing at the map, stumped. I hiked left out of the ravine, and found an overgrown logging road. Re-inspection of the map sent me back to the stream, and I crossed to see if I could find a tril on the other side.
I headed up the bank of the ravine to see if I could find a trail, and sure enough, an obvious logging road appeared, cleared with a footpath in the middle. I was back on track.
I found the road easy to jog, and soon reached the 2 mile mark which was made obvious with a slippery mossy stream crossing. Now the real(well sort of) climbing began, and I gave up on the desire to run and hiked quickly towards the summit; the sky was turning colors.
I realized somewhere when I was bushwhacking that the summit was not at the junction of the moriah-carter trail, so I made the decision when I got to the junction that I would only summit if it was 1.1 miles away. Well I reached the junction, 1.3 miles. Aw crap, mind as well go for it, havn't been above 4K since Colorado. I ran down a few boardwalks, and started the slabby trail along Moriah's spine.
I got a brief glimpse of the crimson sun at one of the many lookouts along the way, I was beating the sun. The summit was too far however, and the sun dipped below the horizon a few moments before I could have watched it's descent. The summit was cold and windy. My legs were cramping. I felt alive.
I donned my fleece, turned on my headlamp and headed down. I ate some fig newtons to get some sugar flowing and fight the cramping on my legs. It sort of worked, what I really needed was to warm them up. I was soon at the trail sign, which stated the road was 3.8 miles away, which was curious because the sign on the other end reads 3.5. I wonder which is accurate? It got ever darker as the stars apeared overhead.
I stopped briefly to refill my water bottle at the mossy stream, and soon found myself running down the old logging road before crossing the stream once again. It would be useful if there were markers on the trees or a sign to indicate where the trail goes. It was obvious where the trail was when I was coming down, but I think many people make the same mistake I did because there is a semi-worn trail where I had gone off course.
I reached the car at 10:15, which gave me a RT time of 3:45. Somewhat acceptable for ten miles. Hiker's Paradise awaited, so I drove off to Gorham.
Feel free to criticise the fact that I was: a) Solo, b) with little water, c)did not filter my water, d) hiking at night, e)did not follow my own turn around algorithm. I love contraversy!
cheers!
-percious
