.October 21, 2006
My broken arm is far from healed, but I can't wait to get back out there. I have two New Hampshire sections of the AT left. Lynn and I left at 4:30 this morning. We have about a 3 hour drive just to get to the trailhead.
I took the first shift driving and after an hour or so Lynn took over so I could get some sleep. About 30 minutes later Lynn woke me up.
"Were you expecting snow," she said. I looked around half asleep to find that we were in the middle of a winter wonderland. We had a heavy rainstorm last night and apparently the White Mountains got snow instead. There were several inches of snow on the ground. I may have to rethink this hike. But we would be driving through the Whites and be hiking on the other side. Maybe there wouldn't be snow there.
We reached the trailhead. There was no snow where we were but I could look up to the mountain tops and see that they were covered in snow. I am sure it was only a couple of inches but I couldn't afford even a tiny slip today with an injured arm. Although I was looking forward to hiking Mount Cube, I decided to shift further south and complete the other New Hampshire section that I haven't completed yet. That hike will have a maximum elevation of about 2,200 feet and therefore I would have a smaller chance of running into snow. So Lynn and I drove around to Dorchester Road. Just an FYI, the AT crosses Dorchester Road in two places so if you are being crewed be careful with the pick up location.
Lynn and Madison started the hike with me. This section of the AT is also named the Holts Ledge Trail. As you can tell from the picture, Lynn was a 'little' cold.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Within a few minutes Lynn and Madison headed back. With my injured arm it would be too hard to control Madison since I still have to keep her on a leash. Lynn will be meeting me at several road crossings today in case I have to bail out because of my arm. A few more minutes and I reached the side trail for Trapper John Shelter. It was further off the trail than I like to go so I skipped it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I continued on to Holts Ledge
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The day was cloudy, but Holts Ledge still offered some great views.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As I looked across the valley, I could tell that the higher elevations were definitely snow covered.
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Holts Ledge reaches an altitude of about 2100 feet. I ran into just a trace of snow near the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I went down the other side of Holts Ledge and met Lynn and Madison coming from the other direction. As you can see, Lynn is still cold.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We walked together back to Goose Pond Road where Lynn took my picture. It's hunting season, so I wore orange. There's no hunting on the AT, but just in case a hunter is lost or not following the rules, I like to be seen. My orange clothes are a good match with the signs put out by the Darmouth Outing Club
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The AT changes names again as I headed up to Moose Mountain.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I guess the squiggly line in the sign below means I've got some ups and down.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trail became a little more challenging. Normally, this wouldn't be much of a challenge, but with an injured arm you change how you look at things. The tiniest slip could mean reinjuring my arm.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As I neared the summit of the North Peak of Moose Mountain, I had a great view north. I could see Holts Ledge that I had just climbed. In back of it and to the right is Smarts Mountain. To the back of it and to the left is Mount Cube. It is my last section of the AT in New Hampshire. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until next spring.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I didn't find a sign at the summit of the North Peak of Moose Mountain, but here is a view from what I guessed as the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I came across a sign for Moose Mountain Shelter. I couldn't tell how far it was off the trail so I decided to skip it. The trail to the shelter loops back to the AT so I found another sign further down the trail. This one was a little more comical.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I reached the summit of the South Peak of Moose Mountain. North Peak didn't have a sign on it that I saw, so this may be the high point of today's hike at 2,222 feet. At the time, I noticed the elevation contained only two's but when I got home I also noticed that in the picture each two was painted a different color.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Here's the view from the summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ After a short break at the top where I enjoyed an apple, I headed down the other side of the mountain. I passed my first hikers of the day, a group of 5 heading up to the summit. I also came across my first creek. This isn't much of a bridge but I was mighty thankful for it. The creek was full from last night's rain. Without this little bridge I would have gotten wet feet for sure and that water looked plenty cold.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ You'll never guess, the AT changes names again. This must drive thru hikers nuts.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I caught a break with a smooth section of trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I met Lynn and Madison coming from the other direction. This time Madison had her new pack on. She has so much energy on the trail. Giving her a job to do will help slow her down and hopefully keep her from running off although we are not quite ready to give her another try off the leash.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We had about a 1 mile walk to Etna-Hanover Center Road. The next stop was only 1.5 miles away so I decided to take Madison. I figured I could use the leash in my left hand and do without a hiking pole for 1.5 miles. I headed off as Lynn drove around. I crossed another bridge, this one a little more sturdy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I saw a hiker with a dog coming from the other direction. I saw the markings on the dog and new it had to be another Greater Swiss Mountain Dog/mix. They are still somewhat rare outside of Switzerland so I am always surprised when I see one.
"We have similar dogs," I said.
"Yes, we do," the woman said.
"What breed?" I asked just in case my assumption was wrong.
"Greater Swiss" she responded, "Although I don't think she is a purebreed."
"So is mine. I got her from a shelter about a month ago."
"I got mine from a shelter too."
"Would you mind if I took their picture together?"
"Not at all."
It turned out trying to get the two dogs to cooperate for a picture with me trying to hold Madison on the leash and taking the picture all with one arm just didn't work out, so I got a picture of her dog alone. We talked another minute and headed on our separate ways.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The weather finally started to break and I got some blue sky.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I met Lynn and we hiked together to Trescott Road
where the name of the trail changed one last time.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Madison stayed with Lynn as I continued.
Another 3.8 miles to Hanover.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking out across a bog.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fortunately I had a long bridge to get across.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I had dropped about a thousand feet in elevation from earlier today. At this elevation some of the trees still had leaves on them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ As I headed up to Velvet Rocks, I wasn't sure which way the trail went so I stopped to look for a blaze. As I stopped, I heard something just over to my right. I turned and no more than 4 feet away was a porcupine. Yikes! I don't believe they 'throw' there quills, but rather release them when touched. I decided to back up just the same in case my knowledge of porcupines was incorrect. I was amazed how close I had gotten to it without it running off. Then again, if you were a porcupine would you worry about people bothering you. I watched him for a few minutes before he scurried off.
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I reached another side trail for a shelter. This one was .2 miles off the trail. I saw a notice earlier stating that the shelter was just torn down and rebuilt a few weeks earlier. I would have like to check out at least one shelter today but I was expecting Lynn from the other direction and didn't want to miss her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I was getting close to town. I began to hear occasional traffic as I headed down the mountain. Then I heard loud voices. Hanover is a college town and what I heard sounded like a football or soccer practice. Then I heard someone yell, "Defense, defense." A few minutes later and I met Lynn and Madison. Another couple of minutes and I came out of the woods and onto a football field. The shouts and screams I heard earlier were from the field behind this one.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The trail goes across the edge of an athletic field...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ... and into Hanover.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I hope gas prices drop some more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Since Lynn and Madison had already walked through town to meet me, I let them be my guides.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Dartmouth College
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We reached the Connecticut River and walked halfway across the bridge to the state line where Lynn took a picture of Madison and me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking out across the Connecticut River.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ From here we got in the car, crossed the river into Vermont and drove about 10 minutes up the road to visit Lynn's Uncle 'Frog' and 'Ant' Jill. This wasn't the hike we had planned today so we weren't expecting to visit them. We had called them just a couple hours before. We told them we weren't expecting dinner, but 'Ant' Jill still put together a wonderful chicken dinner for us. We filled up on a delicious supper, said good-bye, and begin the 3 hour drive home.
With one NH section of the AT left, it will have to wait. In fact, this will be my last New England AT hike of the year. However, I am heading to Virginia in just two weeks where I hope to knock out another 200 miles of the trail in the Roanoke area as well as have another visit with Sue and Jim. It's great having friends and family to see all along the Appalachian Trail.
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