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We had one of the best hiking days of the summer and enjoyed it to the maximum. Our group consisted of Dick and Jo, Moonray and Rachel, Jim and I and canines Leia and Bookah.
We dropped a car at the KHP end of the hike and met at the end of Gillespie Rd. Went straight uphill on DEP land up a woods road, and then when that turned west, away from our destination, we jumped into the woods and whacked until hitting the snowmobile trail. The snowmobile trail is destroyed by ATV traffic with mud puddles and wallows deep enough for the dogs to enjoy and the hikers forced to avoid. The snowmobile trail got gradually less damaged as we headed east, and then we again jumped back into a 'whack up to the top of Roundtop.
The woods are generally open and nice, with the occasional patch of 'scratchies', but nothing still very easy. Lots of ferns and birches. While the top of Roundtop is wooded(large rock cairn), good 'ole Jim showed us a grassy area just below the summit with great open views.
We had lunch here and then off to KHP.
The way off R'top was a bit steep at the top, but easily surmounted drops, and the woods open and nice all the way to the col. The fall line staight up KHP was a piece of cake, with long stretches of easygoing woods and ferns intermixed with some spruce. It was so gradual that it almost didn't feel like a real climb.
At the top of KHP, Jim then showed us the wreck of a 2 engine plane on the other side. Very sobering to see where 2 people lost their lives less than 100' below the summit. Our group then went back over the top, took in the views from Hurricane Ledge, and we headed back down to where the car was spotted.
For me, the highlights of the trip were the nice route up R'top and the lookout views, and the woods over to KHP, the very congenial group.
Everyone seemed to be happy to be out on this glorious day, and the pooches Leia and Bookah got along great.
I'll let others comment about the 6 people and 2 large dogs all packed into a midsized car for the ride to and then down the very rough Gillespie Rd.
We had one of the best hiking days of the summer and enjoyed it to the maximum. Our group consisted of Dick and Jo, Moonray and Rachel, Jim and I and canines Leia and Bookah.
We dropped a car at the KHP end of the hike and met at the end of Gillespie Rd. Went straight uphill on DEP land up a woods road, and then when that turned west, away from our destination, we jumped into the woods and whacked until hitting the snowmobile trail. The snowmobile trail is destroyed by ATV traffic with mud puddles and wallows deep enough for the dogs to enjoy and the hikers forced to avoid. The snowmobile trail got gradually less damaged as we headed east, and then we again jumped back into a 'whack up to the top of Roundtop.
The woods are generally open and nice, with the occasional patch of 'scratchies', but nothing still very easy. Lots of ferns and birches. While the top of Roundtop is wooded(large rock cairn), good 'ole Jim showed us a grassy area just below the summit with great open views.
We had lunch here and then off to KHP.
The way off R'top was a bit steep at the top, but easily surmounted drops, and the woods open and nice all the way to the col. The fall line staight up KHP was a piece of cake, with long stretches of easygoing woods and ferns intermixed with some spruce. It was so gradual that it almost didn't feel like a real climb.
At the top of KHP, Jim then showed us the wreck of a 2 engine plane on the other side. Very sobering to see where 2 people lost their lives less than 100' below the summit. Our group then went back over the top, took in the views from Hurricane Ledge, and we headed back down to where the car was spotted.
For me, the highlights of the trip were the nice route up R'top and the lookout views, and the woods over to KHP, the very congenial group.
Everyone seemed to be happy to be out on this glorious day, and the pooches Leia and Bookah got along great.
I'll let others comment about the 6 people and 2 large dogs all packed into a midsized car for the ride to and then down the very rough Gillespie Rd.
