The week after Labor Day week

[Stan]

Wages and rent; rent and wages. A vicious cycle but certainly one of temporary independence and indulgence which many of us have certainly enjoyed. But for the long term: buy, buy, buy. Consider the opportunity to create equity in your career and location choices as it is the best path to creating financial self sufficiency, especially older years when our outdoor passions can be more freely pursued.

 

[ChrisB]

Wages and rent; rent and wages. A vicious cycle but certainly one of temporary independence and indulgence which many of us have certainly enjoyed. But for the long term: buy, buy, buy. Consider the opportunity to create equity in your career and location choices as it is the best path to creating financial self sufficiency, especially older years when our outdoor passions can be more freely pursued.

Stan,

Unlike most millennials, most of us old farts didn't exit grad school six figures in debt! Once she pays off her college loans, maybe a mortgage...?

cb

 

[sierra]

Wages and rent; rent and wages. A vicious cycle but certainly one of temporary independence and indulgence which many of us have certainly enjoyed. But for the long term: buy, buy, buy. Consider the opportunity to create equity in your career and location choices as it is the best path to creating financial self sufficiency, especially older years when our outdoor passions can be more freely pursued.

You make a great point. While it was hard to admit, my days of moving around the country are over. I bought a house in March. My mortgage is cheaper then most rents. Granted, it's small house, but my dog likes it.

 

[Raven]

For the time being, Portland, Maine is still "relatively" affordable in some parts. South Berwick, ME would have been an ideal investment 5-10 years ago...it's becoming a trendy, foodie town quickly. Probably still some good options there.

Portsmouth, NH has become pretty exclusive in terms of housing prices...Dover is still relatively affordable but has been on the rise. I think Rochester, NH is the next place coming up. If I were looking for affordable property within range of mountains, oceans, and lakes, I'd look there. 30 minutes to the lakes region. 45 minutes to the Kanc. 30 minutes to the Atlantic. Set up to have a well developed downtown area and I have already seen the uptick in downtown shops and activity. I think Rochester is going to be a very different town ten years from now compared to the glory days of the rather creepy Rochester Fair...where I have actually seen a "dog and pony show." Really.

Agree with Stinkyfeet about North of the Notches though. That's a hard, cold, and scary place. Big bears there. You don't want to live there.

To stay on topic, November is my favorite month to hike. No people. Chill wind. No leaves left so views open up. No snow on the ground yet usually. It's like watching the earth slow down and get ready to sleep for the season.

And we need to remind people at Appalachia it's after Labor Day. At 8:15 this morning, there were 50 cars already overflowed.

 

[egilbe]

And we need to remind people at Appalachia it's after Labor Day. At 8:15 this morning, there were 50 cars already overflowed.

My car was one of them. We showed up at 8am. Too nice a day to stay home and not hike. Ty Gagne's book got me thinking of Kate Masotrova so the gf and I hiked Starr Lake trail to the summit of Adams. I was trying to picture doing that in February in deep snow, bitter cold, and howling wind. Thats not a trail I would want to do without crampons or snowshoes.

 

[Raven]

My car was one of them. We showed up at 8am. Too nice a day to stay home and not hike. Ty Gagne's book got me thinking of Kate Masotrova so the gf and I hiked Starr Lake trail to the summit of Adams. I was trying to picture doing that in February in deep snow, bitter cold, and howling wind. Thats not a trail I would want to do without crampons or snowshoes.

Sunny and clear here while the rest of the state lifted from fog yesterday. It was much busier in the afternoon too. I've stood at the start of the unbroken Star Lake Trail in front of those steep, snow covered slopes and my usual thought is, 'Nah. Not today.' And then I head up another way or out. Love the trail but I've stayed off it in winter to date. If I'm standing there in winter I've got both snowshoes and crampons with me.

 

[peakbagger]

I hiked the Star Lake trail a week after her death. There was a a list obsessed VFTT member who wanted to do Adams who was going to do it solo if she couldn't find anyone to go, so I offered to join her. It was windy and cold but nowhere like the conditions from the weekend before. I have done it previously in the winter a couple of times. There are couple of steep snow fields that form that dump right down into Madison Gulf just after the Madison Gulf trail cuts off and there I is good option but to slab across them . The sun frequently turns into it into boilerplate and traversing across it can be challenge. Alternatively if its not consolidated its definitely a slide path. Once past these snowfields there is a lot of exposed rock most winters and it has good going until up near the summit. It has excellent wind protection from the typical westerly and northwesterly winds. That changes quickly where the trail breaks the ridge and its full out wind exposure up to the summit.

By the way completely opposite to winters day on Adams, yesterday was downright hot and humid, maybe I have been picking the right weekends this summer but for me it was one of the hotter and humid days of the entire summer.

 

[egilbe]

Its been an unseasonably cold Summer, imo. We took the Airline trail a couple months ago and it was hot and muggy on the lower slopes, like Saturday, but up above, it was cold and windy. We didnt stay at the summit. Yesterday felt like the middle of August.

 

[Raven]

I hiked the Star Lake trail a week after her death. There was a a list obsessed VFTT member who wanted to do Adams who was going to do it solo if she couldn't find anyone to go, so I offered to join her. It was windy and cold but nowhere like the conditions from the weekend before. I have done it previously in the winter a couple of times. There are couple of steep snow fields that form that dump right down into Madison Gulf just after the Madison Gulf trail cuts off and there I is good option but to slab across them . The sun frequently turns into it into boilerplate and traversing across it can be challenge. Alternatively if its not consolidated its definitely a slide path. Once past these snowfields there is a lot of exposed rock most winters and it has good going until up near the summit. It has excellent wind protection from the typical westerly and northwesterly winds. That changes quickly where the trail breaks the ridge and its full out wind exposure up to the summit.

By the way completely opposite to winters day on Adams, yesterday was downright hot and humid, maybe I have been picking the right weekends this summer but for me it was one of the hotter and humid days of the entire summer.

I was looking at those flanks yesterday; I'm not slabbing across those fields above Madison Gulf. I'll continue to take the approaches from the other side in winter.

All this talk motivated me to get out there yesterday after a sufficient amount of coffee. I really like coming up the Great Gulf side of the ridge when I can, so headed out yesterday with a light pack and a general idea.

I took Great Gulf up to Madison Gulf and ascended through that wild and rugged place. The wooded ridge that supports the start of the Madison Gulf Trail is fabulous as it rises through the forest dropping off more steeply on both sides. I sat at near the Parapet Trail Junction for a long time. The colors around Star Lake are stunning right now. The grasses have all turned a beautiful sunny orange color. It's as pretty as I've ever seen it right now. I went up Star Lake spending very little time on the summit as I was taking my breaks elsewhere. A few quick hellos and then I was on the way to Madison Hut figuring the easiest way for me to head out was actually over Madison and down Osgood. Yes, it's added elevation, but I chose extra mileage over descending something with a rough treadway. I wasn't going down Madison Gulf in anything short of lightning. I filled some water at the hut, listened to a a nice thru-hiker with the not uncommon complaints about the ruggedness of the Mahoosucs and headed up Madison. Passing a few more thruhikers (who seem to be wearing some AT tag that looks like a luggage tag), I headed down Osgood, just an awesome ridge, passed some more hikers and eventually my pretty tired legs and feet hit the welcoming soft trails below Osgood Tentsite. A long day with surprising heat and humidity up high, but the light breeze was just enough. One of the hotter days I've felt above treeline though. Wonder how close it was to the Washington record on the summit.

 

[DayTrip]

And we need to remind people at Appalachia it's after Labor Day. At 8:15 this morning, there were 50 cars already overflowed.

That lot has been crazy this year. Twice this Summer I've been banished to a street spot at 6:00-6:15AM. Usually have a third of the lot open to me at that time.