adamiata
New member
I started my day alone at 7:45am at the Hancock Overlock, It was a little chilly, but crystal clear, just as the weather reports predicted. There was 4 to 6 inches of snow on trail, with a set of snowshoe tracks that looked like they'd been made the previous day. I followed them along the old railroad bed to the junction with the Cedar Brook Trail, where they continued down the Hancock Notch Trail. I remember thinking that this was rather odd, with the Hancock Loop being reputed as the more popular trail and all.
I pressed on, now through virgin undisturbed snow. It was clear that no one had passed this way since the midweek snow showers. My only company was a pair of partridges, which still manage to startle the bejesus out of me after dozens of encounters with them over my relatively short 23 years.
As I drew closer and I had to look upward at a higher and higher angle to the summit of North Hancock, I felt a growing sense of apprehension at what lay before me. I have a habit of reading and re-reading every trail description I can find for a planned hike. Each one described the route up North Hancock as "very steep and rough"; words that can be hard to accurately judge from in front of a computer screen or guidebook. I have a nagging fear of heights.
Arriving at the base of the North peak I quickly adjusted my poles, tightened my snowshoe straps and started upward before doubt could take hold. Going up, it was indeed very steep, however being entirely sheltered by the trees on all sides limited my exposure. Hey, this isn't really so bad, I thought to myself. Hell, I'm enjoying this. Several minutes later I arrived at the top, feeling triumphant and a little bit sheepish for over-analyzing things.
After bumbling around up top and taking a few pictures I was soon on my way to the South peak. The connecting trail on the ridge proved to be easy to follow and, a few minutes and one frozen powerbar later, I was on top of the South peak. The trip down the South trail was an entertaining combination of snowshoe skiing and glissading through 6" of unbroken powder back to the loop junction.
I arrived back at my car at 1:45, having completed the loop in 6 hours; just a few minutes under book time. Not bad for a winter hike. Throughout the whole day I never saw another soul on the trail. Not even any tracks covering my footprints from the morning. All in all, a day well spent.
12 down, 36 to go.
I pressed on, now through virgin undisturbed snow. It was clear that no one had passed this way since the midweek snow showers. My only company was a pair of partridges, which still manage to startle the bejesus out of me after dozens of encounters with them over my relatively short 23 years.
As I drew closer and I had to look upward at a higher and higher angle to the summit of North Hancock, I felt a growing sense of apprehension at what lay before me. I have a habit of reading and re-reading every trail description I can find for a planned hike. Each one described the route up North Hancock as "very steep and rough"; words that can be hard to accurately judge from in front of a computer screen or guidebook. I have a nagging fear of heights.
Arriving at the base of the North peak I quickly adjusted my poles, tightened my snowshoe straps and started upward before doubt could take hold. Going up, it was indeed very steep, however being entirely sheltered by the trees on all sides limited my exposure. Hey, this isn't really so bad, I thought to myself. Hell, I'm enjoying this. Several minutes later I arrived at the top, feeling triumphant and a little bit sheepish for over-analyzing things.
After bumbling around up top and taking a few pictures I was soon on my way to the South peak. The connecting trail on the ridge proved to be easy to follow and, a few minutes and one frozen powerbar later, I was on top of the South peak. The trip down the South trail was an entertaining combination of snowshoe skiing and glissading through 6" of unbroken powder back to the loop junction.
I arrived back at my car at 1:45, having completed the loop in 6 hours; just a few minutes under book time. Not bad for a winter hike. Throughout the whole day I never saw another soul on the trail. Not even any tracks covering my footprints from the morning. All in all, a day well spent.
12 down, 36 to go.
