My Bachelorette Party, Saturday, September 18

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una_dogger

Well-known member
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Location
The Hinterlands of North Central MA
Often times, they say "what happens in the woods should stay in the woods" but this just wasn't one of those days.

Warning! There is no valuable hiking information contained in this thread.

Cast of Characters:
Forestgnome, Rocket21, Terra and Madison -- the Traildogs, "he who may wish to remain annonymous" AKA Eric Rathbun:), and the Bachelorette, yours truly, Una_dogger.:p


The Plan: Lafayette, Lincoln, doubleback to Truman, Lincoln Slide, Bushwack across Pemi, Bushwack Northwest Slope of Owl's Head, Brutus Bushwack, Black Pond Bushwack. Yes, this was a peakbagging mission, Forestgnome needed Owl's Head.

The Meet up:


Lincoln Woods, 7am. Make that 7:20 am. I am late, but not because I was drinking last night. I am relieved, because Forestgnome is still preparing his loaf of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on his tailgate, while Rocket21 paces anxiously, stating, "Its okay that you are late, we are still waiting on Libby Knuckledragger". I have no idea who Libby is, but she apparently never showed, and soon we are in our cars heading to the starting point.

10 Minute Parking Only Lot near bushwack jumping off point for Greenleaf Trailhead:

Rocket21 : "Do you think its safe to park here for 12 hours?"

Forestgnome: "You never told me this hike was going to be 12 hours!"

Una_dogger: <insert thought bubble here> "Oh, its going to be one of *those* days!">

After a bit of pondering the potential outcomes of leaving a couple of cars for 10 min x 60 min*hr-1 x 12 hr; we decide to move on over to the Cannon Tramway Lot.

Urban Myth Debunked:

Heterosexuals drive Subaru Foresters.

The Greenleaf Trail:

Lots of political talk, with the NH primaries being held recently and all.
I don't think the guys noticed when I slipped my Ipod Ear buds in.

Greenleaf Hut:

A quick break. Coffee. Spice cake.
Una_dogger: "Oh looky, there's that AMC leader Dude who yelled at me on Carrigain last year".

Lafayette:
The guys find someone else to "discuss" politics with. Its that "Leader Dude" so I slip away, pretending to take photos. I've left my camera at home....Blah blah blah blah.

Truman:
We are joined by Eric and Madison, who tagged Liberty and Flume first. After a brief chat with Becca Monroe, we head to Lincoln.

Back at Truman:


Una_dogger, looking east: "I've always wanted to go to those Ponds."

Forestgnome: "me too."

Now the fun begins. We pick our way down through the scrub and enter the slide. What a GREAT slide. Its sunny, skies are blue, everyone is happy, including the dogs. We take our time enjoying the descent and the"new to us" views back toward Franconia Ridge. Easy going down the slide. I check out a potential left exit point, and dub it the "sidesubslide". The guys want to head more down along the main slide, so I rejoin them, but I'll be back to check out this route someday !

Shortly after the left hand and right hand slides join, the slide narrows into a gully and a brook forms. Lots of rockhopping back and forth. We break for lunch. This is one of the most amazing places in the Pemi I've visited.

We leave the slide to the north and climb the banks, enter the woods. Lolligag around a bit testing different contours, then opt to stay close to the sound of the brook, which proves to be easy going.

Moose tracks everywhere.

Things get wet, we are in between the ponds. Without giving away all the surprises, if you ever happen to find yourself here, at the edge of the north pond, you will be rewarded with some very special views. :)

A bit more due east walking, a tattered blue strip of flagging tape, and then voices. Forestgnome has intersected the Franconia Brook Trail, and manages to step out of the woods the moment two hikers are passing by.

The Deliberations:


Rocket21: "I think we should follow the line of hardwoods to the top, we'll be north of the new summit"

Eric: "I think the trail will be faster". (Eric has completed his Owl's Head Grid, and this summit should not be interpreted as a start of a 48 x 12 x2) :)

Forestgnome: Neutral glance.

Una_dogger: "Lets Bushwack. I'm sick of taking the trail up there"

We quickly find a good crossing point and are over the river and through the woods. Up and up we go. Open all the way. Steep. Takes less than an hour to reach the ridge. We hit a small col that we were aiming for dead on. The worst of it is the last 0.1 mile as we track south to the new summit. Herdpaths are everywhere here; as is nasty blowdown...guess people don't know they are on the Noo Troo Summit of Owl's Head until they start going downhill, then double back. Shame on you, USFS! IMHO, there really needs to be a designated summit here.

The Noo Troo Summit of Owl's Head:


Collectively: Huh, whaddayaknow? Eric and Madison took the *trail* and aren't here yet. :D

Eric and Madison arrive about 15 minutes later. After a brief moment, we head on.

Down the Brutus. Over the creeks. Down the trail. Back into the woods. Out of the woods. Into the dark. The collective wonders if Elvio's Pizza delivers to Lincoln Woods. We have no cell service here, drat. Black Pond. Last light. Wilderness Trail. I stub my toes several times, obstinant and hiking "blind" without a headlamp, stumbling in the dark.

The Osseo Junction. More stumbling. The Ten Minute Bridge. We know this trail so well. The river. Away from the River. The river again. The sandwich board sign. The BRIDGE!!!

Lincoln Woods:


Una_dogger: "Let's get pizza".

Yes Ma'am.

Later, at Elvio's:
Three dirty hikers stumble in, eyes wide, hungry.

"how long for a large pizza?"

Pizza Lady: "Nine ten".

We take this for the New Hampshire colloquial translation "nine or ten minutes" and are shocked that it will be ready at 9:10 pm. It is now 8:40 pm.

The Beer Run:
We drive a block which is comical considering the day we've had. We buy beer. We drive back.

The Pizza:

Was frakkin' excellent.

Its so good to have friends like these, to do these great things with. To have awesome adventures, to laugh and smile and admire great views with. To be our silly selves with. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Oh, yeah, thanks for the male strippers. Best bachelorette party, ever. :)
 
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Excellent adventure...going up Owls Head north of the slide has always intrigued me...looking forward to a guided walk someday soon...

good times...

20 minutes behind schedule isn't really late is it? especially not for the one with the shortest drive:cool:
 
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Sabrina,
What a fun and challenging day for a bachelorette party? Hiking, pizza and beer and male strippers. Who could ask for anything more?:D Best wishes on your wedding next week.

Donna:)
 
..going up Owls Head north of the slide has always intrigued me...looked forward to a guided walk someday soon...

good times...
:

lets make it october or december, no more double-owlie months for me, no sir!:)

Who could ask for anything more?
exactly, donna, exactly...:D

Best new Non Pick Up Line
:
(AKA, fellas, this won't work on any woman, ever, *anywhere*)
"So, are you working on The Grid?" :)
 
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Hmm ... I had disc golf, sushi, Scotch, poker, White Russians, highly-impaired bowling, and that's all I'm sayin'. 8)

Glad you had such a great hike! Guess I have to wait a month before you'll go back & take me there? ;)
 
Just love this spot!
ry%3D480


photo courtesy of Rocket21
 
Great stuff! We've whacked from the new true summit to the west to Lincoln Brook trail before just to check out the woods. Also found it to be somewhat steep in spots through very open woods. We sometimes felt guilty walking on the untrod (for a long time at least) forest floor up high. It was difficult to step softly and not leave a trace. Still a fun alternative to the usual.
 
yeah, yeah... nice hike and slides and wilderness and strippers... all that risky forest stuff and you wouldn't risk parking!! You folks need to harden up a bit. So did the bride-elect get any scrapes and scratches that'll show up?? :cool:
 
Scratches?
Well I did just yesterday buy some above the knee tall leather boots to hide my war wounds at the rehearsal dinner this friday, and my wedding gown is, naturally, full length!
 
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sweet! I came out of the woods doing MacNaughton a few weeks ago pretty cut up on the arms and face! your advantage = slide! Enjoy your upcoming time... you know I'm wishing you guys the best. ;)
 
"forestgnome needed owl head"...very funny :p

What?! earbuds? We thought you were rendered speechless by the brilliant commentary ;)

I'm enjoying my new hiking style, which is following peakbaggers like a dog. I had a thought as I looked at Terra and Madison. They just follow their humans with no idea why they are there, but they just enjoy the hike.

Thanks for the invitation and it was one of the best hikes of my life, though I could've done without the Owl Head summit part.

I'll just add a few pics to Sabrina's typically eloquent narration...

First day with my new lens, my first professional lens, and I spot a couple moose along the Kancamagus at dawn...

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prancing calf at dawn

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What a day already...met up with Rocket and Una and we were off...

Eagle Pass...

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Greenleaf Hut and partial undercast to accentuate the layers of mountains..

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Sabrina climbing Mt. Lafayette...

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Steve, a hiker we met who recognized Jeremy from somewhere...

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we met up with Eric and Madison...

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we also ran into the lovely Becca M...one of Sabrina's male strippers started his gig...

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the wonderful slide...

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continued...
 
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entering the slide...

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enjoying the slide and making it last...

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looking up from near the bottom...

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As we approached the ponds I heard a moose trot away. I was in the lead and I left the group to go track the moose. I never saw him but he went right across the dam of this beautiful beaver pond. I was standing in his track when I took the picture looking toward Franconia Ridge...

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some nice woods on the bushwack down from Owl Head...

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Thanks so much for an awesome day! We plan to do this again, just cut out the Owl Head leg of the journey.

happy trails :)
 
Amazing shots, FG! Thanks so much for posting them. Its hard to say which is my favorite, but that "classic sheepdog" shot of Terra on the slide is a keeper.

This is a new favorite loop of mine, too.
 
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