Jackson 1/4/08

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una_dogger

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2005
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Location
The Hinterlands of North Central MA
W-NH4K # 11
NH4K Second Round # 16

Yesterday, MJ, Silverfox and I spent the day at Bretton Woods in search of the elusive New England powder stash. The winds and cold temps kept the soft skinned guests of the Mount Washington Hotel in the lodge, lest they venture into the cold and freeze. This kept the lift lines short. MJ and I skied until about 3:30 and covered about 16 miles of terrain -- lift rides excluded. All that skiing and the apres ski that followed left our legs the consistency of jelly. We scrapped our plans for T/F/W and devised Plan B -- Jackson and Pierce. We then tucked ourselves in for another cozy night at Silverfox's secret hideaway in Jackson.

Zzzzz's were plentiful, and we awoke slightly later than planned. ;) Fortunately, this was not a deterrent -- being hardened by the cold temperatures on saturday -- we were unstoppable. We strapped on our MSR's and clip clapped our way across Rt 302 to the trailhead.

We started up the Webster Jackson Trail about 9:30 in the a.m. Yawn. Nice early alpine start. I had plenty of energy and my legs felt like powerhouses and I began charging uphill, ignoring the cries from below. :p The trail is in excellent shape, although I'm not sure, that snowshoe track might be a tad on the narrow side?? Can't be sure, because I didn't measure. I was having too much fun, playing in the woods with my friends on a beautiful winter day.

Shortly after the sign that says in pencil "Cliff View -->", Silverfox decided to turn back. There was much hugging, smiling and general good vibes, and we said goodbye to our friend who graciously put us up, making our fabulous White Mountain Weekend possible. What a guy. (ladies, he's single!:D)

Michael and I continued on, and soon entered some thicker woods. I have only been on this trail in autumn, and its a real beauty of a trail in winter. The gray jays followed us for quite a distance. Near a small stream, we crossed paths with Sugar John, who was experiencing his first Winter 4k on Jackson today! Naturally, this meeting lead to lots of good energy and much more smiling. We made a promise to hike together soon, and were on our way again.

Just before treeline, we stopped to add some layers, goggles, balaclava's, crampons, and to pull out our trusty axes. A few steps up the mountain and one of my crampons popped off. Oops!!! The gentleman known as MichaelJ asked me to sit, and while I sat on the snow and gazed out at the surrounding mountaintops, he fixed my crampon. Awwwww...what a guy!!! (not single <mine!>:p;):) )

Just as he was fixin' me up, a couple came down from Jackson and threw out a few choice words "really windy" and "treacherous" and "solid ice". Always nice to hear some encouraging words before heading up!

Indeed, the last open rocky scramble up Jackson was a mess. Lots of bare rock, not much snow, and lotsa blue ice. Maybe it was because I just experienced equipment failure, I have to say that I was nervous climbing the final pitches. But, MJ was a great coach and I just kept my head down and my feet moving forward. Internally I told myself, "no way I'm going back down that %$#&!! -- we are going to Pierce!".

We snapped a pic or two at the sign just below the summit, then proceeded to the cairn. This was a special little hike, because, it was our first winter 4K this season, we both needed Jackson in Winter, and we both need Jackson for our second rounds of the NH48, and it also just happens to be on our short list of 4Ks in NH that we haven't hiked together. I dunno?! This may be the start of another little quest??!!! :)

We set off for Pierce. The wind was pushing me about a bit, and it was coming straight at us . We followed cairns, eager to get back into the trees. There was no sign of trail broken to Pierce. After a couple minutes of deliberation, we decided to head back down. Yippee!! We get to go back down the treacherous ice face!!! You know what they say, never say never!!!!

Honestly, we were really just happy to be out there, and have no regrets that we ditched on Pierce. Once back into the trees, we removed our outer wind layers, and spent some quality time with our friends, the Gray Jays.

The sun came out, and the sky was a brilliant blue. Snow painted the backside of the branches, and very fine crystalline snow caught the sunlight and glittered like fairy dust. It was a really wonderful hike down, and we took it slow and soaked in all the great forest energy...hope we absorbed enough to carry us through to our next hike!!!

MJ has pics to post....
 
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Good stuff UD!! Always love your reports...when you coming back to the ADKs?
 
nice report sabrina sure enjoyed spending some time this weekend...your energy level amazing...more fresh powder and no skiers at BRetton today....what to do tomorrow
 
nice report sabrina sure enjoyed spending some time this weekend...your energy level amazing...more fresh powder and no skiers at BRetton today....what to do tomorrow

Your life is so rough..I really feel sorry for you...really.
:rolleyes:

DaveBear, you are going to be crowned the King of Isolation -- you've been there more times in the past year than anyone I know!
Sorry, I didn't take any pics. My hands stay in thier liners that stay in thier mittens with thier friends, the handwarmers. :)
 
Indeed, I have a few photos but not many, as the camera batteries just weren't happy with the cold. In fact, no summit pics because of it. And that was with fresh batteries from an inside pocket, and the camera case having hand warmers in it. Alas...

This was a really fun day; despite my initial desire to go skiing instead of hiking, it felt good to get back out in the woods with U_d and Silverfox. I was wicked disappointed that we just weren't sure about where the trail to Pierce (via Mitzpah) was, since I've never been on that trail, never even been to that hut, and was having so much fun, but given our late start it allowed us to get home ahead of the end-of-vacation traffic.

I also got to play with one of my Christmas presents from Una_dogger: an Amod GPS logger. Little thing, hangs like a key fob off my pack, and takes a track and waypoints. No screen, no interface, no maps; it's not a navigational aid. But it's absolutely perfect when you just want to take a track and put it on a map or Google Earth afterward. Check out the day before our hike skiing!

Okay, enough gibberish ... time to go to work. Bleah.
 
Glad you see you are getting some hikes in between skiing, MJ and Flave La Fave! Hope to get out there with you soon. it's the inverse for me.
 
Nice Tr and one of my favorite Mountains. It was my first winter solo hike years ago.....:rolleyes:

Glad you got out for a sweet hike!!
 
super trip report, very entertaining as usual!
cool photos once again MJ!
i need to get out there and hike but....im having to much fun snowboarding :D
 
I also got to play with one of my Christmas presents from Una_dogger: an Amod GPS logger. Little thing, hangs like a key fob off my pack, and takes a track and waypoints. No screen, no interface, no maps; it's not a navigational aid. But it's absolutely perfect when you just want to take a track and put it on a map or Google Earth afterward. Check out the day before our hike skiing!

Thanks for posting this - I was curious what the tracks would look like. We covered the same trails, not surprisingly - just about all that were open. Your straight lines at first made me think you'd taken some Bode-ish "figure 11" screamer runs, then I realized it also tracks going uphill (unlike my ski watch).

This would be useful also for bushwhacking, if you want to maintain your hardcore "map-and-compass only" cred, yet have the ability to download a track to see where the heck you went.
 
i need to get out there and hike but....im having to much fun snowboarding :D

That's about how I feel about skiing, but Sabrina used her wily ways on me. As well as pointing how expensive another day at Bretton would have been!

Your straight lines at first made me think you'd taken some Bode-ish "figure 11" screamer runs, then I realized it also tracks going uphill (unlike my ski watch).

Yup! I will eventually clear out all the garbage around the base lodge, and break apart the lifts and runs into different colors, but I ran out of time before posting this. Another really cool one is from my trip to Alta and Snowbird last year. In that one you can see where we skied right over a pond, never knowing it was there under the snow! (Cecret Saddle)

ps - I have been known to ski Range View and Waumbek without making turns. Heh-heh.
 
The trail is in excellent shape, although I'm not sure, that snowshoe track might be a tad on the narrow side?? Can't be sure, because I didn't measure. I was having too much fun, playing in the woods with my friends on a beautiful winter day.

cute... you wear the skinny MSRs so you had no problems and mock those who do...thanks
 
Not mocking- just musing - no harm intended
Sorry if it came across that way

I am not concerned about what brand snowshoes anyone has - just grateful I have some of my own to take me to enjoy beautiful places when the woods are blanketed in snow!

Just relating my impressions as i hiked along that day- my time in the woods is too precious to spend it analyzing a VfTT debate topic- the thought flitted in and fluttered out-
Don't hold it against me!


cute... you wear the skinny MSRs so you had no problems and mock those who do...thanks
 
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