Santa Does Waumbek

Summits: Mount Starr King (3,907') and Mount Waumbek (4,006')

Trail route: Starr King Trail to Starr King and Waumbek

Trail conditions: Bare trail to start then icy mud and continual ice from the conifers and beyond

Weather: Cold with a breeze, sunny and blue sky

Total miles: 7.2 RT

Total time: 4:30

Snowy Hike on the Great Gulf Trail

Summit: None

Trail route: Great Gulf Trail

Trail conditions: Snow with some minimal ice

Weather: Cool temps, cloudy with partial sunshine 

Total miles: 5.4

Total time:  2:50

A Leisurely Stroll to Zealand Hut

Summit: None
Trail route: Zealand Trail, Ethan Pond Trail, Twinway
Trail conditions: Wet trail, ice, mud
Weather: Cool temps to start then warm, cloudy with partial sunshine
Total miles: 8
Total time:  4:17

Peak Above The Nubble

Summit: Peak Above The Nubble (3,813')

Trail route: Herd path to the summit

Trail conditions: Wet leaves, some mud, some snow and some icy patches

Weather: Cool temps, cloudy with partial sunshine 

Total miles: 3.6

Total time:  4:40

Hike to Black Mountain

Summit: Black Mountain (2,757')

Trail route: East Pasture Trail

Trail conditions: Dry with some muddy areas covered with lots of leaves

Weather: Warm temps and sunshine 

Total miles: 3.3

Total time:  2:43

Fall Foliage Hike to Iron Mountain

Summit: Iron Mountain (2,726')

Trail route: Iron Mountain Trail

Trail conditions: Wet trail, slick roots and rocks, slippery leaves and mud

Weather: Cool temps and cloudy 

Total miles: 3.2

Total time:  2:51

Green Mountain Hike

Summits: Green Mountain (1,907'), Hanson Top (1,780')

Trail route: High Watch Trail, Hanson Top Trail

Trail conditions: Dry trail

Weather: Warm temps and lots of sunshine 

Total miles: 3.90

Total time:  4:00

Mount Major For My First Belknaps Hike

Summit: Mount Major (1,775')

Trail route: Brook Trail (Yellow), Mount Major Main Trail (Blue)

Trail conditions: Dry trail with several minor brook crossings

Weather: Warm and sunny 

Total miles: 3.94

Total time:  2:37

Madison and Adams Completes Round 11 of the 48 Four Thousand Footers

Summits: Mount Adams (5,774'), Mount Madison (5,367')

Trail route: Valley Way, Osgood Trail, Gulfside Trail

Trail conditions: A variety of Spring conditions with bare ground, mud, water, icy, narrow monorail, bare rocks above treeline

Weather: Cool temps to start then warm later, sun and blue sky 

Total miles: 10.4

Total time:  9:23

Jill Finishes "The Grid" on Cannon Mountain

Summit: Cannon Mountain (4,100')

Trail route: Kinsman Ridge Trail

Trail conditions: A variety of Spring conditions with ice, hard packed snow, hidden monorail, soft snow, slippery slush, bare rocks, with some mud and water

Weather: Clear sky and sunshine with warm temps, cool wind at the summit

Total miles: 4.2 RT

Total time:  5:00

A Cold Windy Hike to Mount Monroe

Summit: Mount Monroe (5,372')

Trail route: Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, then straight up to the summit

Trail conditions: Trail was well packed with some soft areas above treeline

Weather: Cold temps and strong winds above treeline with sunshine and blue sky

Total miles: 5.0

Total time: 5:15

Gridding Out the Osceolas

Summits: East Osceola (4,156'), Mount Osceola (4,340')

Trail route: From the Kancamagus Highway via Greeley Ponds Trail, Mount Osceola Trail

Trail conditions: Firm base with soft top layer

Weather: Comfortably cold with sunshine and blue sky and increasing clouds

Total miles: 7.6

Total time:  5:45

Spring Sledding on the Sherburne Trail

I woke up this morning with the sun shining and a clear blue sky. With such a nice Spring day I made a spur of the moment decision to hike up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and sled down the Sherburne Ski Trail.

Spring Hike to Pierce Before the Snowstorm

Summit: Mount Pierce (4,310')

Trail route: Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail

Trail conditions: Solid white sidewalk with a confusing trail from the junction to the summit

Weather: Sun showing through high cloud cover before an incoming snowstorm, cold and windy on the summit

Total miles: 7

Total time: 3:46

Gridding Out Mount Carrigain and February

Summit: Mount Carrigain (4,700')

Trail route: Sawyer River Road, Signal Ridge Trail

Trail conditions: Solid snowpack with a thin coating of new snow and minor drifting below Signal Ridge

Weather: Cold temps and cold wind on the summit, full sunshine to afternoon cloud cover

Total miles: 13.6

Total time:  7:25

Madison and Adams Completes Round 10 of the 48 Four Thousand Footers

Summits: Mount Adams (5,774'), Mount Madison (5,367')

Trail route: Valley Way, Osgood Trail, Gulfside Trail, Air Line

Trail conditions: Solid packed trail up Valley Way, some ice on Madison cone and solid snowpack up to Adams, rock and ice on Durand Ridge, soft snow on Air Line

Weather: Cool temps and wind on the summits, sun through high thin clouds 

Total miles: 10

Total time:  7:25

Winter Hike to Lafayette and Lincoln

Summits: Mount Lafayette (5,260'), Mount Lincoln (5,089')

Trail route: Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Falling Waters Trail

Trail conditions: Hard packed snow with some ice along the ridge and soft snow on the way down

Weather: Sunshine with cold temps and windy across the ridge

Total miles: 8.8

Total time: 7:00

Osceolas in February

 

Summits: East Osceola (4,156'), Mount Osceola (4,340')
Trail route: From the Kancamagus Highway via Greeley Ponds Trail, Mount Osceola Trail
Trail conditions: Solid frozen base with a top layer of semi-firm snow
Weather: Comfortably cold with sunshine and blue sky
Total miles: 7.6
Total time:  6:00

Gridding Out Zealand Mountain

Summit: Zealand Mountain (4,260')
Trail route: Zealand Road, Zealand Trail, Twinway
Trail conditions: Frozen base with a thin coating of new snow
Weather: Cold to start then warming into the low 20's, sunshine early with afternoon thin cloud cover
Total miles: 18.8
Total time: 9:45