alpinista
Active member
I got up to Lincoln, NH, fulling intending to score a tent site at one of the campgrounds that dot the Kancamangus Highway _ only to be greeted by a torrential downpour that dampened my mood at the prospect of setting up a tent in the rain.
So, yeah, it wasn't the most wildnerness of experiences, but I decided to do the luxurious thing and stay at a motel in town. (Shhh, this will just be our little secret, OK???)
I'd also been planning to bag the Sleepers, two smaller mountains. But the longer I studied the maps and the trail guide, the less I felt inclined to go out for a long slog.
I definitely wanted a solo trek, something I hadn't done in quite a while. I missed being by myself, testing myself to the limits I choose. Still, I longed for something relatively leisurely, something that would allow me to take in a nice breakfast beforehand and get back in time for a nice dinner. Gotta love it when hiking plans revolve around restaurant plans, eh?
Destination: Moosilauke, always a favorite peak of mine for the stunning views for relatively little effort.
I started off from the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, and headed up the Gorge Brooke Trail. The last time I'd taken this trail to the summit was just a few days after I'd finished the NH48 _ and I boogied up it, seemingly weightless after meeting that longtime goal. This time, I was out to amble. And it's a good thing, because I was mighty sluggish the whole way.
The weather was iffy. At times, there were patches of bright blue sky that would poke through. But mostly, it was misty, occasionally some sprinkles, and very few views.
This was the third time I'd been on this trail, but the first time that I recalled seeing some amazing patches of moss, including a wild tree with the stuff hanging down its branches that made it look rather jungle-like. Just below the summit, there even was a patch of snow, still hanging on long after winter had ended.
As I made my way above treeline, the clouds had definitely overtaken any sunshine. Visibility was very limited, and it was getting quite blustery. So I donned my fleece and continued on toward the summit. It's amazing how different it looks each time I've been here.
I could barely make out the few other hikers who had ventured up here, hunkered down as they were amid the clusters of stone chambers. The summit sign had changed yet again (it must be some Dartmouth project to make summit signs each semester, or something). This time, it sported a fluorescent orange sign pointing to the various trails off the summit.
As much as I wanted to linger on the summit, I was a bit unnerved by the conditions. Besides, I couldn't see much anyway. So I managed to find my way to the Glencliff Trail _ no easy feat since the trail blazes were pretty badly weathered. Thank goodness for some large cairns, the outline of which I managed to spy.
Finally, at the trail junction with the Carriage Road trail, I stopped for a while to enjoy some gorp, and to rest my feet for a spell. I felt good enough to even make a trek over to South Peak (4,523 feet), a prominent nub on the ridge that must be nice when there are views. It's a broad, rocky summit with a nice large cairn. But on this day, I didn't get a chance to take in anything than a view of some rocks.
Finally, it was time to return, and head down the Carriage Road _ a nice, evenly cut trail that made me wonder what it must've been like to take a horse and buggy up here in the day.
Of course, the day wasn't complete without at least one mishap.
I was probably 10 minutes from the trailhead, and daydreaming, when I spotted the back of a sign on a tree to the left. As I was wondering what the sign said, I slipped on a root and landed on my butt, twisting my ankle. It sure hurt and I wondered how my ankle would withstand having weight put on it. But thankfully, I just got banged up and stunned.
Geez, I'm a klutz!
Here are the pix
So, yeah, it wasn't the most wildnerness of experiences, but I decided to do the luxurious thing and stay at a motel in town. (Shhh, this will just be our little secret, OK???)
I'd also been planning to bag the Sleepers, two smaller mountains. But the longer I studied the maps and the trail guide, the less I felt inclined to go out for a long slog.
I definitely wanted a solo trek, something I hadn't done in quite a while. I missed being by myself, testing myself to the limits I choose. Still, I longed for something relatively leisurely, something that would allow me to take in a nice breakfast beforehand and get back in time for a nice dinner. Gotta love it when hiking plans revolve around restaurant plans, eh?
Destination: Moosilauke, always a favorite peak of mine for the stunning views for relatively little effort.
I started off from the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, and headed up the Gorge Brooke Trail. The last time I'd taken this trail to the summit was just a few days after I'd finished the NH48 _ and I boogied up it, seemingly weightless after meeting that longtime goal. This time, I was out to amble. And it's a good thing, because I was mighty sluggish the whole way.
The weather was iffy. At times, there were patches of bright blue sky that would poke through. But mostly, it was misty, occasionally some sprinkles, and very few views.
This was the third time I'd been on this trail, but the first time that I recalled seeing some amazing patches of moss, including a wild tree with the stuff hanging down its branches that made it look rather jungle-like. Just below the summit, there even was a patch of snow, still hanging on long after winter had ended.
As I made my way above treeline, the clouds had definitely overtaken any sunshine. Visibility was very limited, and it was getting quite blustery. So I donned my fleece and continued on toward the summit. It's amazing how different it looks each time I've been here.
I could barely make out the few other hikers who had ventured up here, hunkered down as they were amid the clusters of stone chambers. The summit sign had changed yet again (it must be some Dartmouth project to make summit signs each semester, or something). This time, it sported a fluorescent orange sign pointing to the various trails off the summit.
As much as I wanted to linger on the summit, I was a bit unnerved by the conditions. Besides, I couldn't see much anyway. So I managed to find my way to the Glencliff Trail _ no easy feat since the trail blazes were pretty badly weathered. Thank goodness for some large cairns, the outline of which I managed to spy.
Finally, at the trail junction with the Carriage Road trail, I stopped for a while to enjoy some gorp, and to rest my feet for a spell. I felt good enough to even make a trek over to South Peak (4,523 feet), a prominent nub on the ridge that must be nice when there are views. It's a broad, rocky summit with a nice large cairn. But on this day, I didn't get a chance to take in anything than a view of some rocks.
Finally, it was time to return, and head down the Carriage Road _ a nice, evenly cut trail that made me wonder what it must've been like to take a horse and buggy up here in the day.
Of course, the day wasn't complete without at least one mishap.
I was probably 10 minutes from the trailhead, and daydreaming, when I spotted the back of a sign on a tree to the left. As I was wondering what the sign said, I slipped on a root and landed on my butt, twisting my ankle. It sure hurt and I wondered how my ankle would withstand having weight put on it. But thankfully, I just got banged up and stunned.
Geez, I'm a klutz!
Here are the pix
