Breaking In Boots in Carter Notch

My initial hiking plan for today was Whiteface and Passaconaway.  I woke up early to an overcast sky and a howling wind. Not knowing the current trail conditions I decided to wait on a better day for this hike.  My backup plan was to break in my new Garmont Momentum Snow Gore-Tex Hiking Boots.  I thought a trip up to Carter Notch would do the trick. Depending on how the boots felt would determine if I kept going up to Wildcat A (4422') or just head down to the Carter Notch Hut.

Winter Preview on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail

With an uncertain weekend weather forecast I had no firm plans for hiking. But after driving through Pinkham Notch yesterday and seeing the snow I was anxious to get out on a trail and put down some footprints in the white stuff. High winds were forecast so I was looking for a sheltered hike. I decided to hike up to Hermit Lake via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail.

Rogers Ledge via Mill Brook Trail

After yesterday's rain showers today was looking a little better as far as the lack of precipitation but with lingering gray skies. I was anxious to get out on the trail and decided to do a local hike that I've been wanting to do for a long time but was busy hiking the 4,000 footers. Today's plan would take me up the Mill Brook Trail onto the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and over to Rogers Ledge for a nice out and back hike of 8 miles.

Out and Back to the Twins

I am close to completing the 48 4,000 footers and today's hike brought me two summits closer. The weather forecast was for cloudy skies, no precipitation and slow clearing throughout the day. The plan for this hike was up the North Twin Trail to North Twin Mountain (4,761') and over to South Twin Mountain (4,902') via the North Twin Spur. This would be an 11.2 mile out and back round-trip hike.

Back to the Kinsmans

What a difference another day makes! Two weeks ago during a hike to North and South Kinsmans the weather was less than optimal. It was cold, windy and cloudy with very limited visibility. Thinking I was at the summit of South Kinsman I found out later that the true summit was another 300 yards. So it was back to tag South Kinsman to make it official for summit #43.