Winter Hike To Jackson and Webster

Winter hiking is now officially here. With that being said there was not many signs of winter today. There were record high temperatures this past week and the winter solstice arrived without snow or icy ponds and lakes. My hike today would take me up to Mount Jackson (4,052') via the Webster-Jackson Trail then over to Mount Webster (3,910') on the Webster Cliff Trail and back down the Webster Branch Trail. Cold temps and clear skies were in today's weather forecast.

Waumbek Wellness Hike

Having not felt well for the past two days it was doubtful if I would be hiking this weekend. I was feeling better this morning so I thought a short hike was in order. Maybe some fresh mountain air would help clear up what was ailing me. I chose Mount Waumbek (4,006') for it's short, easy climb and also has a couple of good views of the Presidential Range. So it would be up and back on the Starr King Trail for a 7.2 mile hike.

A Balmy December Day on Mount Madison

Above normal temps and clear skies had me changing my hiking plans to something above treeline. Mount Madison (5,367') seemed like the right choice and my hiking route would take me up Valley Way to Madison Spring Hut then onto the Osgood Trail to the summit of Mount Madison. My return trip would take me down the same trails. I would like to have done Mount Adams but yard work on Saturday that included shoveling gravel had me a little worn down so it would only be one summit today.

Cannon Loop Hike

It felt like a good day to hike in Franconia Notch. My route today would take me on a loop hike over Cannon Mountain (4,100'). I would be starting on the Lonesome Lake Trail then onto the Hi-Cannon Trail to the Kinsman Ridge Trail and up to the Observation Tower on the summit. On the return trip I would be descending on the Kinsman Ridge Trail to the Lonesome Lake Trail with a stop at the Lonesome Lake Hut and back down to the parking lot.

Loop Hike Over the Baldfaces

A beautiful Fall day was forecast and I decided to hike South Baldface (3,570') and North Baldface (3,610') Mountains. My hiking route would take me up the Baldface Circle Trail and down the Bicknell Trail to complete the loop. I'll save Eagle Crag and Mount Meader for another day.

Hiking Up to a Snowy Sandwich Dome

After two weeks of not hiking I was ready to get back on the trail. This past week I was fighting off a mild flu "bug" and was still feeling some lingering affects from that today. My plan was to hike up to Sandwich Mountain also known as Sandwich Dome (3,993') with a stop at Jennings Peak (2,976"). I would be going up the Sandwich Mountain Trail, take the spur path to Jennings Peak before summiting Sandwich Dome then return to the trailhead via the Drakes Brook Trail.

A Hike to Table Rock and Baldpate Mountain

I've been wanting to hike the Baldpates since looking across and seeing them from Old Speck three weeks ago. Weather forecast was looking great with clear skies, sunshine and temps in the 40's nearing 50°F. My plan was to start on the Appalachian Trail then hike up the Table Rock Trail so I could enjoy the views of Grafton Notch then back over to the Appalachian Trail up West Baldpate (3,662') then over to East Baldpate (3,780') for a round trip distance of 8.7 miles.

Bushwhack to Vose Spur

Today was going to be a different kind of hiking adventure for me. The plan was to hike in on the Signal Ridge Trail to the Carrigain Notch Trail and then bushwhack straight up through the woods to the summit of Vose Spur. This summit is a subpeak of Mount Carrigain and on the list of the New England Hundred Highest (NEHH). It is a trailless hike to a wooded summit with no views. Sunshine and cool temps were in the forecast.

Wintry Hike to Goose Eye and Carlo

What a difference a week makes. Last Monday I was hiking in short sleeves and shorts with temps in the 70's. Today's forecast was calling for snow showers with temps in the 30's, colder at higher elevations. I would be joining fellow hiker Brian for a loop hike up Goose Eye Mountain (3,870') over to Mount Carlo (3,565') and back down to Success Pond Road. This would be my first time hiking these summits.

The Eyebrow Trail to Old Speck

I had a three day weekend and saved Monday for hiking. After keeping an eye on the weather this looked to be the best day. Saturday and Sunday looked cold, windy and wintry on the high summits. Today's forecast was warm temps in the 70's with lots of sunshine and blue sky. My hiking plan was to take me into Maine, climbing up to Old Speck Mountain (4,170') via the Eyebrow Trail and return down the Old Speck Trail. This would start me on the New England 4,000 footers and add to the New England Hundred Highest.

The Horn and The Bulge via Unknown Pond

Today's hike would be a fifteen minute drive to the trailhead from my house. The plan was to hike up Unknown Pond Trail to the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and over to The Bulge (3,950') and back to The Horn (3,905'). I was going to return on the same trails instead of making the loop over Mount Cabot. These two peaks are on the New England Hundred Highest list.

Hiking to a Cloudless Mount Garfield

The spectacular weather continues here in the White Mountains and today was forecast to be another beauty. My hike today would take me up the Garfield Trail to Mount Garfield (4,500').

Mount Monroe and Mount Washington Loop Hike

The warm weather continues and the forecast was predicting a great day to summit Mount Washington on the last weekend of summer. My hiking route would take me up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail with a side trip up Mount Monroe (5,372') then taking the Crawford Path to Mount Washington (6,288') and descending the Gulfside Trail to the Jewel Trail completing the loop back to the Cog Railway Marshfield Base Station.

Flags on the 48 from Mount Liberty

Flags on the 48 is a day when hikers gather in a show of remembrance for those thousands of lives lost on September 11, 2001. American flags are raised over all 4,000 foot summits. My hike today would start at Lincoln Woods, hiking in on the Lincoln Woods trail to the Osseo Trail and crossing over Mount Flume on the Franconia Ridge Trail to Mount Liberty where I would watch the flag raising. This would also be a good vantage point for watching the flag raising on many other surrounding summits.

Warm Sunshine on Mount Carrigain

There's been a nice stretch of summer weather this week. The last time I visited Mount Carrigain (4,700') was on a cold November day with an icy climb up the observation tower. I've listened to other hikers talk about their cold, snowy hikes to this summit and I thought it would be nice to climb Mount Carrigain on a warm day. With a cool morning start I headed for the trailhead.

Across Franconia Ridge on a Full Moon Hike

A full moon on a Saturday night make a great combination for an evening hike in the White Mountains. So I along with my son Ryan, his girlfriend Jen and seven other hikers...Jill, Nancy, Christina, Todd, Eric, Brent, and Kyle joined up to hike across Franconia Ridge to watch the sunset and full moonrise. Our route would take us up Falling Waters Trail, across Franconia Ridge Trail over the summits of Little Haystack (4,780'), Lincoln (5,089') and Lafayette (5,260') then down Greenleaf Trail past the Greenleaf Hut and finally the Old Bridle Trail back to the beginning.

A Beautiful Day on Wildcat A

Weather reports this past week were forecasting showers and thunderstorms all weekend. I made no firm plans to go hiking. I woke up to heavy fog this morning but a drive up to the Milan fire tower brought me into blue sky and cool temps. It looked to be a fantastic day of weather on the way. I decided to go on a hike to Wildcat A (4,422') via Nineteen Mile Brook Trail and up Wildcat Ridge Trail.

Mount Isolation via Boott Spur

I was invited to join fellow hikers Brian and Jill on a hike to Mount Isolation (4,003'). This would be Brian's 48th and final summit on the 4,000 footer list and allow him to become a member of the AMC 4000 Footer Club. This would be my second hike to Isolation and Jill has visited this summit multiple times both summer and winter. Our plan was to go up the Boott Spur Trail and down the Davis Path to Mount Isolation. The return trip would take us back up the Davis Path and down Glen Boulder trail. Jill suggested spotting her car at Rocky Branch trailhead...just in case we decided to come out that way.

Mount Tremont Then Down To Owl's Cliff

After watching the weather all week and planning for a hike to Mount Isolation the decision was made last night to postpone that hike and wait for a better day. The forecast called for cloudy skies and partly sunny with afternoon showers. I would be joining fellow hikers Brian and Jill today. Brian needs to hike Mount Isolation to complete his 48 4,000 footers. We'll watch the weather for next weekend. The alternative plan for today was a hike to Mount Tremont (3371') via the Mount Tremont Trail then down the other side on the Brunel Trail to Owl's Cliff (2940') and return on the same trails.

Mount Hale Loop Hike

The weather forecast was looking ominous early this morning with showers and thunderstorms along with hazy, hot and humid conditions. I have a low tolerance for hot and humid so I chose a short hike to Mount Hale (4,054'). The plan was to park at the Zealand Trailhead, a one mile road walk to the Hale Brook Trail, 2.2 miles to the summit of Mount Hale then 2.7 miles down the Lend-a-Hand Trail, a brief stop at the Zealand Hut and completing the loop with a 2.7 mile hike back to the parking lot on the Zealand Trail.

Avoiding the Crowds on Owl's Head

Large crowds of hikers could be expected on all the popular trails with the long Fourth of July weekend here. This would not be the case on Owl's Head so I joined fellow hikers Jill and Larry for the long hike to this summit. Both have hiked to Owl's Head several times and this would be my second. The weather forecast called for warm temps and an overcast sky.

Climbing the Caps to Mount Jefferson

I've been hiking the Presidential summits this month. Today I would be hiking the Caps Ridge Trail to Mount Jefferson. With heavy rain in the forecast for tomorrow this would be the best day for hiking above tree line. The forecast called for high clouds moving in but summits in the clear with comfortable temps and light wind. I bought a new backpack last week, an Osprey Stratos 50, and was going to break it in today or maybe it would break me in. I was quite happy with the way it fit in the store but loaded down and on the trail might be a different story.

Mount Eisenhower via Crawford Path

The weather forecast was indicating prime conditions for a day of hiking. My hike today would take me over two 4,000 footers. The plan was to hike up the Crawford Path to Mount Eisenhower via the Eisenhower Loop around to the Crawford Path again and back to Mount Pierce on the Webster Cliff Trail down to the Mizpah Spring Hut and across the Mizpah Cut-Off for the final descent to the trailhead.

Bear Encounter on the Way to Mount Crawford

I had planned on hiking Mount Chocorua yesterday with my son but was feeling sick. I met my son at the Piper Trail, we visited for a few minutes then I returned home and went to bed. Today I was feeling better so I decided to do a short hike with great views. Mount Crawford via the Davis Path is the hike I chose.

Mount Jackson via Webster Cliff Trail

During my many trips through Crawford Notch I've wondered what the view would be like from the top of the cliffs along the Webster Cliff Trail. I thought it was time to find out and the plan was to hike to Mount Webster and return on the same trail. Last night my son Ryan decided to join me for this hike, it was great having him along. Our hiking plan changed as we got into the hike.

Waterfalling

Waterfalling, meaning one is going out and exploring waterfalls according to the urban dictionary, is exactly what I did today. I am currently taking a photography workshop and our project for this week is to take pictures of waterfalls. My plan was to hike into Zealand Falls and then go down into Crawford Notch and hike to Arethusa Falls via the Bemis Falls Trail so I could capture a few smaller waterfalls.

Hazy Hike to Kearsarge North

 

After reading the trail reports it appears there is still a lot of snow on many trails in the White Mountains that require either microspikes or snowshoes and some needing both. I was looking for a snow-free trail and decided on Mount Kearsarge North. With more Spring chores to do around the house I also wanted a short hike but something with some decent views from the summit. The tower on Mount Kearsarge as a great vantage point for views.

Springtime on the Moats

Finally after a seemingly endless winter up till now we got a weekend forecast of warm temps and sunshine. I checked the trail reports and decided to hike South and Middle Moats based on a snow-free trail. That meant leaving the winter gear at home. There would be no need for snowshoes, microspikes, extra layers or winter jacket.

Spring Day on Mount Pierce

The weather forecast was calling for warmer temps and sunny skies. My plan for today was a hike to Mount Pierce via the Crawford Path. After a month of illness and injuries I was anxious to get back on the trail and work out the kinks. A short hike up this 4,000 footer seemed to be the remedy.

Hiking to Carter Dome on a Bluebird Day

After spending last weekend sick in bed I wanted to test my stamina. The weather forecast was predicting a beautiful day and I wanted to get above treeline to enjoy some views. I chose a loop hike over Mount Hight and Carter Dome. My route would take me up the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail to the Carter Dome Trail through Zeta Pass and onto the Carter-Moriah Trail up to Mount Hight and over to Carter Dome then back down to the Nineteen Mile Brook Trail for the trip back to the parking lot on Route 16.

Up Tuckerman Ravine Trail Sled Down Sherburne

With a storm on the way and less than optimal weather in the forecast I decided to try something new today. I was going to hike up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and sled down the Sherburne Ski Trail with my son's Zipfy. I've skied this trail before and knew this would be a good trail to practice my sledding skills on with plenty of room to make mistakes with its wide slope. It also has some good steep sections for a nice challenge.

A Hike to Mount Cabot

I set the clocks ahead before going to bed. Just before the alarm went off I woke up. I could already tell it was going to be a rough day, I needed the hour that was lost. Dragging myself out of bed I took my time getting ready for today's hike. The plan for today was to add another winter 4,000 footer to my list. Fortunately the hike to Mount Cabot is the closest trailhead from my house, fifteen minutes. This hike would take me up the Bunnell Notch Trail onto the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and up to the summit of Mount Cabot.

March Hike to Mount Field

The first day of March and three more weeks until Spring, twenty more days to get those last Winter hikes in. Friday was a ski day, yesterday I rested the legs and today was a hike to Mount Field (4,340') over Mount Avalon via the Avalon Trail. The weather forecast called for increasing clouds ahead of the next snowstorm, a small storm of maybe a dusting to two inches in the evening.

Spectacular Day on the Slopes of Attitash

With beautiful weather in the forecast it seemed the perfect day to ski and ride on the slopes of Attitash. So along with son Brandon we threw the gear in the vehicle and took off to play in the snow. There was plenty of packed powder and powder to enjoy along with a cloudless blue sky, sunshine and no lift lines. The cold temps kept the snow conditions firm and we were able to ski on trails that are normally not open due to lack of snow but lots of ice. I captured the day in photos and videos. Enjoy!

Snowshoeing to Mount Chocorua

With no firm plans for a hike this weekend I got an invite from fellow hiker Jill to join her and four others for a hike to Mount Chocorua (3,475'). The plan for today was to hike the Champney Falls and Piper Trails up to the the summit. The weather called for cold temps and increasing clouds with an approaching storm due to arrive late afternoon.

Snowshoe Hike To Lonesome Lake

Today I was looking for a short snowshoe hike to a beautiful spot with a great view. Short being the key word for a number of reasons, the first being the sub-zero windchill, then there was the late start with an hour drive, and probably the best reason was that I used up a lot of leg power yesterday skiing in powder at Bretton Woods. Lonesome Lake seemed to be a great destination to try out the winter gear today as well as condition myself to some frigid weather.

Veterans Appreciation Day at Bretton Woods

Another weekend and another free day of skiing for military veterans. Today was the annual Veterans Appreciation Day at Bretton Woods and they were offering free lift tickets to military active duty and retirees. This is a great show of support for America's veterans and this is one veteran that appreciates it. I would be joined today by my son Brandon who was looking forward to shredding the new powder with his snowboard.

Annual Military Salute Weekend at Attitash

This was the 8th Annual Military Salute Weekend at Attitash and Wildcat. These ski areas were offering free lift tickets to active duty, veterans and retired military members. Today I would be hitting the slopes of Attitash with my youngest son Brandon and middle son Ryan along with his girlfriend Jen. I'm retired from the Navy and both Ryan and Jen are in the Air National Guard so we enjoyed the free lift tickets. Brandon has a season pass.

A Hike to Mount Waumbek Before the Rain

There was a storm on the way and it was forecast to be a nasty one. Rain and freezing rain was to begin midday. I wanted to hike a 4,000 footer and Mount Waumbek seemed to be the perfect summit for today's conditions. The plan was to leave early and be back down around noon hopefully before the coming precipitation. When leaving the house before daylight this morning there were clear skies and stars above but I could see clouds moving in from the west.

Hiking the Carter Moriah Trail to Mount Moriah

After yesterday's winds the weather was looking a little more favorable although still cold. The temperature at the house as I was leaving read -5°F and I could see scattered clouds through the dark sky. Now I've gone hiking enough to know that the weather conditions at the house are no indication of what they will be on the trail. A good rule of thumb is to be prepared for the unexpected. Today's hike would take me up the Carter-Moriah trail to Mount Moriah. The last time hiking this trail was on a nice Fall day in October 2013.