M
madmike
Guest
Chocoura on Wednesday 4-29-09, up the Piper Trail (in my opinion the best maintained and designed trail on that mountain; or a lot of the WMNF for that matter), Sunny, breezy, 100 mi. views with some snow in the shaded portions of the trail; with some post-holing. Exited via the Middle Sister Trail (then Carter Ledge and Nickerson Ledge back to the Piper), gorgeous views for a little more effort. The scenery came with a price; the snow was waist deep in sheltered places. I really enjoyed watching a hiking staff go tumbling off a boulder to it's death some 50 feet below (not). Also had a friend wrench her knees on the decent, so our out trip took about 7 hours (Needless to say she was not happy and was really upset with the lack of "visible trail markings"). Also the trail was so well maintained that I didn't mind losing it (a 20 minute adventure of "Find the Trail")(see: "Visible Trail Markings") or moving the 2 dozen or so blow-downs blocking it (sure, I can lift the tree out of the path....). Adventure awaited us at the bar on the way back home as we tackled pints of spirits to ease the pain of the day.
