Outdoor Diversion: 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 momentous hike was on the agenda for today. Jill would be finishing her Grid quest with a hike to the summit of Cannon Mountain marking the culmination of hiking 48 4,000 footers in every month of the year...48x12=576 summits! A large group of hiking friends would be gathering to include Robin, Amy D, Amy L, Suzanne, Jolaine, Dolores, Danielle, Beth, Renee, Jim, Larry, Marty, Mark, Scott, Lisa, Steve and his hiking wonder dog Winston.

We met in the tram parking lot since the trailhead parking area was closed. After gearing up we departed just after 8:30 AM for the walk to the trailhead. Just before starting up the trail we all put on microspikes which was a good decision since the trail began as a icy path. The snow depth increased at the Kinsman Glade switchbacks. The trail was solid as long as there was no straying from the center which would result in postholing two feet or more in some spots.

We took a side path to a view of the Franconia Ridge and Notch. We continued up and ran into a variety of trail conditions consisting of soft snow, a little ice, and some bare rocks. Up on the Rim Trail we found Larry and Marty waiting for us. We regrouped then continued up to the summit.

Just below the summit observation tower we raised our poles while Jill moved under the Arch of Trekking Poles in celebration of hiking the #576 summit of the Grid. We then removed our traction and went up to the observation tower. There was lots of photos and the champagne and Fireball was flowing. We spent some quality time on the tower before coming down and starting our descent back to the trailhead.

This was the final weekend for skiing at Cannon Mountain before closing for the season. We dodged a few skiers while walking down the ski trail back to the Rim Trail. It was then a conga line heading down the Kinsman Ridge Trail. The warm sun had softened the trail and it was a slick slippery slushy slog back down to the trailhead.

Back at the parking lot the trailgate began in shorts and t-shirts. It was the trailgate to beat all trailgates with lots of food, snacks and enough dessert items to satisfy any sweet tooth. While sitting there the tram, which is currently closed to the public, made a late afternoon run up to the summit to bring down the employees that work up there.

This was Jill's day to celebrate a monumental achievement in hiking. It was 576 summits with around 3,000 miles of hiking and about 1,000,000 feet of elevation gain in every kind of weather and trail condition. There was heat, humidity, wind, rain, snow, sub zero temperatures and wind chills, icy trails, postholing deep snow, muddy and wet trails, crossing and foraging cold brooks, streams and rivers as well as nice dry trails with cool, crisp, sunny perfect days.

With the final cell filled in on the grid spreadsheet the journey is complete...Congratulations Jill!

Enjoy the photos!