25 pictures and a bit of babbling about a quick and fabulous winter adventure. It was supposed to be a two night trip with a lot more climbing, but changing weather forecast turned it into a short and relaxing trip instead.
This was my first cold weather trip to the Grafton Notch area. I’ve come up here many times over the last few years, but never with snow on the ground. The state park lot was sort of plowed and I parked along the edge imitating how others had parked. It was chilly but not cold, upper 30s-lower 40s I’d guess, so I loaded up and moved out to the highway crossing quickly so I could hit the trail.
Mercifully the trail was well broken out with only one set of postholes marring the way. I wasn’t sure what I’d find up there and wasn’t looking forward to wayfinding if I had to break trail. White blazes in the snow can pose a challenge and I know this section isn’t heavily blazed to begin with.
Instead I was able to focus on enjoying the climb. It was a warm day for this time of year so I kept my pace leisurely to avoid getting too sweaty. That gave me plenty of time to take pics and marvel at the light on the snow filled birch stands.
I did have to break out majority of the short trail up to the Baldpate Shelter as no one had made the effort recently. There was several feet of fluffy powder so it was good fun, but I’m glad I didn’t have to do the whole trail like that.
While the Winter had been somewhat mild with rain and melting at times there had been a recent dump of snow a week or so prior to this trip. This campsite looked better to me covered in snow than it had on previous trips. It sees a lot of use during the other seasons but with a white blanket it looked pristine.
There are other reasons they build latrines up on high platforms, but making them stick out of the deep snow is a benefit. I had my shovel along if I needed to dig it out but the door opened easily enough.
The brook that acts as water source for the shelter was totally buried. No idea if there was flowing water or just ice down below but rather than dig to find out I opted to melt snow. Of course with the sunshine there was melt coming off the metal roof of the shelter so I collected what I could during the afternoon. I put my kettle in a spot catching two drips and my as yet clean garbage bag in a spot catching three. Managed to get over a liter this way which cut down on how much snow I had to melt.
I had several hours of wonderful sunshine in the snow to enjoy with a dead calm the entire time. Weather like that made me wish my wife had been able to come along. I’d hate to put her through some of the stuff I endure, but this was pure pleasure.
With the sun dipping low the melt on the roof slowed quite a bit. Time to start melting some snow! The shelter clearing had a nice blanket of clean snow from the big storm. Often what looks clean is really layers of debris once you dig into it, but as I peeled off layers with my shovel I found almost nothing but snow. With the warm weather I had a canister stove and kettle instead of the usual white gas Whisperlite and a bigger pot. It worked well enough and since the trip was cut short the next day I didn’t have to worry about running out of fuel. With the warm weather I opted to run the final product through my filter rather than do an extended boil to purify it.
Still not a puff of wind as the sun dipped into the trees. The quiet was overwhelming whenever I stopped to notice it. As night fell I heard what sounded like a coyote sound off twice and then again a bit later. After dark as I lay reading in my tent I heard a tree crash somewhere. With the quiet it was hard to tell just how far off it was, but it was probably a lot louder up close!
The best part of the night were the times I needed to step out of the tent. The first time I stood up I almost fell over when I saw the star filled sky. At elevation in the cold the sky is beyond anything you can imagine if you’ve never seen it. I seem to recall the words “Holy $%^#% @#^^&!” coming out of my mouth unbidden. The other times I got up it was still amazing, but even now I can remember just how blown away I was that first time.
Morning dawned mostly clear which might seem good, but worried me because that was not the forecast. I’d expected some clouds with rain late in the afternoon. Seemed like a good time to fire up the inReach and get a new forecast. Sure enough things had changed. Today was going to be nicer, but the following day they expected rain early and often. Part of me kept staring at the mountain wanting to hit the peaks, but the smarter part kept pointing out that would mean going down in the rain the next day.
It really would have been a great morning to hit one or both summits and even when I left camp I wasn’t sure the less smart part of me would turn left instead of right when I got back to the AT.
Since plans had changed I now was in no hurry to leave camp. It was still very calm where I was, but the clouds up above were flying past at a good clip. I spent some time making movie clips which went into the video I posted a few weeks back.
The morning light up there was amazing. Another good excuse to take too many pics. The total for the two day trip was 101 shots 🙂 Having grown up on film cameras I love the ability in the digital age to shoot without worrying about expense. Now that memory has gotten so cheap I don’t worry about storage space either.
It was a great morning for sunlight on trees. The pictures do little to capture what I could see. Perhaps more skilled photographers could bring it out better, but these are good enough to at least remind me of how beautiful these two days in the snow were.
I did manage to turn left and started my descent back to the highway on the AT. On the way up I did my best to clean up the postholes of the guy I was following up. Now on the way down I worked on his descending postholes. Near the road I met a guy going up in just spikes and realized that my efforts were probably pointless. 
No time to be grumpy about postholes when you’ve got a sunny morning to enjoy. Sun on birches is always nice, but in the snow with good morning light you can’t help but feel happy to be there.
Sun through the pines is pretty darn nice too! It was such a great day I was a bit bummed I wasn’t hitting the peaks, but it was too nice to be grumpy about it.
When the leaves are on the trees this route has very few views until you get to the top. This time of year there were chances to glimpse peaks in various directions at times.
Pretty certain I stop and take pictures of Hedgehog Hill every time I pass through this spot. I know I did in both directions this time. Just something about the perspective looking through the stand of dead birch trees.
Bit of the Mahoosucs poking through the trees. Think that is Old Speck on the left side but hard to tell with those pretty birches in the way.
I was totally overheating by this point even though I was going downhill. I was down to my lightest base layer, but should have been in a tank top heh. Warm weather in Winter is really hard to adjust to after you’ve gotten used to really cold stuff. Once I got back to the car I stripped down and put on dry stuff. Then I broke out the sausage and cheese for a lunch feast before heading home.
Hope you folks enjoyed the pics. Sadly there have not been many trips in the snow this year. With the little one starting kindergarten and my wife very busy with her work I’ve been needed at home a bit more. If you aren’t getting your Nature fix from my posts perhaps you’ll be more motivated to get out there and see it for yourself! Things should pick up for me once the snow melts and I can get the scoot back on the road. Also starting to hear rumbles from a buddy about tag teaming the LT this Fall so it will be time for me to start riding that merry-go-round again soon 🙂
By the second week of October the days were already getting short fast. Getting on the road early meant a chilly ride on the scoot, but I didn’t want to get caught on the ridge come sunset.
Then I slowed down as the Osseo Trail began its ascent towards Mt Flume. The first sign of real progress is literally a sign. It made no sense the first time I read it, but now I know it means what it says.
The trees here block the view a bit and I’m not one to get too close to the edge, but you definitely can look down at this spot.
You can look out as well, but that is common in these mountains. Common enough that the down is what was worth noting on the sign at least.
I didn’t get any pictures of me enjoying my lunch here, but I did get this shot of me looking down at the downlook.
There is a bit more work in the trees before breaking out to this sight which welcomes you to Mt Flume’s rocky summit. Thankfully the wind was light so heading up this open, rocky section was fun rather than terrifying.
You can see how the deciduous color gives way to the evergreens as the elevation climbs.
Evergreen gives way to rock in the higher and more exposed spots. From here on Flume I could see Liberty waiting for me next. Previous experience kept me from thinking it was as close as it looked and I knew I’d drop down into a col before having to climb up to reach that peak.
Looking a bit beyond I could see Franconia Ridge waiting for tomorrow. That view really leaves me anticipating the following day but there is little time for daydreaming with the sun already heading towards the mountains in the west.
Well maybe a few minutes longer to soak up that golden colored sun that Autumn brings.
Up on Liberty the light was even better though it hinted that it wouldn’t last long. There were only a few people on the trail this being the middle of the week. It would have been relaxing to sit here and just think or even be thoughtless which seemed odd as this summit is often full of people.
There was one group of day hikers who climbed down to a spot out of the wind. They said they’d spent hours up there though they were going to have to leave soon.
I left room in case anyone needed a spot as my tent doesn’t take up much space, but had no takers. It was a cool night in the upper 30s so most everyone seemed to turn in early.
After the incredibly steep ascent back to the ridge from the campsite the legs were warmed up and ready for the day. I was happy to be on the ridge which is challenging, but a lot easier than most of the trails that get you up there. 
Working my way up Little Haystack there was a nice view looking back at the previous day’s peaks. Flume is sort of hiding behind that tree and Liberty in the center looks pointy from this side. That might explain why it felt that way going up.
Looking right down the notch of valley that separates Owlshead from the ridge up here. There is a little piece of trail down there that remains in my quest to redline the Pemi.
Topping out on Little Haystack I met the first intersecting trail and my first day hiker. This is a great spot for second breakfast before the real climbs of the day begin. One of the benefits of a popular trail with lots of people is that folks can take turns taking pictures of one another. So much easier than trying to set up selfies on a mountain without falling off.
This climb up Lincoln is harder than it looks I find each time I come up here. After the big rocky section there is a steep final pitch up to the top. Thankfully there is a great place to get out of the wind behind a big rock just over the ridge because the wind was really picking up by this time.
It was getting harder to hold the camera still so I wasn’t taking much time to set up shots. Literally point, shoot, put the camera away so I could grab my hiking poles to keep myself on my feet.
Coming around these rocks and suddenly being exposed to the full force of the wind was almost enough to knock you over. Thank goodness for a heavy pack to keep me on the ground!
The climb up to Lafayette from Liberty is easier than it looks or at least I feel that way about it. Mostly it is just a gentle slope with a few sections that tilt up a bit more steeply. 
If you look carefully you can spot these two folks eating lunch in the col if you scroll back up to the previous picture. They were tucked into the scrub trying to stay out of the wind while they relaxed in the sun.
I’d just had elevensies on top of Lincoln so had no excuse to stop again though I’d have liked to sit there for a bit. Instead I took advantage of a quartering tail wind as I ascended the open slope of Lafayette.
Nearing the top there was nothing to block the wind and it was a constant challenge to keep pointed in the right direction.
Pretty sure I was hiding behind a rock to stand still enough to get this shot of the valley below.
Everything was dry up there. I mean crackling brown and dead. Very strange for a place that is often wrapped in clouds. Hopefully we have a good snowy winter to get things wet up there again.
Just this final section of rock to climb. The wind was strong from my left as I worked my way up. I was glad that it was a wide slope rather than a spiny ridge I was ascending. Plenty of room for error 🙂
Only a few hearty souls were hanging out at the summit. Usually you can’t find a place to sit up here but I noticed that almost everyone who arrived kept moving. A few stopped to take a picture or two, but these folks hiding behind the rocks were the only ones who stayed long.
Again it was really hard to hold the camera still so I was just pressing the buttons and hoping for the best.
This guy was taking an epic selfie with his beard and hair flying back from his head. He looked pretty stoked about it too 🙂
The wind was clearing out the sky some, giving better light. One of the reasons I was making this trip was because it was cloudy the last time I was up here. This wasn’t a perfect day, but it was definitely worth the effort.
Again enlisting help from a day hiker I got this pic because I have almost no pictures of me wearing the Unaweep. This pack rocks and I intend to do a 
Another great action shot of the pack for my review. Shame it is blocking Mt Washington, but the rest of the view isn’t exactly terrible.
Garfield peak lies tauntingly close from here at the end of the ridge. Only about a mile and a half as the crow flies, but I’m an old fat guy with a backpack so my route would be a bit longer. First down off the ridge via a steep descent, then a couple of serious PUDs on the knobs in the middle before the final steep ascent of Garfield.
Time to enjoy the views up here before giving up the high ground. The trail is mostly tree shrouded once you descend so good to soak up the sun while you can because the other side of the peak will be in shadow.
About half way to Garfield from the end of the ridge and it looks at least twice as far away as it did before. Thankfully I had a nice Fall day with cool temps so overheating or running out of water were not an issue. Just a matter of keeping the legs moving.
Shot from the same spot with some zoom applied this pic gives a better account of Garfield’s true peaky-ness and the climb that lies ahead.
Passing by the pond is always a good sign that progress is being made. I think I’d like to plot a trip that involved staying the night in this area below the mountain some time. It would mean a nasty climb first thing in the morning no matter which direction you were traveling the loop, but it seems like a nice bit of forest after a day on the rocky ridge.
Speaking of rocky…the first time one runs into a “trail” like this it can be a bit unsettling. After traversing this feature a few times I have a longer, but safer route for when it is wet or a more direct and dangerous route for when it is dry enough that I think my feet will stick to it. This time I took the direct route and enjoyed saving the time.
That left me more time to enjoy my time at the top. This rocky ledge is a required stop where food is eaten, pictures taken and the fact that the summit is in sight is celebrated.
There is still a little more climbing to go, but it can be really windy up there so I always do my eating down below before going up.
After some time in the trees it is great to be out in the open again. Once again it would be tempting to sit and enjoy this but I know the sun won’t last and the shady side of this mountain always seems to get dark early.
That Autumn light in the afternoon brings out so many beautiful colors and shadows.
Never know when you’ll be back so best to appreciate these spots when you can. So much effort to get there, but worth every step.
The boys from Texas that I’d met the night before popped out of the woods and agreed that their efforts had been rewarded. If I hadn’t heard via trail chatter that they weren’t in front of me I’d have assumed they were. Young and strong folks tend to go fast but it seemed they were wise enough to go slow and appreciate the amazing trip they found themselves on.
They headed down from the summit towards the campsite below. I reminded them to take water from the spring before climbing the steep trail as I’d learned the hard way last time. 
Then I settled back to enjoy a few moments alone in the sun. I wasn’t going all the way around the high loop on this trip so this would be one of my last chances to enjoy this sort of view before heading down into the trees for good.
The wind was whipping around the shelter when I arrived. There was a couple there that put up their tent inside the shelter thinking no one else would be around. So long as I could find a spot to lay out my bed I didn’t care, but it seemed sort of silly since there were no bugs and the shelter is almost fully enclosed. Normally I’d prefer to sleep out in the woods in my tent, but that wind convinced me the sleeping would be better inside no matter who I had to share with.
This was also amazing. I took this shot without a tripod. Just elbows against ribs and holding my breath. The image of the moon was dancing back and forth in the digital display as the computer wizardry tried to process the image on the fly. I took one stab at the button thinking it would be a blurry smudge and was amazed to find this when I got home.
One of the folks in the shelter apparently set an alarm for 5am in hopes of catching the sunrise from the summit. The sky was socked in so I’m pretty certain he didn’t get much of a view, but he did get everyone else moving early which wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
Time to redline the 2.2 miles from here to 13 Falls. Virgin trail to me this was. One of the last few snippets that had been missed over the last few years of exploring the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
Turning off the rocky AT onto this side trail was a complete change of terrain. Mud and bog boards replaced the rocks except for the spots where there were rocks to stay out of the mud.
Franconia Brook wasn’t exactly roaring, but at least there was some water to be found. The leaves down at this elevation seem to have taken a beating from all the wind, but there were still some left in the trees.
Normally a good flowing series of small falls the Lincoln Brook Trail crossing was almost dry. I sat down for second breakfast on rocks that are often under water. 
Bad weather was forecast and setting up at 13 Falls campsite was my emergency option if needed, but so far the skies were still looking gray, but not dark. I was debating if I should hike out to my scoot and try to head home, but figured I’d just end up riding in the rain if I pushed my luck.
As nice as it was hanging out at the falls I didn’t really want to spend the rest of the day just hanging around camp so I decided I’d head down the trail and figure out what I was doing as I went.
Rather than worry about what was to come I was just happy it wasn’t raining yet. The colors might have been better with sunshine, but it was interesting to see the trees from down below after looking down on them from above the past few days.
Since it hadn’t started raining yet I began thinking I maybe should have stayed on the ridge loop and hit South Twin and then Guyot. I still could zip up Twin Brook if I wanted to, but I knew that would probably end up a cold and wet mistake.
This dismal looking swamp is usually a much more vibrant pond. I’d never seen it looking like this before. Usually I will stop and watch birds here as there are often several paddling around.
There was something splashing way out in the water but I never saw it clearly. I think I caught the splash in this shot, but not the splasher.
From this side it looks a bit more like a pond. Still, it would be great to have some serious snow to fill these things back up.
With only a few miles left to get back to the parking lot I realized that I really didn’t want to go home. Inspired by the thought of setting up camp early and eating away the evening I bushwhacked my way towards the East Branch when I hit the bridge. Crossing was easy on the exposed rocks so I didn’t bother taking off my boots. Never done that at this spot before.
I even stopped to get this pic in the middle of the river. Never been in that spot with a camera before so I thought I’d better document it heh.
It pays to have a good camp routine sometimes. Setting up my tent before cutting up sausage and cheese for a late lunch saved me from getting wet. I’d no more than put the first bite in my mouth when the skies opened, but I was able to dive into the tent and finish there before taking a quick nap to the sound of rain on the fly.
The next morning dawned brighter and the rain had really brought down a lot of leaves. It was a beautiful morning and I only had a few miles to walk so I was in no hurry. Chatted with a guy who’d shown up after dark and set up camp between storms. He was talking about doing some big miles that day on the ridge which made me feel even better about being a short timer.
I headed down to the river as the sun was just starting to hit the peaks. Figured I’d best enjoy this season while I can because it will likely be deep winter before I get back to this spot again.
There were still a few leaves on the trees after the rain, but those were short timers too. Fall is so pretty, but you know it could turn to Winter on a moments notice so it seems fragile. Best enjoyed as much as you can before it gets away.
The river doesn’t get any deeper it is liable to freeze solid this year 🙂 No clue what will come, but I know that if this river wants to flow the cold can’t hold it back. I’ve seen car sized chunks of ice tossed into the woods and was glad I wasn’t there when the tossing was going on.
This shot was for my wife, but I figured I’d share it here too. She has a thing about pictures looking up into the trees so I took this one for her.
The Hubba does blend into the forest well in all three seasons it is fit for service. The new ones are red, not sure if that is to keep from losing them or what, but I’m not a big fan. 
If I want color I’ll let Nature provide it. The morning sun was certainly bringing out all it could from the remaining leaves. The perfect sky again made me wish I’d stayed on the high route until I thought about descending steep wet slopes in this light rather than the easy trail I was on. 
Yup, I could be content right where I was. Things could always be done differently, but what matters is enjoying where you are right now.
This was a fine way to wrap up the season if it was the end. I have a feeling I might sneak in one or two more quick trips before the snow flies, but we’ll see. I knew heading out that morning I’d be off trail for at least a few weeks so I took my time. It has been a month now with nothing but day hikes due to scheduling issues so I’m finally caught up on trip reports. I’ll either have to write about something else or go on a trip 🙂
My previous two training trips to this area in August were launched from the state park lot where the AT crosses the highway that bisects Grafton Notch. When I make what has been my annual pilgrimage to head up and try to do the entire loop I prefer to park at the quieter loop trail head lot found on the southern end of the notch. From there I like to do the short road walk and cross the private lands that lead to where the trail heads up towards Bald Mtn for those heading clockwise around the loop.
Normally it is also a wet walk with lots of little creek crossings, but this year it was quite dry. I was hoping the water sources were running again as there had been some rain. The empty channels down below made me wonder what I’d find on the other side of the day’s mountains.
The AMC handles the trails on the west side of the notch and they have built some nice, terrain saving, steps in a few spots. These things really keep hikers from tearing up the ground which lets the rain and snow melt quickly dig down to the rock below. They also make a great spot to sit down and have a snack on a wet day. Climbing up into the clouds I reached the point where everything was wet including me and wished I’d brought my OR Crocs along.
This quick picture of a hiker disappearing up the steps is my only way to know that I didn’t imagine the encounter. I have almost never met anyone on this loop other than on the AT section. We chatted for a bit before he headed on and he mentioned he was planning on camping at either the Slide or Bull Run sites. I never saw him again, but finding this pic on my camera at least reassured me that he wasn’t just a figment of my imagination heh.
Bald Mtn is not as bald as it once was, but it does provide the first hints of the views to come. It also has some wonderful alpine lichen patches. This means we’re getting up into the sensitive area and its time to start being really careful where we put our feet.
Left untrampled this stuff can have the time it needs to grow which it does very, very slowly. It is great to see a small patch, but when you find yourself in an area with large patches of it all around it starts to feel really magical. To me it signals the entry to the summit areas above the trees and it always brings a smile to my face.
So did the views starting to open out in the space between the clouds just above and the trees below. There were hints of sun sneaking in from somewhere. I was just happy the clouds had lifted enough to be over my head as I was a bit wet from climbing up through them earlier.
The colors were a bit muted by the hazy air, but those glints of sun were giving me hope things might still clear up before I finished crossing Sunday River Whitecap. Coming up out of these trees on to the summit is one of my favorite bit of trail ever. The views suddenly begin to open up to the horizon which on a clear day can be quite far indeed.
This was a different experience. Interesting in a different way with the muted light and shorter horizon the clouds were creating. So long as the clouds stayed up I was fine with it all. Don’t fall on me…
Stopping for a break near the end of the summit area I discovered that my legs had something they wanted to say about taking over a month off and then climbing up this mountain with a full pack. What they had to say was, “You will pay for this!!” as I felt the first twinges of cramps tightening up the lower front of my quads. Having expected trouble and well supplied from the aborted LT trip I had some Gatorade pouches along and mixed up a double batch while I was here.
Then it was time to head down the steep pitches that would lead me around Slide Mountain first far off to the right of this view and then across towards the sunlit area to the left of Slide Mtn. This area is relatively casual trail once you get down from the summit, but by this point my legs are always a bit tired. On this trip they weren’t feeling tired, they still were strong from the long summer of training. What they were was angry!! Not only did they start to cramp up in the front of the quads, but I found out that there is a spot in the back of the quad that can cramp up too. Astoundingly painful and a total surprise after a lifetime of football, surfing, cycling and backpacking. I had no idea that was even an option let alone how much it could hurt heh.
As usual when I camp on this side of the mountain it was a windy night. There were a few branches I heard crashing down in the dark, but the platform was a safe enough spot. It was a bit wet by dawn though with the trees scraping the clouds over night. I was up early that day so only have this quick flash picture before I left camp.
The climb up to Old Speck from this side is much easier than either of the other two approaches via the Appalachian Trail. There is dirt under foot in many places on this side while the huge number of hikers have worn the other routes down to the rock in many places. There are also found here a thing rarely seen in Maine; Switchbacks! The trail really could have gone straight up as it doesn’t seem that steep. I’m guessing they wanted to protect the ground and avoid the deep erosion found on the other side of the mountain.
It was a great morning for climbing with cool, damp air. I did stop and take some pictures along the way, but didn’t linger long. The fog in the valleys below certainly was tempting though.
Neat to be in the sun up above looking down on this stuff on such a scale. I was soaked and dripping just like the trees so I really appreciated the open summit.
So tempting to just sit here and watch the day go by from this magical viewpoint, but I knew I had the worst of the notch ahead of me so didn’t dare get too comfortable.
My goal for the day was to get a few miles beyond East Baldpate, the exposed ridge on the left. Not so far as the crow flies, but as seen on the previous trips to this area, the steep notch makes it interesting to say the least.
I had my second breakfast with most of my trail clothes laid out in the sun in hopes of drying a bit. That was about as futile as me climbing this dang tower’s ladder or finishing this loop for that matter heh. Still, you have to keep trying. I focused on eating and taking pics rather than wasting any time on the tower this trip.
It looked like it was a perfect day to be up there on that ridge. Actually it was a pretty good day to be anywhere with a view. Just enough clouds in the distance to make things look picturesque and plenty of blue up above.
A few last looks before heading down into the notch.
Well, OK, a few more. Just an amazing day to be out there!
Making my way down towards the bottom but still a long ways to go. This section seems short on the map, less than four miles. The steep, rocky areas combined with some rolling PUD combine to make it both time consuming and tiring.
Thankfully there are a few viewpoints that open up on the way down. Color was a bit low as far as the leaves were concerned. Still it gives a person an excuse to stand still for a moment and remember why you put in all the effort.
There were a few fiery red maples sprinkled throughout the canopy. I appreciated what I found as I’d come with low expectations due to the dry year.
On the way down I was treated to this sight at the upper intersection with the Table Rock viewpoint trail. These folks seem to have just dropped their packs in the middle of the trail and ran off to see the view. Well, either that or it was some sort of mini Rapture, but either way it seemed a bit odd.
Plenty of other nice things to be seen though. It was a beautiful morning in the forest and I was headed down hill on some steep, but well maintained trail.
Yup, plenty of time to enjoy the colors and the smells of Fall.
After my relaxing walk down the mountain I had a wonderful second breakfast at the parking area. While there I exchanged my mud splattered hiking pants for a clean pair of hitchhiking pants heh. Having traveled this highway before I knew I’d stand a better chance of getting a ride if I made the effort.
I made it a ways down the road, maybe a mile or two, before a state park ranger stopped his truck and gave me a lift back to my scoot. Time enough to get a few more shots of the leaves. Failing to do this loop had never felt so good! My legs got over their anger for the most part after the first day. I’d been eating like a king since I had LT supplies to use up. Plus the sun was shining and I didn’t have to pay for a tow truck ride home 🙂
I was glad to see there was still at least some water running down this rocky bed. Most years this is a nicely babbling brook, but with the dry Summer I wasn’t sure what I’d find. Seeing water here reassured me that I’d probably find water on the other side of the mountain where I needed it to be.
This waterfall looks totally different when the flow is higher. I think this version is actually prettier to look at, but seeing the lack of water always sets off alarms in my head. Water sources are very important to steam engines like me so as much as I hate walking in mud a dry year leaves me nervous.
This first view towards the West always marks the beginning of the actual climb in my mind. It is the first chance to see the terrain starting to open up. I can’t find a name for this mountain on my maps but the farther section is listed as Red Ridge.
Gaining a bit more altitude and crossing to the other side of the ridge affords a peek at the Baldpates. From here it is easy to trace the route of previous trips, 
My nemesis, the tower on top of Old Speck. I can climb mountains with little thought of fear, but ladders and even some old rusty staircases on the mountaintop towers I come across can really freak me out. I’ve been trying to get to the top of this tower for years and almost made it this time 🙂 Transitioning from the top of the ladder to the tiny wooden platform proved to be too much, but I was trying to get in shape for the towers of the LT so figured I at least got some practice being afraid.
Even from the foot of the tower the view was pretty nice. Looking North the eyes were torn between the mountains fading into the distance and the nature of the gathering clouds. There was some chance of rain in the forecast, but knowing these mountains this sky said it was a pretty sure thing.
For now though there was sun and I was off to explore a new stretch of trail I’d never seen other than on the maps. Heading to the South on the AT I broke out of the scrub onto a rocky, open area that showed me a whole new view of the world. Then I heard the tell tale shuffling and puffing of a hiker coming up the ridge a few moments before he popped into view.
Looking out into the Mahoosucs from up here was amazing. I’d seen this area from farther away and a different angle on my trips up Sunday River Whitecap, but now they seemed so close.
Some haze in the air limited the views, but considering that Success Pond in the middle of this shot is in New Hampshire and the distant profile of Mansfield and Camels Hump on the LT in Vermont were easy enough to make out I didn’t exactly feel like I’d been cheated out of much.
The clouds continued to gather, but I was content to take my time and soak up the amazing views. I knew I didn’t have far to go to reach Speck Pond so stayed up above the trees while I had the chance. The late Summer light on the forests below was making me very happy I’d gone to the trouble of climbing up there.
Now was time for climbing down though. Looking back up one last time before sinking into the trees I could see the rocky spots I’d stopped at earlier up near the top. This section was filled with very steep, rock wall bits of trail. The sort you need hands to climb up and tend to slide down on your butt either on purpose or by surprise.
As much as I looked forward to getting to camp I hated to go back into the trees. Even with the hazy sky, being above the trees and being able to see the world out there is always such an amazing experience. It sort of seems that way even if you drive to the top of a mountain, but the slow process of climbing up there enhances the experience in my mind. You get to see the world from angles that folks stuck on the roads never will too, making the views and the memories of them more personal.
By the time I reached Speck Pond the overcast had pretty much filled in. Looking at the water made me wonder if there was a spring at the camp. Filtering pond water is usually a pain, often requiring a backflush on the filter to clear out the scum that builds up from the particles in the water. Turns out there was a spring and it was even running. The downside was that a recent hard rain had washed a heavy load of tannin into the source and it was coming out on the brown side. Tasted fine enough once filtered, but pouring brown water down your throat tends to set off instinctive warnings in the brain, at least for the first day or two.
I found this lovely tent pad available and set up to one side in case things filled up and I was asked to share. Easier to plan ahead than move everything later is what I’ve found when staying at the AMC sites. On this night I had the spot to myself, though nearby neighboring pads were all filled up. Oddly enough the two guys camping next to me were also carrying MSR Hubbas. We all had the older, green, preNX model and had arrived from our various directions in this one tiny spot in the Maine woods at the same time.
Despite the forecast and looming skies there was only a single woman who chose to stay in the shelter that night with the rest of us choosing to tent. She was the only one who packed up a dry camp in the morning as the rain finally started about 3am and came in waves throughout the early morning. I’ve heard this shelter has been entirely dismantled and a new one built on this spot just recently. After all these years of wondering what it was like down there at Speck Pond and finally getting a chance to see I now find I have to go back because it has changed. I’m OK with that 🙂
Looking out across the pond I was surprised that I kept hearing people talking. It seemed like such a peaceful spot, yet these voices kept intruding. My natural instinct when I’m in the woods is to whisper or speak in very quiet tones. Hearing these people, wherever they were, reinforced that philosophy as wise. I’d hate to be the person responsible for disrupting someone’s peace and quiet.
Thanks to the new camera I was able to figure out where all the noise was coming from 🙂 These hikers had opted to camp next to the pond on the far shore rather than pay the fee to stay at the AMC site. Scroll back and look at the previous picture, they were camped where the treeline comes down to a V, way across the pond. Voices carry.
The next day started out wet and stayed that way all the way back down to the scoot. The only pictures I took were of this Spruce Grouse which seemed to have staked out a natural hiker resting rock as a begging spot. Beautiful bird, but a shame that people feed the wildlife and change its behavior.
Unloading in the Grafton Notch State Park lot I was excited to be getting back out on trail. Early August was devoted to family stuff but now I was ready to spend some time going up and down some mountains to see how strong the legs really were. At this point I was just a few weeks from starting the Long Trail with bags and boxes of food piling up at home. It seemed a good idea to make sure to spend some time keeping the legs warmed up too.
This good sized snake had apparently hitched a ride all the way up there inside my rolled up motorcycle cover. Near as I can tell he must have gotten in there at some point in the garage trying to peel off that old skin and ended up bungee corded to the back of my scoot for a ride across the state of Maine.
He headed off into the woods to the south while I crossed the highway towards the woods on the other side. The well marked and groomed trail head usually makes me giggle a bit. It seems like a baited trap if you know what follows. 
On a warm August day the shadows of the forest were welcome, though they do hold back any sort of breeze. The first part of the trail climbs a bit, then rolls for a while before reaching the Baldpate shelter.
I had never taken the time to visit the shelter before despite hiking past the sign for it many times. I stopped in to eat lunch and do some exploring since I wasn’t in any hurry on this trip. The metal roof was noisy, but it seemed a nice enough spot. The stream behind the shelter was running nicely thanks to some recent rain.
Then it was time to start the actual climb of West Baldpate. Right past the shelter turn off the trail starts a series of stony ascents.
Thanks to the efforts of some dedicated trail workers these stones have been organized in many places to create a staircase affect.
Perfect trail for testing out the legs. This sort of climbing requires high knee lifting and taking on challenging foot placements without losing stride. Thankfully I’ve done this climb enough to know how short it is because on a hot day it is definitely one to get on top of and put behind you.
Breaking out of the trees near the summit meant losing the shadows but gaining a nice breeze.
Also some nice views of the mountains ahead for those staying on the AT. Pretty sure I could see at least as far as the section I’d done back in June. A view like that makes a person want to just keep walking to reach that horizon.
One step at a time though, so first it would be time to traverse the shallow col and head up the exposed side of East Baldpate. Again having done this route before I know how much fun that will be rather than being concerned about how big it looks. The first time I stood here I was a bit nervous about it, but the slabs make an easy ramp compared to the rock pile trails I’m used to.
The col is a neat alpine bog and thankfully most folks are pretty good about sticking to the trail. The rock bowl here traps water keeping the ground wet even in a dry year such as this one. I always get a kick out of passing through alpine bogs just because it seems strange to have wetlands on top of a mountain.
Soon enough it was time for second lunch on top of the slabs. The actual summit is a bit farther down the trail, but the big open ledge at the top is a great spot to take in the views to the west and south. Here you can see the west peak where I stood earlier with Old Speck rising up behind.
Looking to the south where the mountains give way to rolling hills of farms and forests. Just a great day to be on top of a mountain with no place to rush off to.
The northwest view towards NH and VT. With the LT trip on my mind I recall looking at the shape of the mountains on the horizon and trying to match what I saw with the elevation profile in my head.
Then it was time to head down the back side of the mountain onto the Grafton Loop. Once you leave the Appalachian Trail on top of East Baldpate things change quickly. With little foot traffic the ground under foot is actually ground in many places, rather than rock. 
The view from the top of this rock is hard to capture on a camera, but when you stand there in person you can see just how far down you are heading. I’m glad the trail maintainers saw fit to build the rungs into the rock to encourage folks to take the direct route. This is just the sort of spot folks will do a lot of damage to trying to find easier ways around.
The view from the bottom gives you a better perspective on what a person would face without those rungs there. Not the worst notch I’ve ever had to wedge myself into to climb, but coming down would be dicey, especially when wet.
My usual spot at the East Baldpate campsite which despite the name is well over two miles from the summit. The sites on this side of the loop are under the care of the MATC and only lightly improved. There is a latrine and a network of paths leading to some open spots for making camp. No fires are allowed anywhere on the Grafton Loop so be sure to bring a stove if you come here.
After a peaceful night it was time to head back up to see what the morning views looked like.
It was a bit hazy so the horizon was a bit closer than the day before, but it was a beautiful morning indeed.
Up top at the east summit the wind was blowing strong. I’d worked up a bit of a sweat steaming my way to the top and despite the views didn’t stay long in fear of freezing to death.
Heading back up from the col to the West Baldpate summit taking advantage of another nice ladder. This spot had some moisture on the rocks and would be quite treacherous without the aid. I take on whatever I find on trail, but always appreciate the effort when someone builds me an easier way.
One last view before heading down into the trees. Yup, it might be a lot of work to climb up to these places, but worth it to have moments like these.
The girls were kind enough to drop me off where the AT crosses the highway just south of Stratton. They were headed on to VT and NY for some road trip camping while I did it the hard way. I remember being a bit nervous before walking away from the car, but as soon as I crossed the road and entered the woods on the other side the peace started to wash over me. 
A rare peek at the peak through the forest gave me a glimpse of where I was headed that afternoon. Warm and steamy down below, but I was hopeful of cool breezes up above.
There would be some climbing involved to find those breezes though. You might be tempted to think this picture shows a particularly difficult section of trail, but this is actually the easy part. Later there would be large, cracked slabs of rock with water flowing down them in parts to navigate. I didn’t pull out the camera there because my hands were wet.
There were breezes on top of the ridge and “viewpoints” too! I’d made myself a promise to visit viewpoints on this trip. My natural inclination is to stomp on past them so it can be hard to stop, but I was rewarded with some sights like this one of The Horns.
There were lots of other great views along the ridge often framed by the stunted evergreens. Not a fully exposed trail, but you could tell from the trees that life was hard up here when the winds blew.
Then on one of my viewpoint visits I finally spotted Horn Pond below me. Somewhere down there I’d find a campsite waiting for me though it was impossible to guess exactly where from up here.
The Horn Pond campsite is actually quite large. There are these two good sized lean tos, plus a number of tent sites spread over a wide area. Each site had a 5 gal plastic bucket to protect food from the squirrels and chipmunks and there were several signs warning to be on guard of them.
Horn Pond was amazing up close as most lakes you find at altitude tend to be. I guess I enjoy all lakes I visit, but something about finding water like this up high always seems extra special. They had just hiked up a fresh batch of trout to stock the pond and the big fish were feasting on the recent arrivals in the early evening.
Back at the lean tos, which I had all to myself at this point, I was treated to a wonderful alpenglow display up on South Horn. Tomorrow I’d climb up there, but for now it was nice to relax and enjoy the view. I had a visit from Frog, the first of many SOBO thru hikers I’d meet on this trip, before he headed out to set up his tent after a long day crossing the Bigelows. Around dark, about 1030pm or so, another thru hiker came in and set up in the empty lean to next door. 
Day two started out clear and warm. The sort of day you know is going to be rough for climbing, so I took off early at a good pace and soon found myself at the top of South Horn. I’d bypassed the option to catch the view from North Horn, despite the recommendation of the camp host back at the pond, because it was listed as .3 miles on the sign and looked a lot more.
Standing up there on South Horn looking back towards the pond I could just make out the two lean tos below. I always get a kick out of being on one spot looking at where you are going and then going there and looking back to where you were before. Being able to actually see the exact spot made it even better.
Then it was time to continue on the Bigelows roller coaster. After South Horn came West Bigelow Peak and eventually Avery. The col between each peak drops several hundred feet which lets you cross the 4k mark multiple times.
Nearing the top of West Bigelow looking back at The Horns you can see how they earned their name. You can just barely make out the only cloud in the sky there on the horizon. Probably in NH or maybe even VT, it did little to provide shade on this exposed ridge. Air temps were in the low 80s and I was looking forward to finding the campsite coming up to refill my water supply.
Well, I suppose there were more clouds than the one in NH, but these still were too far off to be of much use. Nice views though, with Avery close by and Little Bigelow down below hiding behind the signpost.
I met a lot of SOBO thru hikers coming across this ridge. Seemed I was heading into a large bubble that formed after Katahdin finally opened for the season. Each day I’d meet more and more of these hikers. First it was the fast ones, then the ones who were moving a bit more slowly with a few fast late starters mixed in.
I managed a bit of water from the nearly dry spring in the Avery col and then headed up to the last big peak I’d see for a while. Hard not to stop and enjoy the views so I had a late lunch here. A big change I’ve made to my feeding program for these longer hikes is the addition of lunch. Rather than snack all day I tried out bringing dried sausage and tortillas. With the addition of a cheese stick one or two of those makes a satisfying, high fat content, meal.
Then it was time to drop off the ridge and head back into the trees. I had hopes of making it over Little Bigelow that afternoon so despite losing the summit breeze I pushed on at a pretty good pace. Finally reaching the bottom much later than I’d expected I again realized that my mapping had underestimated the actual trail miles. Seeing a sign for the Safford campsite I headed off onto a side trail that took me through a small rock cave before ending at a tiny, primitive camp area well off the AT.
There was a broken tent platform so I used this spot instead. I found a tiny stream nearby to filter some water and located a well maintained privy a bit farther in the other direction near another sad looking platform. Being used to wilderness camping this barely there campsite seemed pretty luxurious to me and I enjoyed a peaceful evening indeed. There were even a couple of fireflies.
The next day is when I had to admit that with my poorly mapped trails I wasn’t going to cover nearly the ground I’d expected to. So I set my sites on enjoying my walk and not worrying about where I ended up each day. I think it was about the tenth false summit coming up Little Bigelow that broke me. Combined with a hot sticky day it was enough to make me set up camp mid afternoon at the Little Bigelow shelter and spend the day soaking up water in the shade and visiting with the SOBO hikers who passed through and those who eventually stayed the night.
The Tubs are a series of natural baths in the small stream running near the shelter. Even with the heat the water was much too cold for me to take a dip, but I did enjoy drinking my fill.
The shelter was filled that night with a half dozen tents set up around it as well. I hadn’t expected so many SOBO thru hikers to be coming through at once and I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt that way. With changes in traffic a lot of folks are going to have to get better prepared for crowds earlier in the season including hostels and the folks who run the canoe ferry.
This platform was in fine condition and I enjoyed another peaceful night once the thru hikers finally stopped hooting. That yellow bag is one of two that carried my food supply on this trip. Inside I’d organized things into three five day supplies with larger portions in the later stages.
Day four was steamy to start and expected to get close to 90°f so I again headed out as early as I could to put some miles in. This nice bit of bridging put a smile on my face which is always better than mud in my boots.
This was one of several spots that laid claim to being the 2k mark. I’m assuming that with reroutes the exact spot has moved over time and they were all right at one point. I stopped for second breakfast at a road crossing just past this sign and marveled at the frightening speeds vehicles came rocketing down the road. Well, and I swatted at horseflies too, but that doesn’t sound as romantic as marveling.
West Carry Pond late in the day looked cool, but it was a bit tropical to be honest. The spring near by was dead so warm pond water was the only source to be had. Another large group was gathered here and I was glad I’d set up my tent early to get a spot.
There was such variety in the thru hikers which really made the SOBOs seem like a different species from the NOBOs I’ve grown used to dealing with over the years. These people were still doing their own things in their own way. They hadn’t had their originality beaten out of them yet, though there were a few I met the night before who sounded ready to do as they were told.
Another hot and sweaty morning meant another early start. I found this fantastic beach as the trail followed the East Carry Pond shore for a bit. 
The MATC has built some fantastic bridgework through some areas in this section. I came upon a crew a bit past here that was setting up for the day and looked to be working on another huge section.
Pierce Pond is pretty popular with NOBO hikers because it is the last shelter before the Kennebec canoe ferry. Harrison’s camp next door with their famous pancake breakfast might have something to do with it too.
Sunsets come pretty late this far north around the Summer solstice. Pretty pretty too!
The entire group of thru hikers opted to set up their tents after one of them spotted some big spiders. It struck me as funny that there was this fantastic sunset to be viewed from the shelter, but no one was there to enjoy it because the spiders scared them off.
Sometime in the night or early the next morning I decided to spend a zero day to see if I could figure out what was up with my hip. Once the thru hikers left in the morning I had this beautiful place all to myself. Well, there were a few passing fisherman in boats on the pond and a couple of folks stopped in for lunch breaks, but really it was a quiet day to relax and enjoy.
Then I found some blue ones that seemed to be molting. One was ready to go but waited for the other before they moved off eventually.
Then this big red one showed up to pose for me. Like I said, it wasn’t a very busy day 🙂
Another peaceful sunset and I had the place all to myself. There was a chance of rain before morning so I moved into the lean to with the spiders. I’ve let wasps move me out of a shelter before, but the choice between sleeping with spiders or packing up a wet tent in the morning was an easy one. All night I had a great view of the pond whenever I woke up. This really is a nice spot if you can find it empty.
Less than a week before I head off on a little walk I’ve been planning since last year. As most of my grand adventures seem to, this started out as a crazy idea I didn’t expect to actually do, but these things take on a life of their own sometimes. After being dropped off where the trail crosses the highway near Stratton I’ll be heading north on the AT with food for 15 days and almost 200 miles to cover before my family meets me up in Baxter State Park on the other side of Katahdin.
This elevation profile only goes as far as the summit of Katahdin and is missing the descent to Roaring Brook. It also isn’t very accurate in terms of mileage as the official distance for this section is listed at 188, not 177. GPX files often do this as they only reflect points along the trail as opposed to the actual line walked, but on a long trip like this you can really notice the difference.
New this year for long distance hikers entering Baxter State Park via the AT is this lovely green Hiker Permit. You can find more info on the park 
Sunrise on the Knife Edge as seen from the Lunksoos shelter on the IAT. This is a view of the side of the mountain most thru hikers never see. I’ll be heading down this side, via the Knife Edge weather permitting, to a reunion with my girls at the Roaring Brook campground. They are bringing a big cooler full of food in hopes that I won’t eat them. They are also bringing me some clean clothes and deodorant in hopes that we can sleep in the same lean to. Then the next day we’re going to go on a hike and have a picnic because I’ll probably want to stretch my legs a bit.
Less traveled by 