7/14/08 Dorset/Pico hike

Name of mountain(s): 3770’Dorset/3957’Pico

Name of trail(s): Unsigned, unblazed. Sherburne Pass.
Hike date(s): 7/14/08 Weather and trail conditions: Overcast, sunny, overcast.
Total miles hiked: 12.6 Trip report: It rained all night. I didn’t get much sleep, if any.
Around 1:30am, I started packing up Base Camp. I took my time and I was back to the truck by 3am. I tried to sleep but that didn’t happen.
At 3:45am, I ate a Trail Mix bar and Ibuprofen and was on my way to Dorset, Vermont.
I found it with no problems.
I was able to go up the road further with my truck.
I parked in a clearing on the right around 4:30am.
I dropped the tailgate of my truck and cooked breakfast. I cleaned up, geared up, and was on the trail by 5:30am.
The trail starts out as a gravel road, then turns into a grass road. Soon I was in the woods.
I crossed a small stream then the trail was eroded. The trail looked more like a dried up stream.
Soon I passed a cabin on the left and the trail got steep.
After a long, slippery ascent, the trail leveled off with ferns on both sides.
I reached a T in the trail and took a right.
This is where my memory slips.
Heading up the trail, I took a right at either the first cairn or the second cairn.
Anyway, the right hand turn I took was an overgrown, steep, slippery trail up to South Dorset.
After reaching the summit, I headed back down to the (snowmobile) trail.
Here at the junction, there was a sign to N. Dorset, and also a new pile of moose dropping. There was also a doorknob on the tree where the sign was (?).
The 3/10ths hike over to North Dorset was easy. The only problem was avoiding the moose dropping piles and big mud puddles.
I saw the summit canister and I knew I made it.
I took a short break and headed down.
The hike back was a bit slippery but went fast.
Once back to the truck, I headed over to Killington.
I parked at the Sherburne Pass trailhead.
I geared up and was off.
Once on the trail (this trail is the old Appalachian/Long Trail) my legs started to hurt.
The trail was easy going all the way to the Pico Junction where the Pico camp is.
From here it is 4/10ths to the summit, and it was a tough one for my sore legs.
I eventually got to the building covered summit.
I was cloudy and I could only see parts of Killington, and maybe Mendon off in the distance.
I took a couple handfuls of GORP and headed down.
The descent went fast.
I got back to my truck and the sun was out.
I took a short break and headed back home, which took me over 3 hours.
The original plan was to bag 6 Hundred Highest peaks in 5 days but after hiking Stratton, Equinox, and Dorset, I decided to finish my journey on Pico.
Originally, I was going to head over to hike Breadloaf Mtn. and Mt. Wilson after hiking Dorset but I wasn’t up to the 15.6 mile round trip. Maybe next time.

67 of 100

To check out the photos from this hike, go to:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/564119226ZWmUKv

7/13/08 Stratton/Equinox hike

Name of mountain(s): 3940’Stratton/3850’Equinox Name of trail(s): AT/LT. Red Gate/Blue Summit
Hike date(s): 7/13/08 Weather and trail conditions: Sunny to start. Became cloudy near summit of Stratton. It was cloudy the rest of the day.
Total miles hiked: 14.4 Trip report: I woke up at 3am and was on my way to Vermont by 3:50am. Leaving Berwick Maine, I was on the AT/LT by 7:50am.
With all the gear I needed, my pack weighed 47lb. It took a little while getting use to the pack, but my new LEKI Carbonlite trekking poles helped tremendously.
After I crossed the International Paper Rd., I looked for a campsite. I found a site and it was way off the trail.
I made Base Camp and I put a few things inside the tent from my backpack so I could lighten my load.
While I was heading up the trail, the clouds rolled in. When I got to the summit, it was overcast.
Going towards the summit tower, there was a guy and girl heading up.
I dropped my pack and looked around the summit.
When they came down the tower, I went up. The higher I went up the tower, the windier it got. I had to take off my hat and clip it to a carabineer so I wouldn’t lose it.
The top of the tower is enclosed with glass. There were good views but I couldn’t see too far towards the horizon.
After a couple of minutes, I headed down, grabbed my pack, and went down to Base Camp.
When I got back to BC, it was 11:30am.
I thought to myself, I would go nuts if I spend the rest of the day inside the tent. So I decided to pack up BC and headed back to the truck.
I decided to head over to Mt. Equinox.
The ride over was awesome. There were great silhouettes of the Green Mountains and they were great.
I drove to the last parking lot on W. Union and parked next to the green gate.
I threw back on my pack and hiked the Red Gate Tr. to the Blue Summit Tr.
Just past the junction where the Red Gate Tr. turns right, I saw a sign stating that it was private property. So from here I found a campsite.
After setting up Base Camp again, I headed up the Blue Summit Tr.
The trail starts out as a wide road, very eroded. I was starting to get tired and sore.
Soon the road turned into a narrow trail, still eroded. Then after a right turn at a junction, it got really steep, with several steep drop-offs.
The trail became ruthless/relentless. It would turn right, then left, then around, then through, getting steeper as I progressed.
Towards the top, there was a blue arrow pointing to the right, so I took a right.
There were no blue blazes and it was going down hill.
I turned around and went back to the junction.
I went straight and after this point, the trail is a free for all to the summit.
When I finally got to the summit, I saw the old hotel. I went to the porch and checked out the view north. Then I went to the parking lot and looked south. Good views.
The trip back down was rough and very slippery.
I couldn’t find any water on the trail so I had to head back down to my truck to get some.
By the time I got back to BC, I was beat.
I made dinner, did the dishes, and hung my food bag.
It started to rain but the leaves on the trees were keeping me dry.
By the time I got everything into the tent, it started to downpour.
The leaves became saturated and didn’t provide cover anymore. Soon I discovered that the rain fly leaks. Great.

To check out the photo’s, go to:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/564120099tdggkQ

On a bike ride.

7/3/08 Parker Mtn. backpack

After coming home from work, I grabbed my backpack and headed to Parker Mountain, Strafford, NH. Shortly after starting up the Carter Smith Tr., I started to look for a camp site. Halfway up the steep, eroded trail, I looked to the left and saw a small clearing. I checked it out and it was too small. I continued to look around the area and I saw a perfect spot. It was about 10' from a rocky ledge with a good view.

When setting up the tent and fly, I couldn't get a few stakes in. Oh well.

After the tent was up, I made dinner. I found a spot about 20' from the tent.

Just before I finished eating, it started to rain. I put on my rain gear and finished dinner. I cleaned up my mess, then hung my food bag.

I needed to get water so I grabbed my water filter and 2 1-liter water bottles, then I put it all in a Marker Basket bag.

I knew where there was a stream so I headed up the Carter Smith Tr., then down the Link Tr. I went all the way down the Link Tr. and didn't find the stream.

I remembered that the stream crossed the Mooers Loop Tr. so I took a left at the end of the Link Tr. When I found the stream, there was no stream, just a few puddles. The water was flowing slowly so I knew it was safe to filter.

After I filled the liter bottles, I headed back to camp. It was a pain carrying 2 1-liter bottles in a Market Basket bag. Next time I'll bring my pack.

Halfway up the Link Tr., the sun came out.

When I made it back to camp, I wanted some Pistachio's out of the food bag. When I pulled the bag over the branch, it came down and hit a boulder and cracked my coffee cup. Oh No! I will not do that again.

I got into my tent and changed. I hung my wet clothes on a few clothes lines I put inside the tent. Hopefully they will be dry by morning.

I woke up at 10:30pm and I had to use the bathroom. Shortly after getting back in the tent, I heard voices. Some guys and girls were heading down the trail, talking up a storm. After that, I could not get back to sleep.

By 12am, I decided to head down. I couldn't fall back asleep and I was all tensed up.

I broke down camp and headed down the foggy CS Tr.

I got back to my truck with no problem and headed back home.

I felt defeated.

After waking up on the couch, I tried to figure out what went wrong.

Is it too peaceful out in the mountains? Do I need daily stress to sleep?

After reviewing the evening, I realized that when I can't sleep, I should do something (multi task). I should eat if I'm hungry and read if I can't sleep.

Hopefully it will be different when I attempt 6 Hundred Highest peaks in Vermont in 5 days.

Go to: http://community.webshots.com/album/563994440ZpUknd

to see the pictures.

6/22/08 Crocker Mountain hike

Jenifer and myself sent Saturday night at Dolly Copp campground. We woke up at 4am, broke down camp, and headed to Crocker Mountain.

We were on the trail by 8am.

The trail was wet and the bog bridges with moss on them were slippery. As we were heading up, we saw many piles of moose droppings, like they had a convention or something. We saw their footprints in the mud and we also saw small tracks that may have been a young moose following its mother.

Soon it started to rain so we took a break and put on our rain gear. Shortly later, it stopped.

The first view that we had was of Stony Brook Mountain just before the AT takes a sharp right turn.

Shortly after, Jenifers ankle was bothering her and she was tired so she said that she was done but I could continue up to the summit.

For the last mile before the summit, I walked the fastest I have ever (peakbagger).

When I got near the summit, the view opened up and I had some views east. In no time, I was at the summit. I took a couple of pictures and finished my Snickers bar.

I started back down very fast so I could catch up to Jenifer. When I stopped back where the view was, I saw S. Crocker, but I couldn’t figure out the names of the two peaks that look like pyramids.

While I was gone, Jenifer had lunch and waited. After a while, she started down the trail.

About a half hour after leaving the summit, I caught up with Jenifer. I took lunch and she continued down.

The descent was slippery in some spots but we had no problems. Jenifers ankle pain started going up to her knee so she slowed down.

By the time we got back to the Vue, it started to rain.

Shortly we were on the road for the 4 hour ride home.

For pictures, go to:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/563881330tkJfNI

6/20/08 Parker Mountain backpacking attempt

I loaded up my pack with all the gear that I will bring on July's AT section hike. The pack was 40 pounds. I hiked up Parker Mountain then continue on the Carter Smith Tr. to the end. I was looking for a place to camp but I could not find one. The last time I was on the Carter Smith Tr. was last winter, when I saw a bunch of good camp sites, but it's much different after all the trees get there leaves back and new plant growth.

I ended up coming home and pitching my tent in the back yard. I made dinner on my camp stove and did the dishes, like I was in the woods. I watched a movie, then I spent the night in the tent.

After a night of little sleep, I got up at 4:30am and made breakfast in my back yard.

One of the problems I may have on my section hike is that when I leave camp in the morning, the tent fly will still be wet. Hopefully mold will not start to form on the fly.

Another hobby

Also another hobby of mine is riding road bike. I ride on weekends doing between 12 and 33 miles a day. Someday I'll get a picture of me on my bike, and not in back of my truck.

I would like to do a 100 mile ride around the White Mountains but that will have to wait a while.