Jay H
New member
Looking at the forcast for Lincoln, NH before leaving on sunday to meet Mimi at Waterest campground did not look good. But when did a little rain stop me? So off I went and it didn't take long for me to get to NH when it started to rain when I got to waterest. Figures!!!! One stop in Brattleboro, VT for lunch on I-91 and I get there around 3pm to find Mimi sheltered at the campground office under the overhang checking out maps on the picnic table.
Monday looked really bad, in terms of forecast, so we decided a little change of plans to not start out on the pemi loop as planned and just grab another night at Waterest and do a day trip and play it by ear. The Osceolas aren't far away and not a far trip and we managed to get up to both peaks without rain and limited clouded views from the old firetower sight(s) on Osceola. I found 2 sets of old firetower foundations as I explored the woods behind the main rocky view there...
Our plan to go to do Tecumseh (weather permitting) was derailed when we couldn't drive up Tripoli road and had to go do the Osceolas via the Greeley pond trails from the Kanc. So rather than drive all the way back and the weather was still holding off, we decided to go do Cannon.
However, Cannon (round 1) was not meant to be. We got to the first viewpoint when the floodgates lifted and the skies cried rain. Not wanting to be on the summit in a t-storm and some confusion with the viewpoint, we turned back. The Kinsman ridge trail is a literal flood during heavy rain and we skirted the gully that was flowing with water on the way down.
Tuesday, it looked somewhat nice actually, clouds were high and not threatening so we spotted my car at the Whitehouse Trail by Flume and drove Mimi's car to Zealand Road for the Hale Brook Trail. Going up up and up to Hale, only to lose almost all of it getting down to Zealand was kind of unnerving but we troopered on, going back up Zealand and offered a great view from Zeacliff. Back on Zee Trail to Zee peak and Zee future, we get to Guyot and some nice views towards the Bonds. Reach South Twin and we head over to North Twin which is an easy 1.2ish miles over, we run into two guys on No Twin and a great view of Garfield, Galehead hut, and views towards Lafayette and Lincoln... Wow, really nice peak! I wish my camera was working... which got wet on Cannon and refused to work afterwards. We eventually reach a pretty packed Galehead hut, full of thruhikers and hut to hut folks. We drop pack, get a bunk and trek up to Galehead and back.
Day 3, after a breakfast, we awake to some moderate winds but completely socked skies, couldn't even see Galehead from the porch. So we decide to go do Garfield and down the Garfield Ridge Trail. Dropping all the elevation and sidehilling proves slow but we get up to Garfield where the winds are about about a steady 15mph with about 25mph gusts we drop back down towards the Gale River road.
Day 4, we manage to get to Lafayette place and stay for the night and clean up despite the filthy showers. We decide to do Cannon today (round 2!) via Hi-Cannon and return via Lonesome Lake and check out the hut. By far, the nicer way to do Cannon than Kinsman Ridge, we make it to the tower, find the restaurant closed and drizzly and clouded over, we pass a few small groups going up and we stop by the hut just as the skies open up some more. The friendly hut crew feed us some yummy pancakes and we rest and relax while the sky cries rain. The lake is nice and we meet some fishermen trying to fish.
Friday, our day that we have to go over to Maine, we decide to do the tripyramids off the Kanc. Friday was actually the first day it was sunny and the Tris were awesome, North tripyramid is confusing as there is a sign missing on the summit with no cairn, no sign and my altimeter happened to be reading a bit low... But once we dropped 200ft, I figured that must of been the summit. Hitting Middle Tripyramid, we offered views of Passaconaway, Whiteface, tecumseh, the Osceolas, Chocorua and the three sisters... very nice, kind of wished we did the slides but we opted for the shortest way, knowing we had a couple hours to get to Oxford and didn't want to miss the music.
I would have pictures but my camera is toast, although my CF card has some pictures from the Osceolas, I doubt they are worth much to post, unless you like clouds and whiteouts!
10 peaks in NH, Old Speck in ME during Bearly Live, I am now at 22/48 for the Whites...The franconia range will have to wait again for another trip for nicer weather...
Jay
Monday looked really bad, in terms of forecast, so we decided a little change of plans to not start out on the pemi loop as planned and just grab another night at Waterest and do a day trip and play it by ear. The Osceolas aren't far away and not a far trip and we managed to get up to both peaks without rain and limited clouded views from the old firetower sight(s) on Osceola. I found 2 sets of old firetower foundations as I explored the woods behind the main rocky view there...
Our plan to go to do Tecumseh (weather permitting) was derailed when we couldn't drive up Tripoli road and had to go do the Osceolas via the Greeley pond trails from the Kanc. So rather than drive all the way back and the weather was still holding off, we decided to go do Cannon.
However, Cannon (round 1) was not meant to be. We got to the first viewpoint when the floodgates lifted and the skies cried rain. Not wanting to be on the summit in a t-storm and some confusion with the viewpoint, we turned back. The Kinsman ridge trail is a literal flood during heavy rain and we skirted the gully that was flowing with water on the way down.
Tuesday, it looked somewhat nice actually, clouds were high and not threatening so we spotted my car at the Whitehouse Trail by Flume and drove Mimi's car to Zealand Road for the Hale Brook Trail. Going up up and up to Hale, only to lose almost all of it getting down to Zealand was kind of unnerving but we troopered on, going back up Zealand and offered a great view from Zeacliff. Back on Zee Trail to Zee peak and Zee future, we get to Guyot and some nice views towards the Bonds. Reach South Twin and we head over to North Twin which is an easy 1.2ish miles over, we run into two guys on No Twin and a great view of Garfield, Galehead hut, and views towards Lafayette and Lincoln... Wow, really nice peak! I wish my camera was working... which got wet on Cannon and refused to work afterwards. We eventually reach a pretty packed Galehead hut, full of thruhikers and hut to hut folks. We drop pack, get a bunk and trek up to Galehead and back.
Day 3, after a breakfast, we awake to some moderate winds but completely socked skies, couldn't even see Galehead from the porch. So we decide to go do Garfield and down the Garfield Ridge Trail. Dropping all the elevation and sidehilling proves slow but we get up to Garfield where the winds are about about a steady 15mph with about 25mph gusts we drop back down towards the Gale River road.
Day 4, we manage to get to Lafayette place and stay for the night and clean up despite the filthy showers. We decide to do Cannon today (round 2!) via Hi-Cannon and return via Lonesome Lake and check out the hut. By far, the nicer way to do Cannon than Kinsman Ridge, we make it to the tower, find the restaurant closed and drizzly and clouded over, we pass a few small groups going up and we stop by the hut just as the skies open up some more. The friendly hut crew feed us some yummy pancakes and we rest and relax while the sky cries rain. The lake is nice and we meet some fishermen trying to fish.
Friday, our day that we have to go over to Maine, we decide to do the tripyramids off the Kanc. Friday was actually the first day it was sunny and the Tris were awesome, North tripyramid is confusing as there is a sign missing on the summit with no cairn, no sign and my altimeter happened to be reading a bit low... But once we dropped 200ft, I figured that must of been the summit. Hitting Middle Tripyramid, we offered views of Passaconaway, Whiteface, tecumseh, the Osceolas, Chocorua and the three sisters... very nice, kind of wished we did the slides but we opted for the shortest way, knowing we had a couple hours to get to Oxford and didn't want to miss the music.
I would have pictures but my camera is toast, although my CF card has some pictures from the Osceolas, I doubt they are worth much to post, unless you like clouds and whiteouts!
10 peaks in NH, Old Speck in ME during Bearly Live, I am now at 22/48 for the Whites...The franconia range will have to wait again for another trip for nicer weather...
Jay
