The past two days were ideal for hiking after all the rain the end of last week. Driving up from MA, all the Green Mountains were at first covered with early morning mist, but soon we could see our favorites - Camel's Hump and Mansfield. We headed up to hike on the LT from Beaver Meadow area. Our goal - Sterling Whiteface.
I had been in there two times before, but on a very hot day, I got as far as the Whiteface shelter and decided that climbing Madonna from the Chilcoot Trail to the LT and then following the LT and bushwhacking to Morse Mountain and then on to the shelter was enough. Another trip was aborted from Beaver Meadonw due to pouring down rain. A year later I started up from Beaver Meadow but turned around due to a very painful knee.
So, I hoped that this time we would be successful. The temps were in the 50's and there were no bugs!! After a wet boggy trail to the Beaver Meadow area, we took the Whiteface Trail up to the shelter and had our lunch, enjoying the views of Madonna. Packless, we climbed steeply up to Sterling Whiteface and enjoyed the views. The views to Mansfield were so clear that we felt as if we could reach out and touch all the parts of that vast summit. Over to the Northeast, the views were good too, and we thought that we could see the asbestos mine on the side of Belvidere.
On down to the shelter we went, picked up our packs and headed south on the LT to bushwhack to the the high point on Morse Mountain. When I had done this trip several years ago, I had no problem finding the jar, but this didn't happen again. We "whacked" along the whole ridge, but found no jar.
On down to the Chilcoot Trail, which was steep and finally out to the car - a long day, but a good one with mountain views, beautiful fall asters and white turtlehead. We only met two thru hikers all day. A good trip!
I had been in there two times before, but on a very hot day, I got as far as the Whiteface shelter and decided that climbing Madonna from the Chilcoot Trail to the LT and then following the LT and bushwhacking to Morse Mountain and then on to the shelter was enough. Another trip was aborted from Beaver Meadonw due to pouring down rain. A year later I started up from Beaver Meadow but turned around due to a very painful knee.
So, I hoped that this time we would be successful. The temps were in the 50's and there were no bugs!! After a wet boggy trail to the Beaver Meadow area, we took the Whiteface Trail up to the shelter and had our lunch, enjoying the views of Madonna. Packless, we climbed steeply up to Sterling Whiteface and enjoyed the views. The views to Mansfield were so clear that we felt as if we could reach out and touch all the parts of that vast summit. Over to the Northeast, the views were good too, and we thought that we could see the asbestos mine on the side of Belvidere.
On down to the shelter we went, picked up our packs and headed south on the LT to bushwhack to the the high point on Morse Mountain. When I had done this trip several years ago, I had no problem finding the jar, but this didn't happen again. We "whacked" along the whole ridge, but found no jar.
On down to the Chilcoot Trail, which was steep and finally out to the car - a long day, but a good one with mountain views, beautiful fall asters and white turtlehead. We only met two thru hikers all day. A good trip!
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