Squeakers

Mount Frissell-South Slope (Connecticut Highpoint)

2011-12-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

After the two hour drive from New Jersey and lunch near Salibury, we made our way to the Connecticut highpoint trailhead. This turned out to be one of those highpoint where the route finding on the road was going to be more challenging than the route finding on foot.

The guidebooks I read warned that the 5 or 6 miles traveled on gravel road might be closed in the winter but I opted to follow the primary route instead of looking for an alternate. Sure enough, about 5 miles from the trailhead there was a large cement barrier half blocking the road and a road closed sign. I did say it was HALF blocking the road, right? Onward! The road was in great shape but I kept waiting to hit the other side of the closed road barricade expecting that one side was left semi-open for people needing legitimate access while the other would be completely blocked. Luckily, when we ran up against the next cement barricade (completely blocking the road), we were about 50 yards from the trailhead and MA-CT state line. After turning the dead end into our personal parking lot, the boys and I hit the trail. It was still cold out but had warmed a little since our stop in New Jersey earlier that today.

The hike is a nice flat trail for the first quarter mile or so before taking a path more or less straight up to the summit of Round Mountain. Soren more or less bounded up while Sy slowed a little after an initial burst of energy. We all reached the top another 1/2 mile or so later in good spirits although Sy's attitude darkened noticeably when he realized the goal was the next peak over. Soren on the other hand insisted on taking lead and announcing the arrival of every red blaze insuring we were on the right track!

(on Round Mountain summit. Notice the red blaze!)

After descending Round Mountain and making a more or less identical kind of ascent up Mount Frissell, we reached the summit and signed the log. Sy rested at the peak while Soren and I continued south until reaching the highpoint marker at the MA-CT state line a 1/10th mile or so south of the summit. The views from Round Mountain where great and some of the lookouts around Mount Frissell were nice as well.

(small copper(?) rod just below my right knee marks the highpoint)

We made short work of the return trip and although we had a couple of less fun moments along the way, both made the return trip in high spirits and commented on what a fun day it had been. I can only hope to have many more.

High Point (New Jersey Highpoint)

2011-12-19T19:55:00.001-07:00

After a little bit of a frustrating spell at work, I decided I needed a day off so after taking care of a few Church responsibilities on Sunday, the boys and I hopped in the car and headed to Point Jervis (Pennsylvania?). I made sure to pick a hotel with an indoor pool which pretty much sold the boys on the whole hiking adventure idea.

After breakfast the next morning and another dip in the pool, we drove all the way up to the New Jersey highpoint named.... High Point. This one had easily the most grand monument I have seen at any other highpoint and was kind of a focal point of the state park it calls home. The park actually seemed like a pretty cool spot with a ton of picnicking sites, spotted with small ponds and in the winter is a x-country ski park.

Our stop was brief for two reasons (1) there was no real hiking involved and (2) it was freezing cold and the wind was howling! Nobody wanted to hang out very long. After racing back to the warmth of the car, we started the two hour drive to our next highpointing adventure......

RPH Shelter

2011-07-10T21:28:00.008-06:00

Unfortunately, I didn't take the time to sit down and write and entry on the 10th. The final day on the trail is always tough to document. It seems I always get caught up with everything else waiting for me once I leave the trail. So, it is over a week later, but I will see what I can remember.

I remember having a great night sleep without the rain fly on and waking feeling pretty refreshed expect for pretty sore feet (next time I am using boots instead of trail runners!) We wanted to push ourselves to make it to our goal and we also had a little bit more of a timeline than we had on previous occasions as Anne was going to be picking us up.

Peter's knee was hurting him pretty badly so whether or not he was going to make it all the way or stop at another road and get picked up later was kind of hour by hour decision. In the end, we opted to just take things at a slower, more consistent pace, and that worked out for both of us. He was able to finish the hike and I have to say, I enjoyed the more leisurely pace quite a bit! For one thing, we needed less breaks and ended up maintaining a faster pace.

At one point during the first 4 miles on the trail, we almost double backed and started heading the wrong way. That was very nearly a big disaster. Luckily we realized our mistake after a 100 yards or so and were back on track. Eventually we arrived at the south end of Canopus lake and started the hike around it. We stopped for lunch around noon when we bumped into Big Country and Aaron eating lunch on the trail very near the north end of the lake. They had just scored a bunch of free food from another thru hiker (Tiger) who it seems they regularly hike with. As we were leaving at the end of the day, we off loaded our extra food as well. They were glad to receive it.

Additionally, we may have helped land Aaron his trail name. During lunch, Big Country started laughing about how Aaron accidentally had thrown his pot, which they had just bought, in the fire while cleaning up after dinner. The guy who had sold it to him had had a lot of varieties of the stuff and this particularly one had been called Reg or Reggie. After a few good laughs, the thought cam to me "That is your trail name. Reggie!" It is up to Big Country now but I am guessing this one is going to stick.... it comes with a painful/funny story and all.

After lunch, we pressed on passing a beautiful open summit at Shenandoah Mountain and rested a couple miles from the RPH shelter at a road crossing. Peter decided to press on at this last chance and we moved along.

Trail Magic! First of all, the RPH shelter is amazing. It is a cinder block structure, with nice bunks, and is well maintained. There is even a club of locals who have adopted the shelter as there own. As it turns out, they were having a trail work party that day and had coolers of ice cold drinks, BBQ, and salad which they were enjoying and sharing with the passers by. Although I was .25 miles from Anne and the boys, I had to stop for a while! 2 Sprites, some chips and pork chop later and I was feeling great. It is amazing to me the amount of effort so many people put into the trail and around the trail culture. I know I get a lot personally out of being out there but it is a whole other thing to invest so much of yourself back into it. Pretty awesome people....

Eventually I sprinted up the hill to the road and meet Anne under the Taconic State Parkway underpass. The boys were excited to see me but commented a few times how unexcited they were to smell me! After a drive to White Plains we all enjoyed a much deserved burger at a burger house before dropping Peter off at the train station.

It was a great trip. I am looking forward to duplicating the success as often as possible. Backpacking and banking may in fact be incompatible but I was pleased to have figured out this weekend at least!

Mileage: 11.0 miles

Dennytown Road Group Campsite

2011-07-09T21:24:00.005-06:00

The day started early... I didn't have a watch but I bet it was before 6:00am. At least it started out dry! Before long, the sun was shining through the canopy and started to dry things out. It must have rained until 4:00-5:00am. Unfortunately, we weren't going to be able to wait around for things to dry out so we packed up wet tents and gear, put on wet clothes and hit the trail. It reminded me of my long section through VT and NH where I was rained on every day for more than 10 days. Peter got up at 7:45 so I burned a lot of time messing with gear, relaxing and enjoying the morning. I enjoyed the quiet.

We passed the first 4 miles extremely quickly, talking about our philosophies regarding personal finance and talking about Peter's parents histories. Before long, we popped out on Route 9 be the Appalachian Market. So what if it was only 11:00am... time for a Turkey Club and some Gatorade! Also, interesting tid bit: this run of the mill convenience store and gas station has easily the nicest public bathroom I have ever seen in that kind of establishment... flat screen TV playing the news, plants, etc.

After that it was back on the trail. The day was sunny and dry but surprisingly not hot especially under the forest canopy. We ran into the couple we met briefly at Bear Mountain Inn. They, and a lot of other thru hikers, opted to rent motel rooms in town instead of camping out in the rain last night! At one point we picked up a woman's hiking shoe that had dropped off a pack and guessed correctly that the owner was a NOBO hiker (hadn't seen any SOBO women hikers) as we found her and her companion a mile or so later.

My body was pretty tight and sore today and I developed a huge blister on my pinky toe but took care of food and hydration so there was no repeat of cramping today.

Peter and I enjoyed a couple of rest stops, one on a stone wall and a second by a stream where we soaked our feet while finished the other half of the Turkey Club! Interestingly, we bumped into a day hiker we had seen on Bear Mountain just yesterday who was from Summit, NJ. She was bringing new shoes to the woman whose lost shoe we had found earlier in the day! The lost shoe couple was on day 2 of a 6 week hike up to Mt. Washington.

Peter's knee seems to be bothering him pretty badly but he is more fit than I am so we tend to yo-yo a bit.... me shooting ahead on down slopes and him on inclines. In general, we make for good hiking companions as we have generally the same pace and enjoy the conversation. It has been fun seeing his excitement for the new gear and for the adventure of backpacking.

My pack felt extra heavy all day as it and its contents were pretty wet. When we finally made it to Dennytown Road we got the Webelos Den (and parents) to agree to let us dry everything out in the sunlight by the campsite so we and our gear our dry again!

A little more gear puttering, dinner making and..... a fire! I love a campfire after a long day's hike. All in all a great day... Oh! I can't forget, Peter brought a few marshmallows and we cooked them over his stove (fire was out at that point)... highly recommended. An unexpected and welcome treat.

Now I am laying in my tent, enjoying the sounds of the Scouts nearby skits, songs and campfire. Definitely brings back memories. We will have to see what tomorrow brings! Mother nature was kind to us today. My body is tired but I am so glad to have made it out here. Tomorrow is the last day of this section.

Mileage: 12.3 miles

Peter's Father: Raised in most WWII Germany and started at Mercedes as basically a custodian. Worked his way up into the shop, eventually becoming a teacher of other mechanics and having national and international responsibilities for training. His memories of having so little and relying on the charity of others are still evidenced in his thrift and unwillingness to throw anything away despite the plenty they have. Very handy and kind of a motor heard (owns 15 motorcycles and cant get rid of cars)

Peter's Mother: After raising her two kids and suffering from low energy, weight problems, went on a walk with her persistent son one day. She kept up the walking and 6 months later completed her first 10k. Another 6 months, her first marathon. Today she has competed in the Boston and New York marathons including winning the event in her age category! Amazing story. I love to hear those kinds of stories where people can make a change. The high level of performance isn't even really the point but it makes it that much more impressive.

Hemlock Springs Campsite

2011-07-08T21:22:00.013-06:00

First woken by a 5:30am rain squall but quickly was lulled to sleep by the same. Then my Blackberry went off at 7:00am and probably woke everyone up! I thought I had turned that thing off.

It was nice to see the forest today. It is your typical canopy you might find in the NE but without the density of underbrush so visibility was pretty high into the nearby forest. The water source (spring) at the shelter seemed questionable and had a lot of debree in it so we opted to not fill up. Peter and I hit the trail by 8:00am.

A couple miles in I realized I had neither started this thing with enough calories of water in me... on top of it my water was low as a consequence of that morning's decision at the spring. Basically a result of being so busy at wrk and last minute planning combined with excitedly hitting the trail without fueling up properly. By the time we reached the top of Bear Mountain, I was cramping and feeling a little dizzy. Luckily at the summit, Peter bought a Powerade from a vending machine and shared it and some water with me. Oh.... and I forgot my wallet (another casualty of the rush) so I am relying on Peter for money too! Anyway, we paused on Bear Mountain to explore the firetower, enjoy some views, dry our feet and eat lunch.

After an hour or so we headed down the fill to Bear Mountain Inn. The whole descent we listened to nearby ominous thunder and just as we arrived at the concession stand the rains came and escalated into a full torrent! We enjoyed drinks and company (woman hiking w/ boyfriend... didn't get the names and he was off swimming somewhere). The concessions guys generously filled our water for us which was appreciated as we were pretty much empty at that point. Finally a chance to rehydrate and get some strength!

As the rain escalated, I decided to check my Blackberry for messages from the office. Of course, there were a ton of messages (it is Friday afterall) and a staffing emergency. I had apparently left a loose end open on a book for a client and the MD and staffer were both asking what the plan was. I was getting a little panicked but Peter helped me think through the right response. After a few emails and a display of commitment to get the work done after coming out of the woods, my MD showed an amazing kindness by basically saying he wants me to have my vacation and he got someone else to take care of the job. I was thankful for the result, appreciated his kindness and was relieved to have effectively reiterated my commitment to the team while still preserving my vacation time. Time to turn the Blackberry off!

After waiting out the worst of the squall and having out significant others check the weather for us, we learned the rain was going to be around for the rest of the day and night so we bit the bullet and took off in the rain hoping, beyond reason, that it wouldn't escalate again. It did. Soon enough we were soaked through. Crossing the Hudson was on of the highlights of the day as was finally arriving at Hemlock Springs tent site a few miles passed the bridge.

This section of the trail doesn't have many shelters unfortunately. It wasn't fun throwing up a tent in the rain but I was able to strip down, dry out and put on a dry set of clothes as the inside of the tent dried. I am sure all my gear will still be soaking wet in the AM but at least I will sleep dry and comfortably tonight.

The water source here (spring) looks good so tomorrow should get a good start. Since getting our tents up we have been holed up in our respective shelters but I did make it out to hang a clothes line and cook dinner during a relative break in the rain. It has been fun reading up on the trail ahead (yet another casualty of lack of preparation time before heading out) and being left to my thoughts about work and family. I love getting out here. On the trail life gets simple, worries are few and gratitude for it all is plentiful. It is great to be back, soaking wet, first blister and all!

Mileage: 12.1

William Brien Memorial Shelter

2011-07-07T21:19:00.001-06:00

After a few years of being away, I am finally back on the AT! The investment banking job has made getting out into the woods very challenging but luckily I was able to make it happen this time. My supervisors are being very supportive and recognize I deserve the time off and opportunity to enjoy a vacation.

That being said I still didn't make it out of the office until just before 8:30pm. I met Peter at Grand Central station and we made our way to White Plains where Anne picked us up and ferried us to Harriman State Park and dropped us off by the side of the road where the AT crosses Seven Lakes Drive. By the time we hit the trail it was 11:00pm. We enjoyed a nice night hike despite some humidity and I couldn't help having a little skip in my step because I was back on the trail even if it is just for a couple of days!

Along the way we saw a couple of deer. It ended up being a short 2 mile night hike to William Brien shelter. A couple of NOBO thru hikers had a campfire going when we arrived (~midnight).

After chatting for a little while I grabbed the last bunk in the shelter and Peter set up his tent. Time to catch a few Zs before a full day of hiking arrives.

Big Country - from Alabama, hiked 560 miles in 2010 and is back to try again. Started in Feb and zeroed for 30 days in Harpers Ferry to earn money some money.

Aaron (no trail name yet) - from Maine so he is walking home

Mileage: 2.0

Jerimoth Hill (Rhode Island Highpoint)

2010-11-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

As I lived in Rhode Island for about 10 years of my life, you would think I would have hit Jerimoth Hill earlier. No worry, I still have two siblings in the area so when Turkey Day plans landed at one of their homes (Thanks, Thompsons!), I couldn't resist the side trip. This time I brought along Sy and his cousin Matthew.

This particular highpoint has some colorful history but I understand this is one of the locations where the club has worked hard to improve the relationship with the owners of the land access. It appears to be working great. The entry sign had been knocked down and vandalized but the rest of the trail (short as it is) was well marked, perfectly maintained and in otherwise great condition. Thanks, Highpointers!

Mount Mansfield (Vermont Highpoint)

2010-09-06T22:25:00.039-06:00

I needed to scratch my hiking itch and the family was getting a little stir crazy during the first half of Labor Day weekend so Anne, the boys and I made a game time decision and headed up to Vermont on Sunday morning. We had a great trip which included a trip to the Ben & Jerry's Factory and also to the Joseph Smith Memorial and, of course, I took in a hike of Mount Mansfield while we were in the area. You can find out more about the weekend over on the family blog but I will cover the hike here.

If you start from where the Long Trail crosses VT 108, the hike is just under 2.5 miles each way and has about 2,800 ft of elevation gain. That made for a pretty steep but enjoyable hike. The bulk of the hike is spent under Vermont's green forest blanket which eventually thins out as you approach the tree line. The trail is your typical rooted, stoned Vermont trail so you have to have to be paying attention but when the trail is that steep, the roots and rocks make for good steps too. The only sketchy parts of the hike are the rocks scrambling and some sections of the trail which are all granite. This wasn't a real problem today but I could see how it could be pretty dangerous when the rock is wet. I started around 7:30am so the air was still cool and by the time I got up to the Alpine zone, it was actually pretty chilly. The skies were mostly sunny but the summit itself was socked in with clouds and a stiff wind made it uncomfortable to hang out for long. As you might expect, the trip down look about half the time and I got back to my car just before 10:30am.

On the way up I crossed paths with a couple of backpackers, one of whom was thru-hiking the LT (VT-MA border to Quebec). Other than that I didn't see anyone until after I had taken a few pictures on the summit and a lone hiker and his dog arrived from the other side of the mountain. I enjoyed the quiet. I haven't been on the trail as much as I would have liked to this summer and now the summer is about over so it was wonderful to soak in the remaining green before the explosion of color and cool arrives (which I plan to soak in later, as well!). On the way down I passed a least a dozen hikers on their way up.

Overall the hike was good exercise for the body, mind and soul.

Mount Davis (Pennsylvania Highpoint)

2010-07-16T14:14:00.000-06:00

Getting to Mount Davis is another one that has the potential to be pretty difficult but this one has nothing to do with hiking in the woods. It is more about the nest of country roads in the area. Luckily both the signage on the roads and the guidebook were excellent resources in finding Mount Davis.

During our drive we noticed that there must be a good sized population of Amish/Menonite/etc... in the area because we saw at least a few horse & buggy teams being led along the roads.

Sy really liked the observation tower on this highpoint because it was so tall. We climbed it, snapped a few pictures and broke for the car as a rain squall looked like it wanted to get us wet.

Admittedly, I wasn't all that interested in lingering longer. After driving almost 3,000 miles I was tired of being on the road! That being the case, I still had to make it to Vermont to drop my canoe off at a friend's house an make it back home in New York before dinner the next day. Sy and I are both looking forward to being back home with the family.

Backbone Mountain (Maryland Highpoint)

2010-07-16T14:03:00.000-06:00

Backbone Mountain is along the MD-WV stateline and was just a short drive (~90 min or so) from the summit at Spruce Knob.

After having hit so many "drive-up" highpoints in recent months, it was nice to go on a short hike for a change..... for me, that is. I don't think Sy enjoyed the hike as much as I did. It ended up being a little bit a lecture from Dad on positive mental attitude yadda yadda yadda..... I am sure he appreciated every word of it! It is about 1 mile long each way but it is definitely a gradual climb to the ridge where the highpoint is. The climbing along with the summer heat proved to be a little challenging for Sy.

I think if it wasn't for the guidebook and red painted "HP -->" signs along the way, I never would have found this one. Even with all the help, we almost accidentally turned around at the state line "No. 3" marker. It is a fairly prominent monument given its location.

Luckily, I noticed a couple of discrepancies with dates and other descriptions of the sign and decided to go a little further because about 0.1 miles later, we found the actual highpoint. Having achieved the goal, we snapped a couple of pictures and made our way back to the car.

On to Pennsylvania!

Spruce Knob (West Virginia Highpoint)

2010-07-16T13:49:00.001-06:00

Last night turned out to be a pretty big adventure in and of itself. I wanted to get all the way to Elkins, WV so we could have a good run at WV, MD and PA before heading north and finishing our drive. So, I kept myself awake and powered all the way to Elkins arriving around 1:00am and planned to get a hotel room and crash for the night. Easier said than done. The first hotel I stopped at had no vacancies. Then the second had none. Then more of the same at the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. Admittedly, I hadn't anticipated that Elkins, WV of all places would be sold out!

Luckily for us, a nice lady at the Super 8 referred us to the Days Inn where they had one "interior" room. Beggars can't be choosers so we took it. It turns out this hotel has been converted from an old hospital. Our room literally had no exterior window but did have a window that opened into a hallway. It was odd to say the least. I can't say I will be recommending the accommodations to anyone else but I was grateful to have a bed nonetheless!

After a late breakfast, Sy and I drove the twisting roads to Seneca Rocks and then south to Spruce Knob park and the summit! The drive was really nice and I was happy to be back in the wooded mountains I enjoy so much.

The highpoint has an observation tower on top that Sy and I both enjoyed especially because the views were pretty clear. The landscape reminded me a lot of that in New England.

Sy had a proud moment when he was the first to find the benchmark after I had wandered for a few unsuccessful minutes of searching. Good going, Sy!

Campbell Hill (Ohio Highpoint)

2010-07-15T13:39:00.001-06:00

Campbell Hill is another "drive-up" highpoint so getting there was pretty straightforward.

The only potential confusion point is that it is located just off a parking lot in a vocational school for adults. Even with this added complexity, it is pretty obvious where the top of the hill is. We just kept following the drive that went up and we ran right into the highpoint. I imagine as long as the gates are open to the school, this should be an easy one for others to find.

One thing I liked about this particular highpoint was the historical information that was included. If you paused to read the signage, you would learn the marble stone adjacent to the benchmark was the one originally placed there and you would also learn that Campbell Hill was once an important military site during the Cold War.

Once again, after snapping a few shots, we were on our way!

Hoosier High Point (Indiana Highpoint)

2010-07-15T13:26:00.000-06:00

Getting to Hoosier High Point was pretty straightforward and there was pretty good signage along all the approach roads.... right up to the highpoint itself.

It was odd that the final turnoff and highpoint itself would be so poorly marked given how good signage from the main roads had been. It did look like there had been a sign of the highpoint at some point but there were just two signpost stumps to the east of the highpoint. I confirmed that there was a sign there as recently as June 2, 2010 using a YouTube video so we may have just recently missed it! No big deal, though, because the book Anne had given me gave good directions so I knew to turn off the road at the edge of the wooded area.

After snapping a couple of pictures and taking a moment to sign the register, we hit the road! We wanted to hit Campbell Hill, OH that afternoon before heading to WV.

Hawkeye Point (Iowa Highpoint)

2010-07-14T13:12:00.001-06:00

Sy and I have been driving from Utah to New York for a couple of days with a canoe strapped on the roof of the Saturn Ion. It has been a lot of fun... all except for the high winds in Wyoming almost blowing the canoe off of the car and the little kidney stone passing issue in North Platte, NE. Other than that it has been great!

The important thing is that there is now way I was going to drive across the country and not hit a few more highpoints!

Hawkeye Point, though a few hours off of I-80, was the first one within striking distance of our route. Note: Sy and I hit Panorama Point, NE a few months ago.

This one was as "drive-up" as they come. I understand the farm owner recently donated the land at the actual highpoint to the government (local/county/state?) and it was obvious some recent development had been done to improve the site. Signage was also excellent on the approach roads.

These midwest "highpoints" make me chuckle a little as the elevation is barely distinguishable from the surrounding terrain. Guess I just need to trust the surveyors! Regardless, it is always fun to do a little bit of route finding and enjoy the tour of a new place as I work to arrive at the goal.

Mount Mitchell (North Carolina Highpoint)

2010-06-01T11:34:00.000-06:00

Luckily our drive to Mount Mitchell was much less eventful than the drive we had just finished to Sassafras Mountain. Anne's patience must know no limits because she was still on board with hitting North Carolina's highpoint after the South Carolina disaster.

I am glad she did too because this drive was a classic drive down a beautiful, historic highway ending with a sunset on the top of a mountain! There is only one way to get to Mount Mitchell and it is along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a national parkway and part of the US National Park Service. As we drove along, I felt just like I was back on the AT in Vermont. Thick forested, damp, green mountains which hug and almost suffocate you and then unannounced lay out a spread of beautiful views for the taking. Although it was beautiful, we didn't have a ton of extra time because the state park (and the summit) closed at 9:00pm and we were pushing the deadline.

We eventually pulled up into an empty summit parking lot at 8:45pm just behind the park ranger who was up there to close things up. He let Soren and I walk the couple hundred yards to the summit where we snapped a couple of pictures and soaked in the sunset before jumping in the car and heading out at 8:59pm!

Although we will be within striking distance of the highpoints of West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania tomorrow, I think it would be wise to call it a week and make that trip another day.....

...... on to our family's new life in New York!!!!

Sassafras Mountain (South Carolina Highpoint)

2010-06-01T11:05:00.000-06:00

After hitting Brasstown Bald, the family jumped into the car and headed east toward South Carolina. Our next goal was Sassafras Mountain. If bagging Georgia's highpoint was easy and uneventful, getting to South Carolina's was the opposite. Admittedly, I caused most of the trouble.... as usual!

It didn't start well.... after grabbing lunch for the boys, I made a wrong turn somewhere in northern Georgia. Mistake #1. I corrected it after about 20 miles or so but still.... From there the drive was pretty uneventful and we eventually approached the junction of SC 11 and US 178 in South Carolina about 10 miles south of our goal.

Mistake #2.... even though I had less than a quarter tank of gas I chose not to stop at the station that was right there. I figured I had plenty. Instead I plowed forward. The next 10 miles ended up being very steep and loaded with very sharp turns which had to effects (a) low fuel efficiency and (b) Sy complaining of some car sickness.

Mistake #3 occurred when I shot past the turn off to Sassafras Mountain ending up a few miles into North Carolina before turning around.... all the while, burning up the little fuel we had. Not a huge mistake under normal circumstances but under these conditions (i.e. low fuel, sick kid, increasingly frustrated spouse) it was a dangerous cocktail. This all leads me to my mistake of omission....

Mistake #4 - I should have just pulled over! Look... when I am out on my little adventures, I get a little bit crazy with achieving the goal (exhibit A - Mt. Datun, Taiwan and exhibit B - Taum Sauk MT, Missouri)

I know it can be stupid but the adrenaline rush of route finding, problem solving and sometimes just pushing through can be exhilarating. That is fine and dandy when I am flying solo or when I am with a like minded crazy person but is whole other matter when I drag the family into it. Anyway, needless to say, Sy eventually threw up into his blanket just under a mile from the summit. Of course, then it was time to clean up. Anne is not happy with me. We are still low on gas (like getting past the E).

After doing some damage control, we reached the parking lot on top, finished the short walk to the summit, in a swarm of mosquitoes, and Anne graciously gave me about 30 seconds to snap a picture or two before she started heading down. I didn't deserve more than that! We happily made it the 7 or so miles north into North Carolina and a gas station. I am also glad to report that Anne has decided to stay married to me!

All is well that ends well..... errrrr, right?!

Brasstown Bald (Georgia Highpoint)

2010-06-01T10:39:00.000-06:00

Memorial Day weekend with the Hansen family was awesome. We hung out, had Sy & Kate's birthday party, attended Kate's baptism, went to a Braves game, and had fun swimming. The Hansen & Anderson grandparents were both there and we all enjoyed the mini-family reunion.

On Tuesday, it was time to continue our trek to New York.... with a few highpoints along the way, of course!

Our first stop was Brasstown Bald in Georgia. Like many of the highpoints in the southeast, this one is also a state park/national forest with maintained facilities so driving close to the top is possible. After taking a short shuttle from the parking lot to the peak, we paused to take a few pictures and explore. After unsuccessfully looking for a benchmark, I finally asked a ranger for some help. It turns out the benchmark is just behind a locked door which doubles as an entryway to private quarters for some of the park staff. He was nice enough to let me have a look.

It was a beautiful day and the boys and I opted to hike down from the peak to the parking lot instead of jumping on the return shuttle. It was fun to stretch our legs and enjoy a beautiful day before jumping back in the car!

Cheaha Mountain (Alabama Highpoint)

2010-05-29T23:35:00.000-06:00

We had a pretty uneventful drive from Rutledge, AL to Cheaha State Park today but it was interesting to see things change as we went north. We left behind the coastal areas and eventually reached rolling hills and even honest to goodness mountains as we approached the state park. The route we took from Lakewood Park in Florida required us to meander through a lot of very small towns and kept us off of freeways almost the entire time. That made for a more entertaining drive.

This particular highpoint is much more developed than most. There was a lodge, campgrounds, chalets, cabins, restaurant, observation tower and a number of other facilities which were all part of a state park on the mountain. From my experience to this point, most highpoints don't have near that kind of development on them. Well, I suppose this all made the place unique in its own right.

As you can see from the pictures, the highpoint was socked in with clouds while we were up there. After climbing and descending the observation tower it also began to rain. That was our signal to jump back into the car and head for Atlanta where we will be spending Memorial Day weekend with my sister, Carolyn, and her family.

Britton Hill (Florida Highpoint)

2010-05-28T23:15:00.002-06:00

After reaching the Lousiana Highpoint this morning and making it back to the hotel, we were a little bit slow getting back on the road so I knew it was going to be tough getting to Britton Hill in Florida before it got dark.

As it turns out, the long drive, traffic in Mobile, and extended meal breaks all conspired to make us miss daylight at the highpoint by just around 30 min. No matter though, we still arrived (a little after 8:00pm) and Sy and Soren joined me for a few pictures before jumping back in the car and working our way up north.

The funny thing about this highpoint is that I had been within a 30 min drive of this spot at least 4 times in recent years. My family has had a couple of family reunions near Walton Beach just south of here! It may seem like a long detour for just this purpose but it felt good to achieve this highpoint... who knows when I will be in the area again!

Driskill Mountain (Louisiana Highpoint)

2010-05-28T23:13:00.000-06:00

Now that I have graduated and we have a place lined up in New York, it is time to play a little! Our moving truck came on May 24th but won't arrive in New York until June 3rd. What do you do with all that time? Well..... drive across the country visiting friends, family and state highpoints, of course!

Starting last Sunday, I left Provo, UT with Sy and Soren. Anne caught up with us in Austin, TX and we spent a couple of days there visiting with friends, colleagues, and also checking in on our rental homes in town. After a packed visit in Austin, we stopped in Houston to see my brother, CJ, and his family. We had a great visit with them as well.

Now..... if you are in Houston and you are heading to Atlanta, you wouldn't exactly call Shreveport "on the way" ..... and even if you did, you wouldn't then head as far south as Pensacola, but that is exactly what we were about to do. We headed north for about 5 hours and finally crashed at a hotel in Minden, LA around midnight. Minden is about 30 miles NW of the LA highpoint.

I knew we had a full-day of driving ahead of us the next day so I woke up at 6:30am and finished the drive to Driskill Mountain while everyone was still sleeping. While driving I reflected on how much just driving to these places is a part of the highpointing adventure. Even the ones that don't require significant planning (i.e. Rainer, Granite, etc..) or long trail distances (i.e. Wheeler, Whitney, etc...) still bring a reward. These places are pretty much always off the beaten path and you get a better feel for a place as you drive the country and local roads. The directions are rarely as straight forward as they seem on paper and four wheel route finding is just part of it all. Driskill Mountain was that kind of a highpoint.....

The trail head sits beside a graveyard and a local church in a rural Louisiana community. The trail is surprisingly well maintained with excellent signage courtesy of a local Eagle Scout project. The hike was about a mile each way. Hiking it early was a good idea because even though I was in and out before 8:30am, the heat and humidity were already starting to have an impact.

In summary, it felt great to be making progress toward the highpointing goal again. After being out west for a couple of years, it was exciting to be back in the dense forests that lie to the east.

Mount Magazine (Arkansas Highpoint)

2010-02-06T09:51:00.001-07:00

7 hours after heading down from Taum Sauk Mountain (Missouri), I arrived at the Arkansas State Park which Mount Magazine calls home. Other than a speeding stop near Pocahontas, AK (got a warning... phew!), the drive over was pretty uneventful. I did briefly question my wisdom in driving as far south as Little Rock (within 20 miles) when I needed to be at the Omaha airport in about 24 hours but it was too late for backing out!

This was my first time in the Ozarks and I left impressed. The mountains and surrounding valleys were beautiful. They reminded me of the Appalachians to the east. Although I didn't stick around long (just a couple of hours), I did develop a respect for the area. I arrived at the trailhead at 4:30 and 30 min later was back in my car and on the road. Within the hour it was dark and I was back on the freeways working my way back to Omaha!

Taum Sauk Mountain (Missouri Highpoint)

2010-02-06T09:23:00.001-07:00

Friday morning started out with me in a suit meeting the Oracle of Omaha (Warren Buffett) and ended with me flying down the freeways between Omaha and Kansas City and then Kansas City and St. Louis. I left Omaha around 6:00pm and drove all night while taking a few naps in rest stops along the way. I took my last nap at a gas station in Ironton, MO and woke up at 7:30 ready to go.

(Room for the night)

I hadn't counted on so much snow in Omaha and the theme continued as I drove to the Ozark plateau that spreads into Missouri. As I got to the last stretch of road leading to Taum Sauk State Park, I realized the last two miles of the road wasn't maintained.... the result was 8-10 inches of snow on the road with the exception of a single set of tracks in the snow made my someone before the most recent snowfall. I was in a rented Chevy Impala and pretty much knew my car was woefully underprepared for the conditions but was willing to take the risk. I had a cell phone and, afterall, I had come all this way and didn't really want to leave without bagging the highpoint. So, I plowed into the snowy road doing my best to follow the one set of tracks there.

(Would you drive down this in a Chevy Impala?)

Things went well.... ALMOST the whole way! There was one incline I got stuck on but I just threw it in reverse, then picked up more speed and tried again. Repeat and I was up in a few min. Then with about 100 yards to go, I got stuck in a drift that apparently was on ice even though I was in the middle of the road. Now I was 2 miles from where the unmaintained road began and about 1/2 mile from the trailhead. I had a strong cell signal and knew I would be able to call out when I got back so I went after the highpoint.

Although I didn't bring good footwear, reaching the trailhead and highpoint were pretty straightforward. The recent snowfall really made the whole thing pretty amazing.

(The actual highpoint)

Once I got back to the car, I continue to try and get unstuck eventually drifting the car to the side of the road. Time to call for help. After a call to 411 and a few locals, Jim Randolph showed up to help. It ended up being tougher than it looked to get out but we were eventually successful. He charged me $45... I gave him $50 (cheap tow, right?).

Off to Arkansas!

Mount Sunflower (Kansas Highpoint)

2009-12-21T08:39:00.001-07:00

If the Nebraska highpoint was remote, Mount Sunflower was even more so....

We lingered at this one a little longer. Sy even took the time to draw a portrait of the highpoint marker and he also decided we should start checking off highpoints in my book (I think I have him hooked!).

While driving the last few miles to this highpoint, I found myself wondering just who lives more than 15 miles away from a paved road and miles and miles away from their closest neighbors? I am sure they are great people but I was struck by the fact that I don't know anyone like that and am pretty sure the people I know also don't know anyone like that.... definitely isolated but also definitely beautiful in its own way.

Panorama Point (Nebraska Highpoint)

2009-12-21T08:30:00.001-07:00

Now that the semester has finished, I needed to get out of the house and have an adventure. So, Sy and I decided to head out on a road trip to bag a couple more state highpoints.

We started from Provo, UT on Sunday afternoon and arrived in Cheyenne, WY (just west of the highpoint) six hours later. I had never really stopped in Cheyenne before and liked the little capitol town. We checked out the famous 8ft high boots in the park in town and then ate at Sanford Pub & Grill - a great choice.

The next morning we got up early, took a side trip to see some llamas and goats....

...and then headed to the highpoint. Even though my instructions were good and we didn't make any wrong turns, it was still easy to get nervous traveling more than 20 miles on dirt roads passing only the occasional farm house.

Eventually we made it. I guess that means Sy has his first highpoint! We didn't wait around much though because we wanted to head south and hit the Kansas highpoint later that day.

Mt. Diablo (Walnut Creek, CA)

2009-11-28T08:16:00.017-07:00

This morning Mike (brother-in-law) and I took of to hike Mt. Diablo. We are spending the Thanksgiving holiday with family in Walnut Creek, CA and Mt. Diablo is the biggest peak around. It was a little on the cool side and the wind was howling but since those are two things I love, I enjoyed myself. It was also a nice escape from the kids and craziness.

We chose a route that starts fairly high up but circumnavigates the mountain while climbing about 2000ft in elevation. In all the hike was in the neighborhood of 6 miles long and the views from the top were pretty awesome. I could easily see the Bay Bridge, San Francisco and into the Pacific to the east and the Sierras to the southwest.

Muir Woods (San Francisco, CA)

2009-08-01T21:00:00.000-06:00

This past Saturday my cousin, Karl Reichstetter, and I headed over to Muir Woods for a day hike. Expecting a boardwalk like walk through the redwoods, I wore Adidas Sambas and walked with camera in hand and didn't bring water. *wagging finger*. We opted to do an ~10 mile loop to Stinson Beach (via Hillside, Ben Johson, Stapelveldt, Steep Ravine, and Dipsea trails) and back along the Dipsea trail.

Remember to do your research before heading to the trail! Luckily there were no major consequences for my lack of planning. Instead, we enjoyed a fantastic morning and early afternoon.

Most of the day we were in low lying clouds but the weather would dramatically and inexplicably change as we weaved along the trail climbing and loosing again about 1400ft. Dripping moss, dry dusty trail, humid, breezy, sunny, cloudy, warm, and very cool.... we experienced it all.

If the weather was loaded with wild swings, the fauna was equally varied. The following is a good series of pictures that shows some of the variation.

I really liked Muir Woods and would love to go back.

Half-dome (Yosemite National Park, CA)

2009-07-23T22:05:00.004-06:00

A couple of weeks ago Karl Reichstetter (my cousin) invited me to join a group of Tuck MBA students who are interning in the Bay Area on their ascent of half-dome. No need to ask me twice!

We broke camp just after 4:30am and hit the trail just after 5:30. One of the coolest things about this ascent was the series of water falls we hiked by during the first 4 miles of the hike. The beauty really helped to break up what otherwise would have been a rough 2000ft climb to the Little Yosemite Valley.

The famous cables at the top looked intimidating but weren't that scary in the end. It is the type of thing that you might build up in your mind but once you are there and focused, things just move forward.

That being said, my legs started cramping up while on the cables and by the time we summited (just a few dozen feet above the cables) my quads were in full lock-up mode. So after about 4800ft in just over 8 miles, it was time to sit down and enjoy the views.

On the way down we escaped from the heat by dipping in the river flowing through Little Yosemite Valley.

Views like this abounded... seriously.....

Mt. Charleston (Las Vegas, NV)

2009-06-13T22:02:00.001-06:00

Before coming to Vegas, I had never heard about Mt. Charleston but I quickly learned it is the biggest mountain around, is in the range boasting the only ski resort anywhere near here, and can be counted on to be at least 20 deg cooler than Vegas at any time. I was sold!

This Saturday made for the perfect opportunity to attack it. After hiking Boundary Peak, I realized I was pretty out of shape and probably wasn't quite ready for the much longer trip up Charleston but I decided to go for it anyway..... and I am glad I did.

This was one of those hikes that has it all.....

... as long as you are willing to tough out a 16 mile day!

I camped at the Kyle Canyon campground the night before. I enjoyed a campfire and a phone conversation with my Mom before field testing my bivy sack tent and getting some rest for the long hike ahead.

The hike starts with a steep 4 mile climb to the saddle just below Griffith Peak. The majority of the climb is a long series of switchbacks that traverse a wide variety of terrain and forest.. starting with an avalanche flattened aspen grove, past the base of a huge cliff, up through a pine forest (where snow still lingered) and eventually into grassy meadows as the trees thinned. From there the majority of the rest of the hike is a flat ridge walk until the last mile when you leave the treeline behind and hit the final ascent.

It took me 6 hours to get up (arrived just before noon) but that needs to include the 1-2 mile detour up a portion of Cathedral Peak. I really should pay more attention to the signage at the trailhead! It took me another 4 hours to get down. It was a full day and afterwards I truly did feel fulfilled.

Frenchman Mountain (Las Vegas, NV)

2009-06-10T21:45:00.002-06:00

I am starting to realize how little time I have left in Vegas so I have been trying to cram in some fun stuff! Last month, on my way home from the temple, I noticed the beauty of the city lights and wondered to myself what the view must be like from the top of the mountain just east of the temple. When I got home I learned it is called Frenchman Mountain and I decided I would climb it one evening for a couple of pictures.

It turns out the trailhead for the hike is in a vacant lot popular for illegal dumping. I kept my fingers crossed for a vandalism free adventure and took off. The hike is 2 miles each way with a 160oft gain. What the trail guides don't tell you is that you have to gain at least a third of that twice!!

I started at 7:30 and reached the first crest in time to get a snapshot of the colors in the sky from the setting sun. The trail ahead can be seen in this next picture. A steep climb with a dozen or so steep switchbacks at the top. This "top" is the highpoint of the trail on the North peak. The true summit is on the South peak and the saddle between the two drops at least 500 ft. By the time I was dropping into the saddle, it was dark.

I rarely ever night hike but tonight was fantastic. The dark meant cooler temperatures and a strong desert breeze was blowing. I opted to not use my headlamp and instead was guided by a combination of the ambient city lights and my adjusted vision.

Although the true summit is gated off with communication towers and all other kinds of man made stuff, the view of the valley below was not spoiled in the least. I just wish I had the skill and equipment to take a decent night picture! Here is one of the better photos.....

Vegas may get kind of a bad rap but scenes like this are hard to beat. The astute observer will notice that the brightest section of the photo is the "strip" on Las Vegas Blvd.

Boundary Peak (Nevada Highpoint)

2009-06-07T19:55:00.006-06:00

When I heard the forecast for Las Vegas (high of 85 deg and cloudy), I knew I was going to be in for a cold one at Boundary Peak. After finishing the CFA exam, I threw my gear in the car and headed north past Dyer, NV (a town so inconsequential for Nevadans you actually have to go into California to get to it), up a 13 mile dirt road (in the sedan), to the trailhead at 9000 ft. I didn't arrive until almost 11:00pm and the thermometer was reading a balmy 41 deg. I folded the seats down in the Saturn and tried to get some shut-eye.

I woke in the morning to this beautiful site. I also woke-up realizing I had forgot my boots in Vegas? There was no way I was going to make it up in my Adidas Sambas. Luckily, a group of three guys arrived as I was preparing to leave (~7:00am) and one guy offered me his pair of size 11 Montrails. Sweet providence!

This is a picture in the direction of Boundary Peak (not actually the peak) from the trailhead. As you can see, the conditions were going to be snowy.

This hike is only about 3.5 miles each way but the last two are very tough ones. Altogether the gain is around 4000ft. The walk along the valley floor was beautiful. The trail paralleled a creek and thick willows for more than a mile before heading toward the tree line. You can see from this picture that the blue skies didn't last. Most of the day was spent in and out of the clouds.

There was lots of bristlecone pine along the way.

The toughest part by far was getting to the saddle from the start of the treeline. The slope was downright sandy and steep. Steps forward were often lost as your back foot slide down mid-stride. Add that to the elevation gain in that stretch from 10k' to 12k' and I was seriously beat when I reached the saddle. I was also feeling the altitude. I was pretty dizzy and decided to take a break.

This picture was taken from the saddle. The trailhead is at the end of the canyon that stretches from the left to the middle of the picture. If you look really closely, you can see the dirt road in the distance as well. I don't know about you but I had no idea Nevada had places like this. Absolutely beautiful!

This picture was taken after summitting and as I started to head back down. The saddle is visible about 1/4 of the way from the left of the picture. This part of the climb was slow going (a combination of snow and altitude).

I finally summitted just before noon (5 hours for 3.5 miles? that should tell you something!). As you can tell from the picture, the peak was socked in with clouds so I didn't stay long. I had originally wanted to hike over to Montgomery Peak as well but my hands and feet were pretty cold, the weather was looking sketchy and I was feeling pretty tired!

I made it down in half the time and coasted my way into Dyer for a Gatorade and Dr. Pepper. I repented of the ridicule I had cast on this small town as I savored the sweet, sweet beverages and then made my way back to Vegas.

Bagged another highpoint!

Turtlehead Peak (Red Rocks, Las Vegas, NV)

2009-06-02T02:39:00.003-06:00

Taking on two internships this summer is going to put a cramp in my hiking style but I am still going to try and be a weekend warrior.

Recently Mike Esselman (fellow BYU MBA 1st year student) and I enjoyed an early morning summit of Turtlehead Peak in the Red Rocks recreation area in Las Vegas. A steep climb and therefore satisfying! Here are a few shots...

A view of the peak during the ascent. The trail went straight up the gulley to the left (the steep part) and then approached the ridge from along the ridge and up the backside of the peak.

A view from the peak with the popular Red Rocks in the foreground. There were a lot of people climbing, rapelling, exploring, etc... on a Saturday morning.

A view from the peak.

Hiking the Y

2009-02-10T00:34:00.001-07:00

I had been gone a lot in January and Sy has been hungry to spend some time with his Dad. Last weekend I was finally able to get caught up with school and Sy kept asking me to bring him hiking.... I am not going to say "No" to that!

So, Sy and I suited up and headed out to the trailhead.

Sy remembered that the last time we hiked the Y he tuckered out just after turn 6 and rested there with Mom while Soren and I finished the hike. He announced his intention to finish the hike this time around.

Ironically, during a rest break (just after turn 6) Sy asked where he should go to the bathroom. I told him just off the side of the trail and he gave me a funny look. It was then I realized that he needed to go "#2." Well, we hadn't come prepared for that so we headed back down the trail.

Looks like Sy and I will have to wait for at least a 3rd attempt in order to get him up there! Regardless, I was glad to get on the trail with him. I hope for many more trips together.

Ebright Azimuth (Delaware Highpoint)

2009-01-18T00:43:00.002-07:00

This weekend, after my interview at Air Products in Allentown, PA, I visited Josh Probert, a good friend of my mine from my BYU folk dancing days. While there I had this thought, "Delaware isn't that big. The highpoint has to be near by!" As it turned out, it was about 15 min away. Josh entertained my odd hobby and drove me to the highpoint.

Once we were there it took us about 10 min to find the USGS marker, snap a few pictures and drive off. Easily the shortest hike (20 feet) I have had in order to reach a highpoint.

Rock Canyon - Snowshoeing

2009-01-11T00:26:00.000-07:00

My folks got me my first pair of snowshoes for Christmas.... unfortunately, they were the wrong size! No problem, while I wait for the new ones to arrive, I rented a pair from the rental shop on campus and headed up Rock Canyon with Rand Blair (MBA classmate).

It was my first time snowshoeing and I showed my amateur behavior by putting the shoes on wrong for more than half of the hike. Basically, I strapped my feet in too far forward and my toes, hitting the front of the shoe, were keeping the binding from swiveling as I took steps. I felt kind of stupid but at least I know how it works now! Besides, with a beautiful day like this it is hard to have it spoiled.

Squaw Peak

2008-12-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

A view of Timp from Squaw Peak

The Utah winter has been pretty mild so far this year which means I had a chance to summit another local peak without wearing snowshoes. So yesterday, Dustin, Ben and I left at 6:00am for Squaw Peak. I could tell it was going to be another glorious day for hiking because the stars were out.

The hike was pretty straightforward because of the easily distinguishable trail and the lack of snow. We started at the Rock Canyon trailhead heading east along the trail, eventually leaving it to head northwest and follow the trail up the First Left Fork drainage. This trail dumps into a beautiful meadow as you reach the Squaw Peak Ridge.

View of Timp from the meadow at the top of the First Left Fork trail

From there is was a short hike to the southwest and the summit. We reached the top around 9:30am. As expected, the views were spectacular. I especially liked being at the peak as the sun rose above Provo Peak.

View of Rock Canyon from Squaw Peak. You can see the parking lot and the Provo temple near the top of the photo.

Sunrise over Provo Peak from Squaw Peak

I would have liked to hang around some more but I had a team meeting to work on a couple of projects for school at 1:00. We headed down the trail and got to our cars around 10:30. I had a great time. I am feeling comfortable with the terrain to the east and am feeling more confident about attacking the bigger mountains just to the east of my last three climbs. The challenge is that real winter weather is coming. I am afraid I may have to wait till next summer to hike the big ones. Snowshoeing anyone?!

Maple Mountain

2008-11-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

It is getting cold here in Provo. Snow has already fallen in the mountains to the east a few times and I decided I had to get up there before winter really set in.

I decided to go after Maple Mountain. It is just over 9000' and stands directly to the east. One big challenge with this particular choice was there are no trails to the summit..... and I underestimated how much snow was still on the ground.

Originally I was going to hike by my lonesome but decided late to post a general invitation to people in the MBA program to join me if they wanted to. Dustin Cook decided to join in. We headed out from my place at 6:00am, climbed up to the Y and continued up through Slide Canyon to Bear Flats. Starting at Bear Flats the ground was entirely covered with 6-12" of snow and we were hiking on terrain neither of us had ever hiked. We were able to follow animal tracks and occasional footprints up to Apache Flats but from this point on there was no trail and no foot traffic to follow. We bushwhacked up to the ridge running northeast from the peak and stomped through the snow making it to the peak just after 10:00am.

The peak of Maple Mountain.

The views made the tough climb more than worth it. This was my first real view of all the mountains to the east of Provo that Y Mountain and Squaw Peak hide. I could also see Provo Peak, Freedom Peak, Cascade Mountain and a number of the big peaks to the north and south including Timp, Lone Peak, Nebo, and Spanish Fork Peak.

View of Provo Peak (left) from Maple Mountain

View of Cascade Mountain from Maple Mountain

As you probably guessed, the whole experienced whetted my appetite for more. My guess is that I won't get a lot more in this winter but I may be able to go after a couple of smaller ones (i.e. Squaw Peak) on snowshoes.

Crawford Notch Campground

2008-08-10T21:00:00.001-06:00

Well I woke up at 5:45 and it was cold! Boy did it get cold last night. My bag kept me warm but my nose was chilly. The cold air made it hard to put my damp clothes on but I did just the same because the sky was completely blue! I don't think I have ever appreciated seeing blue sky so much.

I probably was hiking by 6:30 and was loving the views. I made it past Galehead Hut before 8:00 and then up South Twin where I was finally rewarded with the views I had been waiting for. The view may very well have stretched as far as the Adirondacks in NY and definitely included Mt. Washington to the NE.

I was very grateful for such a beautiful vista. I have enjoyed the whole experience with the rain and clouds but having this morning was a special reward. It is a good thing too because it didn't last!

I stopped at the Zealand Hut for hiker soup (leftovers from last nights dinner), some gingerbread, and lemonade for $5. I ate until I almost felt sick and then took off around 12:45.

I decided then that I was just going to hike out instead of staying at a campsite tonight. The hike down from the hut to the road was pretty amazing too because it flattened for miles! I think I may have even hit a 3 mile/hour pace for a few miles. ..... that was definitely a first. Not only was it flat but the trail was like crushed stone... heaven to walk on!

The only problem was.... it started pouring around 1:00. Ah.... all good things must come to an end. It was almost funny for me though because it was like the trail's farewell. The AT wanted to make sure that I was literally rained on every day! After making it to the parking lot, I met a guy named Mike who was waiting for his buddy Dave but was also doing some trail magic while waiting. I enjoyed a banana and gatorade and conversation and then I walked the final 1/2 mile to 302 where I was able to quickly get a hitch to the campground. The guy was a tourist from Boston and I was grateful for the ride which saved me from a 3 1/2 mile hike on the road.

After checking in I found that Cranky Pete was already there. He had hiked pretty far yesterday and finished the short hike to Crawford Notch today. Later on Mike, Dave, Pinenut, Half Ounce and Pogo all showed up. We have had a great time chatting, joking around and we all threw together a grill night of burgers, dogs and kielbasa.

I feel kind of wierd leaving the trail. I know it has only been 2 weeks but I feel like I am abandoning the people who are pushing on. They don't need me but there is definitely a sense of community. I feel like many have accepted me largely because of the large section I have been doing. It has been fun meeting them and sharing in their journeys.

That being said, I am ready to go home. My personal journey is back at home with Anne and the boys and getting my MBA. Staying here longer would be too self indulgent. I am grateful that I could come and that Anne supported me. Now it is time to go home and help support her. Kurt was nice enough to head up to get me early so I will be heading to RI tonight. I still have the goal to finish this trail and I will be back next year.... I don't know which section but I will be back!

Mileage - 17.4 miles on the AT

Garfield Ridge Campsite

2008-08-09T20:36:00.001-06:00

Snake Whisperer, Shelter Monkey, Cranky Pete and I all caught Dutch's 7:30 shuttle back up to the bike path at the Franconia Notch State Park visitors center and took off. Would you believe it started pouring as soon as we got there? So much for the sun in the forecast! We split up soon after hitting the AT trail because it began its steep climb to Franconia Ridge. I felt very strong today and powered up the climb to Liberty Springs Campsite. Not too long after that I crossed above treeline and onto Franconia Ridge.

Now they say optimum hypothermic conditions are 40-50 degrees, cool breeze, and rain/mist. Unfortunately those are exactly the conditions I found all the way up to Mt. Lafayette.

So it was good that I felt strong becuase my body heat is what was keeping me from getting in a dangerous situation. I realized this and made it a point to never rest for very long. I was beat when I reached the summit at 11:45 and I began descending a little dissappointed that the forecasted sun had never arrived. That being said, hiking in the clouds above treeline was almost ethereal/other worldly. It kept reminding me of a scene from Lord of the Rings.

Luckily during my descent and then climb of Mt. Garfield, the clouds parted and I got my first real views of the trip. It was outstanding.

Because I was worried about being hypothermic, I had not stopped to eat or really rest this morning at all and by the time I reached the campsite at 2:30-3:00, I was feeling weak and kind of cold. I tore into my food and got out of my wet clothes and all was well.

During the long afternoon I had to kill, I chatted with the caretaker, Claire. She thru hiked the AT in '03 and was cool to chat with. In the offseason she manages the waste disposal and recycling operations at a science station at the South Pole! Sweet.

The rest of the time I read The Brothers Karamazov (or at least part of an abridged version) and chatted with the few others who came to the shelter. It started to get very, very cold so I crawled into my sleeping bag early. I bet by the time we went to bed it was in the lower 50s and probably will get into the 40s during the night.

I still haven't decided where I will hike to tomorrow. We will have to see if I want to stay at Ethan Pond or spend a 2nd night at the hiker hostel at Crawford Notch.

Mileage - .7 Franconia Notch State Park to the AT, 10.3 miles on the AT

Lincoln, NH

2008-08-08T19:47:00.001-06:00

To say the rain is getting annoying would be an understatement! However, I would be lying if I didn't say today was a great day in it's own right. The day started early again (around 7:00). Our shelter had been full with only 5 hikers (Pond Scum, Cranky Pete, Professor, Blazing Socks and I). I knew it was going to be a short day for me so I told the guys who were interested that I would catch a shuttle from Dutch with them at the bottom and took off by 7:30.

I totally understand how hard the Kinsman Peaks would be but I must have been looking towards Lincoln too soon. The climbs were very steep and even a scramble at times in both directions. By the time I made it down to Lonesome Lake Hut my knees were screaming! I had got myself in front of the group of hikers so I stopped to wait in the cafeteria area of the hut. These places are pretty cool. You are way up in the woods and bam! there is a mini hotel. This particular one had enough space for 48 customers. Amazing. The only downer was that the staff wasn't really all that friendly. My guess is that they are tired of seeing thru hikers or something. Unfortunately, my overall impression of these AMC huts was that they are a cool, overpriced concept with unpersonable staff. Oh well! Not a great first impression but my mind could still change. I will have to see how things go the next time.

Anyway, I left because I didn't really care to hang around any longer. The lake was pretty cool thought. About 1/2 mile down the trail... guess what happened?.... it started raining! I didn't really care but it certainly is the continuation of a theme. I finally made it down to US 3. I wrung out my shirt and sat down and waited for some others to show up. Cranky Pete finally showed up and we walked to the Flume Visitors Center... you guessed it.... in the pouring rain.

After a reuben and french fries, Dutch came and picked us up and dropped us off at Chet's. After showering and doing laundry we headed into town (a short 1/2 mile walk) where I finally replaced my busted belt buckle and then we had pizza before heading back to Chet's. Today's theme has been getting to know people on the trail....

Chet's Place

My home for the night.

Cranky Pete - oldest of 4 boys plus 3 other adoptees. Lives in NJ near the high point. Graduated with an undergrad in marketing and is still sorting out what he is doing next in life. Went to Syracuse. Grandparents live in Peru, VT.

Professor - Went to Bowdoin College. Undergrad in Chemistry. Starting grad school in chemistry next month.

Blazing Socks - Undergrad in mechanical engineering. Recently married (I can't believe he is out here). Started on the trail in Virginia.

Dutch (trail name) - Has been yellow blazing (driving) and hiking sections as she goes for years. She is currently shuttling people around in Lincoln. She only charged Pete and I $3 for the ride. She wouldn't accept more than that. Just the cost of gas and that is it.

Grandpa Joe - Undergrad in Computer Science. He workds at US Steel making internal online apps. He is starting school again in 15 days and is probably going to miss the last 100 miles of the trail (that stinks)

Foot Note - From North Carolina. The only other LDS person I have met on the trail. I picked up on this when I heard him talk about his daughter going to BYU. He is writing a book about his trail adventures.

Chet (short for Chester) - The guy is amazing. In 2001 he had an accident with an MSR stove that left him badly burned and 7 years later he is still fighting the effects. His sight is still severly damaged. He really only sees flashed of light that apparently fire as his nerves continue to grow. is story includes 8 flatlines and many organ failures. Basically it is more than one miracle that he is alive. Anyway, his determination and outlook on life are inspirational. He basically now just loves to be part of the AT community and loves having us all here. He doesn't charge a dime but does accept donations from us. I have him $20 for his hospitality.

Well it was a good day on the whole. Not much for pumping out miles but great nonetheless. I have a 7:30 shuttle lined up for tomorrow and believe it or not the forecast is for .... sun! It couldn't have come at a better time because I am hiking up Franconia Ridge and above treeline tomorrow morning!

Trail Names - One Gallon, Grandpa Joe, Chet, Dutch, Snake Whisperer, Shelter Monkey

Mileage - 8.8 miles on the AT, 1 to the Flume Visitors Center

Eliza Brook Shelter

2008-08-07T15:14:00.001-06:00

After a relatively short night's sleep (~6 hours) I woke up at 7:00 and packed up my gear. The hostel was fun for me (maybe a little expensive for what you get) but I have heard some complaints about it since from some of the NOBOs. I guess I just didn't know any better. It was just good to not have everything feel sticky for a few hours.

I started the day by fording the Olevarian Brook which had calmed down considerably since yesterday... which made the crossing a bit anticlimactic. The climb up Moosealaukee actually went really well. The trail wasn't very wet and it had a pretty constant pitch which seemed to help me just attack it. I actually really enjoyed the long climb and found myself at the peak with few breaks in the clouds where I could actually see the valley below. The sun tried hard to break through too but was mostly unsuccessful. This was my first summit on the trail above the tree line and although I didn't have any spectacular views, I still loved the hike.

The hike down the north side was just as engaging. After a lunch of Ramen and Pop Tarts, I headed down the treacherous (the forest service's words, not mine) north side of the mountain. Dangerous was right. The decline was very steep and it was stepped out with rebar hand holds in many places. Having it be wet only added to it.

The coolest thing was that the trail paralleled a brook that gained in volume and intensity as the hike progressed. So the hike was loaded with waterfalls, cascades and the sound of rushing water. It was awesome!

The only problem with having such a great morning was that I still had an 8 mile hike ahead of me and as luck would have it, it was all wet, all muddy, and mostly uphill! It was fine but I was really dragging by the end and was starting to lose the mental edge I had been maintaining. It was probably one of the hardest afternoons, physically, I have had.

The good news is that now I am a full day ahead of schedule.... like tomorrow night was when I was scheduled to be at this shelter. That means with just a few days left, I have a day to kill somewhere. I think I am going to take it as an extra day along the Franconia Ridge or maybe at the hostel in Crawford Notch. Either way, I am going to stay at the hostel in Lincoln (Chet's) tomorrow and hopefully, finally get my buckle replaced at the Lahouts outfitters in town.

For the last three days, have ended up with Cranky Pete, Blazing Socks and Professor at the same shelter. That has made for good conversation as we rehash the day, the impressions, the emotions and people's histories.

I can feel the end of the trail coming soon now. I do welcome it but I know I will long to return as well.

Trail Names - Pond Scum, Footnote (writing a book)

Mileage - 17 miles on the AT

Warren, NH

2008-08-06T13:16:00.001-06:00

What a full day today! I actually had a great night sleep with only minor interruptions from the one snorer two pads over. My solution was to play the iPod and try and block him out. The thing that finally woke me up was a downpour that started around 4:00am. I woke up and went back to sleep hopelessly wishing it would stop before the morning came. As expected, 7:00 came and the rain was still coming down hard. I decided to get up anyway and hit the trail around 7:30 in the pouring rain. The first summit was Mt. Cube and hiking it in the rain was awesome! As I neared the summit and came out of the trees the wind and rain would pelt me and I had visibility of about 50 feet. I was loving it! It continued to rain all morning and as it did the hills began to release the water too. Our trails turned into streams, my boots filled with water and by 9:00am everything was a swamp. After a while, I just started stepping into puddles up to my ankles that I normally would try to avoid because the wetness just didn't matter.

At one point (Bartlett Brook?) a normally easy brook crossing turned into a ford because the water had swelled so high. I threw my boots around my shoulders and walked into the water completely barefoot (not normally a smart thing but I had a great time!). It was so much fun for me. The only downer for the morning was that I really, really had to use the privy for most of the morning's hike. By the time I reached Ore Hill Shelter around 11:15-11:30 it was at emergency status. It was easily the nastiest privy I have ever seen but it was a beautiful sight to me!

After some cocoa and a snack at the shelter, I decided to move. Clothesline opted to stay behind as he wasn't looking forward to more hiking in these conditions. There were also two hikers (Red and Thought Criminal) who were obviously taking a zero at the shelter. It seemed a lot of people weren't looking forward to moving today.

Around 12:30 the rain mostly stopped for the day and I was already on my way to Glencliff. As I was cruising along (~1 mile from my goal) I stopped in my tracks because about 20 feet off the trail was a big cow moose! She didn't seem too surprised to see me so I took a couple of shots and moved on.

Glencliff was pretty cool too. I decided to stay at the Hiker Hostel.

I showed up and there were already more than 15 people there (some for more than 3 days). The place is pretty cool (although it could definitely use a little bit of cleaning). There is a bunk room upstairs that sleeps 10 (3 bunk beds, 2 couches, and a couple of mattresses on the floor). I have a floor mattress. Also people tent outside. There is a grill, an outdoor shower, a computer, a common room, a DVD player, TV and hundreds of movies. I took a shuttle into Warren and stocked up on food including some instant gratification... namely some pizza and a sandwich. Our driver, Fat Chap, helps out with the hostel and gave us a tour of Warren that was pretty fun.

When we got back I enjoyed a lot of conversation, did laundry, did email, and took a shower. I had originally planned to do all shelters (no hostels) but I realize now that that would have been a mistake. Meeting all these people and experiencing this part of the trail is a big part of hiking the AT. This has been fun and a great recharge after a fun but grueling day in the swamp! It was easily the wettest day of hiking I have ever had. Tomorrow may be my toughest day yet if I try to make it all the way to Eliza Brook. We will see how things go. It is also the start of the White Mountains!

Trail Names - Half Ounce, Pogo, Pinenut, Fat Chap, Possum, Stretch, Red, Thought Criminal, Rockamimi, NoCar, Professor, Ozzy, Lieutenant (or Mr. F---ing Gentle Spirit), Slim, Bogie

Hexacuba Shelter

2008-08-05T13:02:00.001-06:00

Well the plan was to start taking it a bit easier now that the White Mountains are getting nearer but since I left at 7:00 and was pretty strong until mile 10 or 11, I decided to switch things up from my original plan and stretch the day out. The hike up Smart's Mountain was pretty good but it was also tough. Along the way I missed one turn at the top of Holt's Ledge but was able to correct it .1 miles later at the chairlift for a ski resort. The views from Holt's Ledge and Smart's Mountain were both pretty spectacular. On top of Smarts Mountain there was a great big fire tower (kind of like Stratton Mountain in Vermont). From the top you could see pretty far off.

View from Holt's Ledge

Stairs heading down from the fire tower

I left Clothesline and Cranky Pete this morning assuming they would pass me sometime along the way but I never saw them today so I am not sure where they ended up. Blazing Socks was in front of me but I never saw him either. Last night was my first night without a woman in the shelter and all the bodily functions going on told the story as well!

I arrived at Hexacuba Shelter .... or more like dragged myself in around 5:00 to find it was mostly populated by SOBOs and this crazy old guy, "Biking Ray".... who seems to be a local of sorts. He is up hiking around for a few days and will be heading back down tomorrow. Oh! While I was writing, I guess, Clothesline walked by. I must have missed him. It is good to see that someone else made it in.

Anyway, the shelter is actually shaped like a hexagon. We are all sleeping with our feet together in the center and we are going to be packed in. On top of it it seems tent sites are likely to be packed as well. I already counted 12 people and more people keep trickling in.

Tomorrow, I am thinking I will make it all the way into Glencliff and have a nice dinner! It should be 15 miles or so but the hiking looks relatively easy.

Two of the SOBOs that showed up are obviously high and they were telling all kinds of crazy stories about their slack packing adventures and all the crazy experiences they have had in every town. Smoking (not necessarily pot) is definitely a trail pass time and is part of the hiking culture. Most seem to roll their own and the preferred brand appears to be American Spirit.

Trail Names - Beetle

Mileage - 17.9 miles on the AT

Moose Mountain Shelter

2008-08-04T10:33:00.001-06:00

I jumped on the free Orange Route bus into Hanover at 7:30 and made sure to get a few errands done. I got a haircut (I decided to stay with the buzz cut), searched fruitlessly for a replacement belt buckle (although I did figure out an alternative to the duct tape I have been using since day 1.... I am now using a couple pieces of rope and a caribeener), got an everything bagel with cream cheese (ah... yeah!), did some email, bought season football tickets, and resupplied before heading out on the trail again. I was kind of lost resupplying at the Co-op and I am afraid I didn't plan well. In the end, I pretty much just grabbed some stuff and took off. I was on the trail before noon and headed up to Moose Mountain.

Today's hike was actually pretty easy. Maybe even the easiest 10 miles of the trip so far. The climb was gradual and the weather was cool. I have started to run into a lot of other NOBO-ers and it is fun to see the culture that develops as people catch up on each others stories and hear how friends in front or behind are doing. I can see how a lot of solid friendships are formed on the trail. So far I haven't stayed in the same shelter with the same people for 2 days but I can still see how it would happen. There is a pretty big group in the shelter tonight. There is one SOBO named Joel and three NOBO who seem to know each other really well. There is also a guy named Ben who is trying to section hike NH but he seemed to be in really rough shape on the hike up. I hope he does well.

Anyway, all in all, a pretty straightforward, uneventful day. It is just fun to be back out and as much as I liked being in a motel, I like better being out here in the woods with some company.

An example of trail magic. This one had bottles of ice cold water as well as Little Debbie snack cakes.

I am thinking of Anne a lot today because of how sick the bots have been. She is very supportive and totally cool for letting me go but when things like this happen, I feel bad that she is dealing with so much on her own.

Trail Names - Clothesline (from Cincinati, OH, UofTenn), Blazing Socks, Joel (not a trail name... he also did the PCT in '06), Cranky Pete

Vocab - "bounce" - sending some of your gear forward to another town to pick it up later, "flip-flop" - change from NOBO to SOBO or vice versa. This is usually done to avoid weather at the other end late/early in the season, "friendly" - pretty straightforward. It is a home, business, or individual who are friendly and otherwise help out hikers.

Mileage - 11 miles on the AT

Hanover, NH

2008-08-03T10:07:00.001-06:00

Man, did it rain last night! The tin roof made for a very loud exciting evening! After such a long day yesterday, I decided I would sleep in this evening and sleep in I did..... I don't think I got out of my bag until 8:30 or so but when I did I hit the trail. The late start meant I wouldn't have much time in Hanover so I took off.

Of course, when I hit W. Hartford, I just had to stop at the Village Store and eat a large Pomfret and 2 powerades too! I was hoping to enjoy the lawn and chairs a little longer when rain reared it's ugly head again. So far I have dodged most of it but it looked like it would get me this time. Rather than sit on their porch in the rain, I threw on my gear and headed out which turned out to be a mistake because about 15 minutes later while hiking uphill (towards the interstate) I threw-up a mouthful of my lunch (sorry for the gorey detail without warning). Nothing serious. I just didn't give my food time to settle. No matter, I was still glad to have stopped and enjoyed the town food!

After hiking uphill a bunch, I finally reached the Happy Hill Shelter (which was actually pretty cool... as a side note, this is the place Sy asked me to bring him camping while looking over my shoulder during my trip planning). It was a stone shelter, was in better shape than most, and even had a lantern and bow saw available for visitors to use. I stopped for a drink when a man and his dog came bounding out of the woods. He had been out looking for mushrooms. He showed them off (orange and black varieties) and then bounded off again. Kind of eccentric but it is cool to mee the locals and get to chat with all these people who are so friendly with the hikers.

Eventually I came out on Elm Street in Norwhich which had two positives and one negative. + Beautiful homes! Holy crap. The street looked like a walk through a history book..... beautiful. + Watermelon trail magic! - Walking on asphalt....crap. The hike down Elm Street was steep and the surface, of course, was very hard on the feet and it continued even further (another mile or so) in Hanover.

Connecticut River, which is also the VT/NH border

The bridge crossing from Norwich, VT to Hanover NH.

Once I got into Hanover, I stopped by the DOC (Dartmouth Outing Club) but didn't find them to be much help so I called the Sunset Motor Inn. A really nice old guy answered the phone and offered to pick me up at the CVS since the bus wasn't running. He also offered to let me use the motel's laundry machines since they didn't have a coin-op option. That was pretty nice of him. It turns out he has some BYU connections. I think one of his daughters graduated from the Y.

I was just glad to have an evening if warm food (a calzone, ceasar salad, and a Dr. Pepper) and talk with Anne and the boys. It was nice to get all of my gear clean and dry too... not to mention me (the shower was great!) Tomorrow I will do a few chores and resupply before hitting the trail again.

Trail Names - Peanut, Wrongway

Mileage - 4.8 to W Hartford, 9.3 to Norwich, .2 blue blaze at Happy Hill Shelter, .5 in Hanover

Thistle Hill Shelter

2008-08-02T09:46:00.001-06:00

21 miles baby! (I will figure out actual mileage later... I am beat!) Last night it poured pretty hard while we slept but the sound was relaxing. I felt bad for all of the tenters (like 5 tents) who were going to have to pack wet gear in the morning. I was awake at 5:20 and on the trail before 6:00. I know that I had a ton of miles to cover so I wasn't 100% confident that I could make it happen.

In the end, it was a pretty strong day. I was able to get into a rhythm on the inclines that really helped me along. One of the cool things about today's hike was that it left the woods and went into fields and clearings near roads and hilltops.

I think in most cases it was old farming land. The result was a bit better views than I usually get to see. The only negatives were the fields were always dense with brush (I kept thinking about Lyme disease) and sometimes were very, very swampy. One cool thing was the lookout just above the hill from VT 12. There is a pretty impressive cabin up there which is open to AT hikers. Some of the wood looked like it was rotting but it was still a sweet spot.

By the time I hit Wintturi Shelter, I was about halfway and feeling pretty beat. I didn't think about how much further I had to go but focused on making it to the On The Edge Farm at VT 12 which was about 4 miles away at that point. Just before 1:00 I rolled in and feasted on a loaf of bread, sharp Cabot cheddar, a fresh tomatoe, a nectarine, a banana, 3 Gatorades... mmmmmm.

I was too full to eat their pie and ice cream but that looked amazing too. The woman working there (Lisa) was very friendly and we chatted a bit while I waited out the rainstorm that graciously waited for me to stop before it hit. Eventually another local stopped for ice cream and we all chatted on the porch for a while. After almost 2 hours, I decided I needed to go. I still had more than 7 miles to go!

The miles were tough but I made it in around 7:30. There are two others here (both NOBO like me) and they had a great fire going (Thank you!).

The water supply here is a little bit of a hike but it is beautiful. It is a waterfall. You just walk right up and at chest level, fill up!

Whike sitting on the porch st On The Edge I got to thinking about how few places have the lifestyle that these people enjoy. Not many. I don't think I could necessarily do it but I respect them nontheless. The local gentleman having ice cream had been in Pomfret his whole life (70 years) less the 4 1/2 years he spend doing sonar on a destroyer in the Navy!

Trail Names - Sofa King (say it slowly.... tee hee), Chowdah (woman from Boston, living in Colorado), Buddy - Chowdah's dog (I feel safe sleeping next to a Golden Lab for some reason!)

Mileage - .4 blue blaze to On The Edge Farm, 9.6 to Wintturi Shelter, .4 blue blaze to Wintturi Shelter, 3.7 to VT 12, 7.8 from VT 12 to Thistle Hill Shelter

Stony Brook Shelter

2008-08-01T08:46:00.001-06:00

So before I talk about today, I need to talk about last night. At 11:00pm, I woke up with water pouring/dripping on me from the bunk above. In my half-conscious state, it took me a while to realize what was going on. My bag was wet on the outside (but not on the inside, thankfully) and my pad had a puddle on it. I squished over to the side and pushed my pad the other way until the dripping stopped an hour or so later. It made for an uncomfortable night and I woke up more or less every hour.

That being said, I was up at 6:30 and out at 7:00. The forest was beautiful on top of Pico; old pine trees and clouds with the sun shining through. I made my way down the mountain (being passed by Hammer as I approached route 4). Hammer is probably in his 50's and he started his through hike in Georgia on March 25th.

I was really looking forward to Deers Leap but I could have made a better decision on the approach. I opted to take the trail near Willard Gap/Maine Junction (where the AT and LT split). The problem was that this trail was a steep climb up Deer Mountain, down steeply on the other side, and an even steeper climb up to Deer Leap Overlook... and then back the same way, of course. That added a lot of unnecessary elevation gain and mileage since there was an easier trail a little further north on the AT. All that being said, the view from the overlook was beautiful as usual.

I also had a great break at Gifford Woods State Park. I enjoyed a couple of sodas from the vending machine, the attendant let me dry my clothes on their clothesline, and I got to talk with Anne and the boys!

I almost didn't want to go but I still had a lot of miles (7) to go including the hike out of Ottoauquechee. The locals had made a pretty cool boardwalk through the marsh surrounding the river.

The hike was tough but I had one of my stronger mental moments during this climb. I was definitely beat but was able to keep the legs moving and pushed it to the end.

I finally made it to the shelter around 6:30 where there was a big crew of southbounders who have got to know each other over the last few weeks. I have been listening to their stories about moonshine, trail magic (one had a couple catch and cook book trout for him, another had a steak in the middle of the 100 mile wilderness) and they had a small fire burning which is always uplifting.

I am nervous about tomorrow because I am beat and tomorrow is my first ever 21 mile day. We will have to see how it goes!

Trail Names - Geisel (Dr. Seuss), Skeeter, Spoonful, T.T (Trail Trooper)

Mileage - 13.5 on the AT, .5 on the Pico Peak Shelter blue blaze, 2.2 on the Deer Leap Trail blue blaze

Pico Peak Shelter

2008-07-31T08:17:00.001-06:00

Up at 6:00 and on the trail at 6:30. The hike this morning was pretty uneventful.... just pushing, pushing. Beacon Hill climb (climb out of Clarendon Gorge) was a pain in the butt but I survived and finally made it to Cold River Road and Upper Cold River Road just before noon.

Just after crossing Upper Cold River Road, I ran into some Trail Magic. Someone had left a chair and cooler full of Mountain Dew and Coke! There was even a trail register suggesting this spot was called the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. I had one dew, then another and then hit the trail with some extra skip in my step :)

I stopped 1.5 miles later for a long lunch at the Governor Clement Shelter. This place has a bad reputation because of all the parties that used to go on here. Shrewsbury put up a gate 2 months ago to bring the traffic back and one guy, George Hall, rides up there everyday to check in on the place. It turns out he is married to a Page (Jan). I will have to ask Randy about that when I come out.

Anyway after a long lunch and giving my clothes time to dry out (it was very muggy again today), I hit the trail just as Peanut Butter Jesus and Bird Nest came walking by. We leapfrogged each other a couple of times up to Cooper Lodge and then we hiked to Killington Peak together. It was a very short, very steep climb from the lodge. Oh, I forgot to mention, it pretty much poured rain for the full 4 mile hike up Killington. I made for a very misty summitting but it was beautiful in its own right.

By the time I left the peak it was approximately 6:00 and I needed to get a move on because I still had 3 miles to go to get to Pico Peak. I was wasted by the time I finally got there. I ate my pepperoni stick for dinner (too tired to cook) and was rewarded with some snickers from a sheltermate for sharing my pepperoni, mmmmmmm....... The stream at Pico Peak Shelter is just a trickle so I wasn't able to get water and I just ran out. I am going to need to find water early tomorrow.

Trail Conditions - Muddy doesn't begin to say it. There were puddles and even full on streams in the trail for most of the afternoon. I will be wet for a few days!

Animals - Tons of frogs and toads, a gartner snake, a chipmunk, an orange salamander

Mileage - 16.3 miles on the AT, .5 on the blue blaze to Pico Peak Shelter, .4 on the blue blaze to Killington Peak

Minerva Hinchey Shelter

2008-07-30T07:57:00.001-06:00

I'm back! It was hard leaving the family but once I was on the plane, I started getting pretty pumped for the trail. The air travel was pretty uneventful except for the ride from Boston to Rutland, which I loved. It was a short 50min flight and we never got the Cessna above 6500ft so the views were awesome (when I wasn't sleeping!). There were only 4 other passengers in the little 1o seater. Needless to say, there was no beverage service!

Gina Page (Todd's wife) helped me out by picking me up and dropping me off where I left off last year. Just a couple of minutes before noon, I threw on my pack and took off with 12 miles to cover before it got too dark.

It was fun for me to hike on trails I had been on as a young man. I walked by Little Rock Pond and remembered jumping from the cliffs on the other side with our group of Boy Scouts. I remember more than one trip up to White Rocks (although it seems the route was different). Tonight I am camping 1/2 mile from Spring Lake where I would go with the Pages and Congdons and tomorrow I hike past Upper Cold River Road (Pages live 1.5 miles from the trail) and then up to Killington Peak where I used to ski.

Cliffs on the other side of Little Rock Pond

I love the challenge of being out here. I was good and tired after this first day but thankful to be on the trail. I only ran into one other person during my hike but when I got to the shelter, there were 5 other people there; a couple going to St. Lawrence College and 3 guys (2 from Jersey and 1 from Boston) who are SOBO (Southbound) on the LT (Long Trail). It looks like they are almost done! The couple is NOBO (Northbound), I believe. The whole group ws cool to hang out with and we spend a lot of time just chatting and playing a game where you have to list all the songs you know with fruit either in the title or lyrics. One guy also gave me his leftover potatoes from dinner. Well since I didn't get to camp until after 7:00 and everyone turned in at 8:30 the fun got cut short. I have a few ambitious days ahead of me, especially for the beginning of the trip, so I am going to rest up. Tomorrow is a 17 mile day up to Pico Peak Shelter.

Trail - I heard it rained the last 2 weeks and I believe it. The trail is wet and it is muggy out here!

Broken! - The buckle on my packs waist belt. This meant I carried a lot of the weight on my shoulders instead of my hips today. Tomorrow I am going to see if a little duct tape won't fix the situation.

Trail Names - Peanut Butter Jesus, Bird Nest, Indian Cucumber, Invisible Man, Bird Talker, Hammer, Sparkles

Mileage - 11.7 on the AT, .4 on the White Rocks blue blaze

Hiking Y Mountain

2008-07-24T22:36:00.000-06:00

So ... hiking the Y with the family gave me an appetite to climb further so today I took on Y Mountain.

This was a challenging hike (~3500ft) that continued up Slide Canyon above the Y, through Bear Flats meadow and up the backside of Y Mountain. I was surprised by how poorly marked the trail was considering the number of people that live immediately adjacent to these mountains but it was still a very nice hike. I even ran into a nice guy from our Stake who hikes the Y everyday and offered to accompany all the way up the mountain. I appreciated his companionship especially considering the condition of the trail.

Today's hike made me even more hungry to get up in the mountains east of Provo. I will be back up there again soon.

Hiking the Y

2008-07-19T22:22:00.000-06:00

Today, the family and I decided to hike to the Y. I guess that means we are officially in Provo now. We started from our home since we have trail access from pretty much our backyard. That proved to be a slight miscalculation since it added another mile and at least a few hundred feet of elevation to the hike. That made for a pretty grumpy Sy a little more than halfway up the slope so he and Anne waited it out while Soren and I finished the climb.

Even though Sy didn't make it all the way up, I was very proud of him. In the end, that was easily the furthest hike (~4miles) he has ever been on and he did really well considering the circumstances. Soren also did well but then again, he had it a little bit easier!

Humphrey Peak (Arizona Highpoint)

2008-06-21T22:12:00.001-06:00

Another great hike. I was glad I started early because this hike had a ton of people on the trail. On the way up I really only saw about a half dozen people including a couple of trail runners who looked like they were running the whole way up.

The way down was a whole other story. I passed at least 100 people on the way down and when I got to the parking lot it was packed!

I also didn't stick around because I wanted to make it to Provo before the end of the day. Anne, Sy and Sore. Here I come!

Wheeler Peak (New Mexico Highpoint)

2008-06-20T21:50:00.001-06:00

I really enjoyed this hike. It had a lot of the ingredients that make a day hike a great one. Including, beautiful views...

... a fair amount of critters...

...and challenging trails (yes, that is snow and it is also the trail... and yes, I did loose the trail more than once).

I even got a bonus 13k summit about 1/4 mile from the summit of Wheeler Peak because the trail takes you over Walter Peak. The only negative was the headache I started to get around 11000ft. I think I was starting to get some altitude sickness. Luckily, it didn't get too bad and I was down in the early afternoon and on the road to AZ.

Here is a 360 view from the summit of Wheeler Peak.

Black Mesa (Oklahoma Highpoint)

2008-06-19T21:20:00.001-06:00

I guess I am a sucker for punishment but after climbing Guadalupe Peak last year, I started thinking about trying to collect state highpoints whenever I had the chance. The drive to Provo gave such a chance. I decided to hit Black Mesa in Oklahoma on the way!

The hike was pretty much flat with a short incline from the valley to the top of the mesa but it took a turn for the worse after I reached the summit (4973ft). As I turned around to head for the car, I noticed a mean looking storm in the direction of the car and within a few minutes, I also saw a lot of lightning.

I decided to double time it down which ended up being a very good idea. As I approached the trailhead, marble sized hail began falling from the sky. As I opened the car door, the skies opened and hail and rain came crashing down. I took off as quickly as I could and still feel safe.

I stopped a few miles away in a bend in the road to see this weather basically immediately above the location of the summit. Yikes! That was a close one.

Grand Canyon: Cottonwood Campground to North Rim

2008-06-15T21:00:00.001-06:00

After some debate yesterday, we decided on a 4:20am wake-up time with an attempted departure time of 5:00am. I must have been keyed up because I never slept until much 3:00am. I was more or less packed by 4:20am.

It was a good thing we left when we did because the day turned out to be very hot and we got to spend the first 4 hours of our hike more or less in the shade. Even with that advantage it was a very steep climb and the trail was such that it got steeper the closer you get to your destination. The Suppai Tunnel made for an excellent oasis after a particularly steep climb (about mile 5).

We plodded along from there and absorbed as much cool air aw we could whenever we ran into shade.

We made it out around 10:45-11:00. Along the way we had been leap frogging a couple from Colorado. They had a car at the trailhead and offered us a ride to the lodge. They were cool so we hung out with them over pizza and drinks too.

This trip has been fantastic!... and now that we are out... it is still great. Our cabin is only about 50 feet from the canyon edge. It is fun to sit back and look back at where we came from. Definitely a sense of achievement. I can also see Humphrey's Peak from here (highest point in AZ). There is still snow on it and I should be at the top early next week! Sweet.

Tomorrow is a shuttle back to the South Rim, a drive to Las Vegas, and then Tuesday we fly back to Austin. I may see if I can make a flight Monday night instead so I can get back to the real world and close things up in Austin. I am looking forward to seeing Anne and the boys.

Grand Canyon: Bright Angel Campground to Cottonwood Campground

2008-06-14T19:56:00.001-06:00

It finally got cold enough for me to put a sheet on at around 3:00am. We woke up at 5:00am and were trail bound at 5:45.

This morning's hike was amazing. We had a 7 mile hike covering about 1500ft of elevation so we knew it wasn't going to grueling. That turned out to be true but we weren't anticipating the narrow canyon with sheer cliff walls we would be following the majority of the way. I was amazed at the intense beauty but also at the serious amount of work the trail crews must have done decades ago to make it possible. We crossed at least 6 bridges, countless places where rock had been blasted away from the wall to make way for a path and then retaining walls had been built as well. Our path also followed the water pipe and phone line that service Phantom Ranch below. It turns out the same water supply is pumped up the hill along the Bright Angel Trail for thirsty hikers on the south side of the canyon too.

Shot of the crew (Patrick, Michel and I) on one of the many creek crossings during the morning's hike.

During the hike I became nervous because all downhill slopes began inducing pain on the outside of my left knee. I think I may have done some damage on the descent yesterday. At a minimum it is very sore.

Our campsite is in a nicely wooded area that provides some shade now that the canyon has opened up. After arriving and putting up a fly for shade, I ran down to the creek for another dip. This time it took a lot more courage because it was so much colder. It was still very refreshing.

We arrived at camp at 9:30. I ate lunch at 10:30 and now I needed to figure out how to spend the rest of the day....

While we were hiking, I kept thinking about how awesome and big this canyon is and how it is only a small part of a much bigger canyon and that that canyon is only a piece of the whole Grand Canyon. It helped me put into perspective the sheer size and severity of the place.

After getting a little bored of swimming and waiting, I headed over to Ribbon Falls. We had passed it on our way up. Patrick and Michel both opted to stay at camp instead of tire their legs some more. It ended up being a nice (but hot) walk (~1.5-2 miles each way). The walls were like 80-90ft tall and halfway through the fall, the water hit a huge monolith that was covered in moss. The whole place was shaded and I couldn't help but lay down and soak it in.

When I got back to camp, it was time to get back in the stream, of course. That stream was the only real respite from today's heat which seemed even hotter than yesterday. Luckily the canyon is narrow enough that shadow from the neighboring mountain hit was around 5:30pm. Ah... relief.

We ran into 2 groups (2 halves of the same group actually) that had come from the South Rim... this morning! They were pushing on to the North Rim tonight as well. Ouch! Tomorrow's 7 miles and 4200ft climb will be enough as it is. I couldn't imagine doing our full itinerary, with a full pack, in one go.

All in all. Today was a great day. It was full of relaxing and avoiding the heat but I never really got bored. I just enjoyed the peace and was thankful for my chance to have been there.

Best food - The pepperoni stick I bought at the Grand Canyon Village.

Grand Canyon: South Rim to Bright Angel Campground

2008-06-13T18:41:00.001-06:00

On the trail again!

That may have been the most spectacular hike I have ever been on! The views were awe inspiring. We had great weather too. As we descended, the lower elevation and the rising sun combined forces against us and the temperatures rose. By the time we made it to the camp at 12:45, it was probably at least 100 degrees. That is a pretty big difference from the low of around 60 at Mather Campground last night.

This morning we struck camp and made it to the shuttle stop at Bright Angel Lodge just before 7:00am and after a little bit of waiting, finally made it to the trailhead. Within the first 25ft of the trail, we encountered a view that would stop anyone in their tracks.

....this isn't actually the view I referenced above.

This last section of trail was particularly steep.

The hike though beautiful, was also rough. We estimated that we descended somewhere around 4700ft in about 7 miles. We stopped along the way to take pictures, let mule trains through (~4 times) and to catch a little bit of shade. Once we passed Cedar Point (~1.5 miles down from the trailhead) we saw a lot less people. The hike took us around 4 hours 45 min.

The Black Bridge. River crossing for the South Kaibab Trail.

It is amazing to see a raging river like the Colorado in the middle of such amazing desert. Our campground feels like an oasis with huge trees providing shade to many of the campsites. Once we selected a site the first thing to do was take a dip in the creek! After putting my feet in the water, I had a bite to eat and then enjoyed Mother Nature's jacuzzi. Some previous campers had dammed up part of the river making a small pool to lie in. That hit the spot!

We ended up passing the day with two trips to the canteen (for sweet, sweet lemonade, card playing and A/C). It is pretty amazing that these amenities exist at the bottom of the canyon. We camped a few hundred yards away from the Phantom Ranch ($93/night for the cabins!). We also took a couple of trips to the Silver Bridge (Bright Angel Trail river crossing), dipped our toes (at that was about it!) in the 40 degree Colorado River, listened to a Ranger program on California Condor, and then went to sleep.

Lost - While holding the pot of boiling water with my handkerchief, I accidentally dipped a corner of the cloth in the stoves flame. A few seconds later flame was everywhere and once I put the fire out, I was sad to see that my trusty bandana was no more. :(

Grand Canyon: Las Vegas to Mather Campground

2008-06-12T19:21:00.001-06:00

Well, we made it! After a short night in Las Vegas (the strip is quite the place) we finally were on our way. It took about 4 hours to get to the park. We did a drive by of the Hoover Dam and made an additional stop at the DQ in Williams (which incidentally has an average employee age of ~13 years old).... Although I have been to the South Rim before, I was unprepared for how beautiful this place is!

It seems unreal. The weather was beautiful today, providing clear vistas with minimal haze (although there definitely was some). We could see well beyond the 10 miles to the otherside of the canyon. We could even see Mt. Trimball, 60 miles to the west.

After setting up camp (#296 on Pine Loop in Mather Campground) we went to the store to grab some food and repair my mess-up. It turns out I forgot my stove which we were all counting on. Argh. Luckily the store rents them at $4/day. After fixing my mistake, we went and hiked a little more than 2 miles along the Rim Trail from Bright Angel Lodge to Hopi (?) Point. We arrived just before sunset and joined the throng of other tourists. As expected, the sunset was amazing. We stayed until the last bus came by and we took the free ride back to the lodge. The bus driver was a character named Gary. He has lived at the canyon for 20 years and apparently has a reutation for going off trail just about everywhere in the canyon..... without ropes! I hope I never read about him in any Death in the Canyon books.

I am glad to be here. The view is inspiring. The weather is cool here on the South Rim (high in mid-80s, low around 50) and the trail is calling! As it became dark, I was able to spot the lights of the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim. That is our goal, 3 days from now. Tomorrow our goal is Bright Angel Campground, 6.7 miles down the South Kaibab Trail and just off of the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Is that cool or what?

Miles hiked - 2 miles
Food - Deluxe breakfast at McDonalds, french fries and a Blizzard at DQ, Cheeze-Its, pretzels with cheese..... yikes! That looks terrible on paper. It tasted good though!

Big Bend: Chisos Basin to Visitors Center

2008-05-12T01:39:00.000-06:00

Finally a decent night's sleep. I definitely got at least a 5 hour stretch of shut eye and it felt great. I think the previous to nights I had some heat exhaustion and all the hydrating and rest along with the lower temperatures up here in the basin really helped me.

We hit the trail with our headlamps on our heads again. About 1 mile into the hike at 7:00am, Patrick and I split. Patrick was headed down the hill and I took a detour to attack Emory Peak. I was able to drop my pack in the bear box at the trailhead. With 1000ft to climb over 1 mile I had a challenge ahead of me. I hit it hard and was able to really push myself now that I was hiking solo and without a pack. I finally touched the benchmark at the peak at 7:40am and sat down to enjoy the first rays of light that hit the peak (haze and low clouds on the horizon delayed the sunrise). The last little bit of this trail was closer to rock climbing than hiking. The view, of course, was spectacular. The privacy allowed for some quite reflection. My heart turned to prayer and I felt so grateful for the beauty of our earth.

I was back at my pack at 8:05am (I pretty much bounced down the hill). I took off in hopes of closing the gap with Patrick since he was slowed by blisters on his heels. The way down was via the Pinnacles trail and the constant down wore my legs out. I still averaged around 3 miels an hour though and I was out by 9:15am. After chugging some Gatorade, I noticed a note that Michel had left on the front seat of the car. He had rented a room at the motel.... that meant shower! I met up with Patrick and Michel, rushed through a shower, and was still able to catch a biscuits and gravy breakfast before the restaurant closed at 10:00. Over breakfast, we learned that Michel had had a hard time hitching a ride and he ended up hiking back up the Blue Creek Trail and down the Laguna Meadow trail on that second day. Yikes! It was good to see that he had made it safely.

We hit the road by 11:00amd, fulfilled the burger craving in Ft. Stockton and made it back into Austin around 7:30pm after stopping for dinner in Dripping Springs.

All in all a great trip even though it was painfully obvious how out of shape I have gotten myself. It was my second time hiking in West Texas. Out here the hardest part is all the water you have to either carry or cache. This time I covered ~40 miles. I am glad I made it to Big Bend before I left Texas. Although it was beautiful, I have to admit, I prefer the thick canopies of the Appalachians and pine forests of the Northern Rockies to the dry desert. It also served as an excellent training hike for the Grand Canyon next month. I fully expect that hike to be easier than what we just finished.

Big Bend: Juniper Canyon to Chisos Basin

2008-05-11T01:24:00.000-06:00

What a great day! After 2 hard days, this one made it all worth it.

Patrick and I woke up @ 5:00am, broke camp and made it on the trail by 5:45. That was such a relief after getting out so late yesterday. We hiked the first hour or so with headlamps but were soon able to take them off. After a few miles of hiking up the canyon wash, we finally started the 3000ft ascent. As the morning went on I felt stronger and stronger. I had made a point to hydrate as much as possible last night and it seems to have had a positive effect. On the downside, I never slept more than a 45 min stint last night. This bout with insomnia really got annoying last night. I ended up snoozing the best laying outside on my sleeping pad and taking in the stars. Anyway, none of that effected this morning's climb. There was a beautiful cool breeze and our decision to hike early really paid off. By 9:00 we had finished more than half of the climb. Along the way we ran into a number of critters (including people for the first time since the Dodson trailhead) including deer, a black squirrel, and a rattlesnake!

We finally reached camp by 11:00am. After setting up camp and resting for a bit, we headed over to retrieve our water cache (2 mile round trip) since we both had just run out... good timing.

This campsite and basin is beautiful and is especially so in contrast to the desert we spend all yesterday in. We see deer every hour or so. There are big trees providing shade and the temperatures are far cooler. Needless to say, I am much more comfortable.

After lunch and a few hours of rest (to avoid the early afternoon sun) we headed over to the South Rim. SPECTACULAR! That view alone made the whole trip worth it. You could see well into Mexico and the huge mountains that are just across the Rio Grande. I could have spent all day sitting there and soaking it in.

Tomorrow is our last day. We have a 4.5 mile hike to our car and I am going to take on a 2 mile (roundtrip) hike up Emory Peak. So we should be out by noon. The plan then is to shower in Marathon and a Triple Hunger Buster at DQ in Ft. Stockton..... ahhhh yeah!

Big Bend: Homer Ranch to Juniper Canyon

2008-05-10T01:08:00.000-06:00

I had a pretty fitful night sleep last night. I felt like I was radiating warmth until well after midnight and this kept me more or less awake. Finally around 2:30am I think I fell asleep. The late sleep time correlated well with the late wake-up time..... 6:30am. I apparently just ignored the 6:00 alarm. No matter. I was still packed up by 7:15. Since we still needed to pick up our cached water, I left early to make two trips to the bear box and bring the water down to the ranch (then a 3rd trip to get a waypoint.... oops! I forgot my GPS in my pack the first two trips). After filling up my own water and getting ready to go I waited a little while for Michel and Patrick to arrive but I was expecting them to come a little late because Michel's tent was still up when I left camp.

We finally got started on the Dodson Trail at 8:20. Unfortunately, a little too late to avoid much of the heat of the sun. About 1.5 miles in, Michel decided to throw in the towel. It turned out to be a really good choice but Patrick and I were still sad to see him leave. He will be hiking to the road at Homer Ranch and then plans to hitchhike to the car.

I say is was good that Michel left because today was much hotter, drier and harder than we had expected. Patrick and I averaged around 1 mile/hour (including breaks and lunch). We took frequent breaks (every 45 min or 1-1.5 miles). It was hard to find shade but when we did we would throw down our packs and catch some rest. The hope was to keep the body temperature down and prevent exhaustion. In the end we were exhausted anyway but we made it at 6:00pm. The first thing we did was lay down and try to get our body temperatures to normal.

During the hike we saw a dead skunk, a snake (pink/orange body and about 5 feet long), and believe it or not... about 4 white tailed deer near Dodson Spring. The highlight was easily the Fresno Creek (near Elephant Tusk trailhead). We were lucky to find a trickling stream of water. We sought out pools to cool ourselves off by dipping our clothes in it and we even collected some water. The was the recharge we needed and I worry what the afternoon would have been like without that oasis.

(Patrick)

The Dodson Trail was easily the most desolate, rugged 10 miles I have ever walked. It is amazing that anything lives out there!

Tonight we are camping in Juniper Canyon 2 campground (technically a car campsite). We plan on getting up early to hit the trail before 6:00am. Tomorrow is a 8.5 miles (3200ft) hike up the Juniper Canyon Trail.

I thought about Soren and Sy today because I saw the moon and remembered last week how Soren kept asking me to sing him a song about the moon. I don't know any songs about the moon! After telling him that a few times, Sy came in the room and made one up on the spot! Impressive. He one up-ed his Dad!

Big Bend: Chisos Basin Visitors Center to Homer Ranch

2008-05-10T00:46:00.000-06:00

What a day! Once again, I am beat! We woke up at 6:30 in the Marathon Motel & RV Park camping site, packed up, and were on the road by 7:30. The drive to Big Bend from there was ~65 miles and it punctuated how remote and desolate this national park is. I saw a bunch more animals during the drive (vultures, rabbits, and a couple of falcons/hawks)... This time I think I made road kill though. The vulture just wouldn't get out of the way in time and I definitely hit part of him as he flew away.

We finally reached park headquarters around 9:00 and got our backcountry pass. Then we went to go buy water (Michel had an allergic reaction to the plastic that held the water he had brought). Next it was over to Homer Ranch where we hauled 6 1/2 gallons of water to the bear box for a pick up the next day. Time to back track! We finally reached the Chisos Basin Visitors Center around 11:45 and after a pack check (mine turned out to be the heaviest) we were off.

Starting out this time of day turned out to be a real challenge. It was hot (high 90's) and we were all just getting our legs beneath us. The first leg was a 3.3 mile climb up 1500ft to Laguna Meadow. After reaching it around 2:30 we ate lunch, then went up to the Colima Trail intersection to leave water for Sunday (.8 miles each way). Believe me, I was glad to get rid of that water! I had been carrying a 1.5-2 gallon bladder up the Laguna Meadow Trail and it had really taken a toll on me. I was getting pretty light headed and winded. Slowing my pace seemed the best way to help this. After taking care of the water logisitics, we headed down the Blue Creek Trail (a 5.5 mile trail to Homer Ranch).

At this point, I should probably pause to talk about an important development. We had budgeted 1 gallon water/person/day. Michel drank a little more than 2 today! Not a problem for today but this is going to a be a real concern for the next two. Patrick, Michel and I have already had a few debates about how he could ration himself or drink less of the OJ he brought (it might be making him more thirsty) or stop chugging water..... but it has been to no avail. Michel is concerned his body is still dehydrating and thirsty despite the amount he has already drunk. This puts us in a difficult logistical spot since he is drinking twice the water we have brought for him. In the end, I volunteered to give up 1/2 gallon of my next days 2 gallons. This will be hard for me but the alternative is to pack out the way we came tomorrow. I am not excited about that! Anyway, this is part of the learning that happens when you head out with new companions.

(Michel)

The Blue Creek Trail was very nice. For a long while it followed the dried up river bed occasionally ducking beneath huge trees completely out of place in this desert. Eventually we came to a narrow canyon that was almost like a very mini Bryce Canyon. There were a bunch of balanced rocks and other cool formations formed by the water's erosion.

By the time we came out of that canyon, all 3 of us were wasted.... it had been ~10 miles of hiking in hot, dry weather and we picked up a back country campsite at 7:30pm (1/2 mile shy of Homer Ranch). I think I got a little sunburned today.... I am writing at 9:20pm and my face is still radiating heat. I applied SPF 30 twice but it looks like I may need more tomorrow.

Tomorrow's goal is Juniper Canyon....an 11 mile hike from here along the Dodson Trail. We will pass an intermittent water source at Dodson Spring (around mile 6). For Michel's sake, I hope there is water there! Good night. I am beat... typical day 1 on the trail.

Big Bend: Austin, TX to Marathon, TX

2008-05-09T00:39:00.000-06:00

Headed back to the trail!..... finally! After waiting a few weeks/month, I am finally on my way back to the mountains. Today I left work @ 4:00pm and met Patrick Webb and Michel Azarian (NI employees) in the parking lot. We threw our gear in the car and took off.

I only wish getting out of Austin had been easier. We hoped to have left early enough to miss the traffic but unfortunately we soon found ourselves stuck on southbound Mopac in heavy traffic. It took us just over 2 hours to make it to Fredricksburg where we stopped for dinner at the local DQ. The rest of the drive was smooth though. Conversation bounced between work topics, impressions about NI, life goals, etc... Mostly we are all just excited to hit the trail tomorrow morning. We have stopped to camp in Marathon, TX about 60 miles north of the park entrance. Tomorrow morning we will finish the drive and hit the trail.

On the drive (particularly between Ft. Stockton and Marathon) we saw dozens of jackrabbits, dozens of deer, 4 wild boar (havalenas?), and even a couple of porcupine. Luckily there were no fatalities! The sky is clear and packed with stars. I am loving this already.

Travel is Booked

2008-04-13T16:51:00.000-06:00

I booked my flights today (including a deal of a flight from Boston to Rutland for $49!) so I am committed! I will need a shuttle/cab/friend to get me to the trailhead from the Rutland airport and another one from Grafton Notch, ME to Pinkham Notch, NH but other than that I have travel figured out.

I updated my itinerary below.

Georgetown Lake

2008-03-30T13:58:00.001-06:00

Back to one of my frequent haunts!

Kerry Watson, a friend from Church, picked up some backpacking gear over Christmas and has been trying to get me to take him out ever since. He was finally able to pin me down a few weeks ago and this last weekend I made good on my promise to bring him out. The longest contiguous trail that I know of around here is Georgetown Lake and so we headed that way along with another friend, Drew Lawton.

Our plan was to copy the route I have used for training hikes for Philmont and the Guadalupe Mountains. We start at Russell Park (A), hike west on the north side of the lake for ~6 miles, camp at Tejas Camp (B) on the far west side of the lake where the North San Gabriel dumps into the lake, then wake up the next morning and hike ~11 miles east on the south side of the lake until we hit Cedar Breaks Park (C). It ends up being less than 24 hours long and it is about the only way I know of to cover miles like that within 30 minutes of where I live.

Things went as planned except on Friday night a serious thunderstorm rolled in. I was dry and enjoyed the show but I know Drew and Kerry both got a little cold and wet during the night. It didn't end up having a big impact on our trip though so that is good. All in all, I had a great time with very good company.

During a break along the way, I stopped to chat with another party. One guy mentioned that the Austin Bike and Trail Club had completed the full loop around Georgetown Lake, making the trail a full 26 mile loop. Of course, now I want to plan a trip to complete the loop. I will be back again in a few weeks with Patrick and Michel, a couple of guys I am hiking the Grand Canyon with. Maybe I will try for it then!

A.T. 2008 - Danby, VT to Grafton Notch, ME

2008-03-30T13:55:00.002-06:00

Now that I know I will be heading back to the trail for ~3 weeks this summer, I have had my nose buried in maps and guidebooks every chance I have had.
I am going to pick up where I left off in Danby, VT and hike through to Grafton Notch, ME (~250 miles) or Gorham, NH (~220 miles) depending on how things go. Here is a summary of the plan. The dates may change slightly but this is what I am currently thinking.

Day	Shelter/Lodging and Notes	Miles	Day of the Week	Date
0	Fly to Boston (arrive 9:50 pm on American Airlines)	--	Tue	July 22nd
1	Fly to Rutland (arrive 11:10 am on Cape Air). Cab or Friend to Trailhead. Minerva Shelter.	11.7	Wed	23rd
2	Pico Peak Shelter (apparently Cooper Shelter isn't in good shape.... Thanks Connie!)	16.8	Thu	24th
3	Stony Brook Shelter (hit Deer's Leap along the way)	14.0	Fri	25th
4	Thistle Hill Shelter (longest day of the trip.... maybe too long?)	21.1	Sat	26th
5	Velvet Rocks or hotel in Hanover, NH (resupply and do some laundry)	14.1	Sun	27th
6	Moose Mtn. Shelter	11.3	Mon	28th
7	Firewarden's Cabin (on top of Smarts Mtn.)	12.6	Tue	29th
8	Ore Hill Shelter	12.6	Wed	30th
9	Jeffers Brook Shelter	8.5	Thu	31st
10	Eliza Brook Shelter	15.9	Fri	1st
11	Liberty Spring Tentsite (resupply in N. Woodstock before hiking last couple of miles to campsite)	11.4	Sat	2nd
12	Galehead Hut (call ahead to make reservation at hut during busy weekend)	10.4	Sun	3rd
13	Crawford Notch (hostel or hotel)	14.7	Mon	4th
14	Lake of the Clouds Hut (just down the hill from Mt. Washington. call ahead to make reservation)	11.2	Tue	5th
15	Pinkham Notch Camp (call ahead to make reservation)	14.8	Wed	6th
16	Imp Campsite (last night on the trail)	13.1	Thu	7th
17	Trident Col Shelter (resupply in Gorham, NH)	13.9	Fri	8th
18	Carlo Col Shelter (right on the NH-ME state line)	11.1	Sat	9th
19	Speck Pond Campsite	9.5	Sun	10th
20	Grafton Notch. Shuttle to Pinkham Notch.	4.6	Mon	11th
21	Concord Coach Lines Shuttle to Boston	--	Tue	12th
22	Fly home (depart 7:30 am on American Airlines)	--	Wed	13th

All in all, I think I am being pretty conservative with the mileage. There is really only one or two days where I think I might be pushing myself a little too hard. Plus, I will be hiking in the White Mountains above the tree line for a good portion of the time so I want to play it safe. I would rather have the option to hike into Maine or come home a few days early instead of having to push myself to meet an overly aggressive itinerary.
I am really excited for the first week of the hike because most of it includes trails I hiked on while we live in Rutland (White Rocks, Deer's Leap, Spring Lake, etc.....). It will be fun bringing back some of those memories.
Also, if you are interested, here are links to my primary reference materials....
- Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker's Companion (2007)
- Appalachian Trail Guide to NH-VT (1oth Edition)

Mt. Datun

2008-03-15T01:10:00.001-06:00

It looks like I will make it back onto the trail in July! I had wanted to pick up where I left off in Vermont but I may end up in Georgia since my sister's family is in Atlanta.

In the mean time, I have decided to post some of my "training hikes" for the AT.

I was traveling in China and Taiwan for the last couple of weeks and one day while visiting with my brother's (Kyle) family in Taipei, I decided to go on an adventure! From my brother's apartment in Zhu Wei you can see a good sized mountain that looks a few kilometers away. I decided to go for it and for the first big hill I was accompanied by Jenny and Abby (sister-in-law and niece). I left them at about 10:00am with a water bottle, a camera, a faint recollection of where they lived and with a strong desire to get to the top of the mountain. What I didn't bring was a map, any food, or my brain apparently!

The hike was actually fairly well marked and started as more of a rural walking path, well marked by the city. I ended up cresting a few summits and realizing the path I was on wasn't leading to my original goal but could now I could see a more attractive goal. I decided to go for it! The well marked trail turned into more of a series of paved marked walking paths broken by narrow winding roads. Luckily the trails had plenty of people on them so I would usually just follow someone else. In the mean time, I climbed what must have been thousands of steps, asked for help at least a few times and passed all kinds of small rural farms, memorials built to ancestors, and views of the smog enveloped city increasingly far away.

After a couple of hours, I arrived at a true trailhead in an off-the-beaten path entrance to a National Park. Now we were getting somewhere.... I saw a map and although I couldn't pick up on all the Chinese there was enough English, meter markers, and maps for me to identify my goal and feel confident that I could make it. I was about 4 km from my goal and it looked like around 2000ft of elevation gain. I still had a good hike ahead of me.

I eventually made my goal at around 1:00pm but was out of water, tired and without food. Time to go home!

As I was about to head down the hill, a nice older couple who had shadowed me on the final ascent asked if I was going back down. After replying that I was, they asked if I had eaten. Nope. I graciously accepted some food (I really have no idea how to describe what it was) and when they learned I didn't have water they gave me a green tomato as well. I was very grateful for their charity (and a little remorseful for my stupidity) and started heading home.

I knew I could retrace my steps and get home but also knew that going the exact way I came required a 1000ft up and down in about a 1.5km space. I wasn't in a condition to attack that so I decide to triangulate a little. I knew there was a junction of two separate trails that I had been on and that it was likely to bypass the mountain. I went for it. The only problem was that as I was walking, very, very thick clouds rolled in and I was not able to find what I was looking for.

Instead I opted to follow the crowds. A bunch of people were heading down through the clouds on a path I was unfamiliar with. I quickly realized this was a good thing and I needed to get out of the mountains and get home. Kyle and Jenny were expecting me around 3:00 and it was clear I was going to miss that mark.

My decision paid off and I ended up a visitor's center on the park's main road. I was able to take care of the most critical thing....hydrating.

Now that I was out of risk of physical harm. How the heck was I supposed to get home? While hiking around I had pondered this point and was able to recall the town they were in (Zhu Wei) and the street where one of their friends lived (Min Zhu Lu) and I knew how to get to their place from there. I was confident that if I could get to a metro stop, I would make it home or at least within a few hundred yards of home. From there, an internet cafe would probably be my last best way of calling for help (of course, I didn't have their phone number with me!)

Luckily, things worked out exactly as planned. I relied heavily on locals who looked like they might know English. 2 busses, 8 metro stops, and 2.5 hours later, I arrived back at the apartment (to at least a little bit of relief from the family!)

OK.... so by now you are thinking, "Craig is an idiot." I would have to agree but said another way, I learned a few things.....

Plan ahead and don't take off without the plan. I already knew this, of course, but it just goes to show you that you can still make the wrong choices.
Map, water and food. Dugh!
I never panicked. I did something right?! Seriously though, it was good for me to observe myself handling the situation well. This was a good thing for my confidence as I follow my desires to head into increasingly challenging adventures.

When it was all said and done, I had climbed from sea level to over 3000ft, probably covered somewhere in the neighborhood of 10km, and had summited nearly the highest peak in that National Park. Not too shabby. I'm just glad the adventure ended the way it did!

I should mention that Anne wasn't impressed! She let me know how silly that was and pointed out that this video could have been what they showed on 60 minutes when they did a special on the American hiker that got lost in Taiwan.

Tracking Progress

2007-09-29T18:03:00.001-06:00

While on the trail, I decided I needed to create a visual way of tracking progress towards my goal. So.... I bought a map of the AT and had it mounted on foam board. Here is my first section marked on the map.

Danby, VT

2007-08-15T17:43:00.001-06:00

Another night with just me in the shelter. I must have gone to bed too early because I woke up near midnight and couldn't fall asleep. I was up for 3 hours (or so) tossing and turning but eventually I fell back asleep. As usual, I was back up and running by 6:30am. 6:30-10:00am are definitely my best hiking hours. I love to get up and going. I feel strong, I move quickly, and I seem to feel the rhythm of the earth. The already calm woods seem even more serene and I feel like the only person in them. All of this does come with one big caveat though....... spider webs! When you are the first person on the trail you have the joy of clearing all the last nights cobwebs primarily using your face.... I hate that!
Anyway, I was out of the woods by 10:30am and after a few phone calls I finally got Pop. He was 45min away so I began the 3 mile walk to Danby but after about half of it was able to hitch a ride (a first for me). While waiting for Pop I got a drink and a couple pieces of pizza!! (nice breakfast)

It is weird to be out of the woods and I miss it already. Next year I will come back and finish the last 77 miles of VT. For now, it is time for Gill's, a shower, some laundry, and then maybe a movie.

Bye, AT. I will be back next year!

Peru Peak Shelter

2007-08-14T17:12:00.001-06:00

William Douglas Shelter turned out to be a nice spot. The shelter was made with logs and not all the joints were filled so it had an ole' timey feeling. Then I read the register and the entry before mine was from the previous day. It was the only one that day and it was a shelter inspector.... Needless to say, nobody else showed up and I fell asleep as the coals of the fire were still glowing. I must have slept well too because I woke up a little later than usual. I had packed the night before though so within 15 min, I had hit the trail... probably before 7:00am still but I can't be sure.

The morning's hike was pretty uneventful but I found myself thinking of Anne and the boys. It will be good to see them in a couple of days. Bromley was pretty cool. The clearing for skiers at the top along with the observation deck made for some nice views. I pressed on and stopped to have my lunch at the base of Styles Peak on Mad Tom Notch Road. That ended up being a good thing for two reasons. I had just run out of water (bad planning).....

...... and the hike up Styles Peak was a kick in the nuts. It reminded me of the hike up Maple Hill coming out of VT-9. I was dying by the time I got to the top. I also noticed that my feet started hurting a lot sooner today. I should see a foot specialist before coming out on to the AT again. The pain is enough to really slow me down sometimes. In the end I still averaged around 2 miles/hour and arrived at Peru Peak Shelter around 3:00pm. First things first, I dropped everything and headed over to Griffith Lake for a dip..... tired feet or not, I was walking the 1/2 mile for a swim!

When I got there there was a couple. The guy was in the nude (getting dressed after a dip) and apparently I had just missed the wife doing the same. They were a very nice couple from New Hampshire up here for the weekend. Turns out he is quite the mountaineer and had lead groups up Mt. Rainer. We had a good conversation and they seemed to know something about feet and suggested I needed support for my "transverse" arch. Sounds good to me!

This shelter is a good one for my last night. There is a stream running about 20ft from the shelter and the sound is completely calming and hypnotic. It will be fun to fall asleep to that tonight.

I will be hiking out tomorrow (7.5 miles to the trailhead, and another 3.2 to Danby) and based on my pace, I will be there before lunch. I don't think Pop was expecting such an early arrival. Hopefully I will be able to get a cell call to him to minimize the waiting around. First thing I am going to do is shower (at the VAC?) then go over to Gill's for a veggie with bacon. I can hardly wait!

I still have a few hours before I am going to go to sleep but so far the day has been great.

Lost items:
- Headlamp (crap!)

William B. Douglas Shelter

2007-08-13T16:26:00.001-06:00

So when I got in my hammock the weather was gorgeous. I fell asleep listening to the group of diabetes kids having agroup exercise around the fire. I was pretty comfortable but I was actually able to sleep better in the shelters. Good thing because at 4:00am it began raining! I rushed myself and my gear into the shelter and crashed for the next couple of hours. Once again before some of the others in the shelter were up...I took off. My goal was 20 miles.

My feet started hurting a little bit sooner today but I was able to manage. When I go up my legs and lungs hurt. When I go down my feet hurt! I enjoyed the mental challenge of the day again. The first real challenge was Stratton Mt. After 9 miles it was time to ascend >2000ft in 3 miles. I attacked it but was dead tired when I got to the top. Right as I got there it started raining again.... I forgot to mention, my first 6 miles had me ascend out of the rain and into the clouds. That was awesome. Anyway, I ran up the tower, took a couple of pictures and ran back down to find my bag already wet. I couldn't quickly find my pack cover so I assumed I left it with Pop and I headed down. That was a mistake. My bag and I both got pretty wet.

The highlight of the day was mile 15 when I finally reached the Stratton Pond Shelter. The thing is the Hilton of shelters, a loft, bunks for 20.... Of course, you have to pay $5. I used this shelter to eat a good lunch (a little late) and swim!! That's right. I jumped in and had a "bath." It was great. I also met a dad and his twin boys. They were backpacking but you could tell they were in over their heads. One son had had an upset stomach for 2 days. They all thought the VT trails were too tough and on top of it all they got lost on their first day (like 7 miles lost). They were from NY (near Larchmont) and you could tell they had had enough.

After all of that rest, I decided to make a shot at getting to Douglas Shelter (5.3 miles away). I finally made it but was wasted. My feet hurt and I had slowed to a snail's pace. Luckily the 4 college kids occupying the shelter were upbeat and had a fire going. Nothing like a fire to recharge the batteries. I have had a good time listening to their banter (it reminded me of college). They are studying biology, geology, religion/history, and neuroscience.

I am going to try and turn in early tonight because tomorrow is another long day.... 16 miles. If I can accomplish that it will leave a short final day to hike out.

All day I have been going through the exercise of choosing my first meal once I get out. Here is what I have developed.... Gill's for lunch (veggie with bacon) and taking the Page's out for steak for dinner. Sounds delicious.

Animals I have seen:
- Red tailed squirrel
- Chipmunks
- Frogs/toads
- Garter snake
- Lots of birds
- A bear log.... would have been embarrassing if I hadn't been all by myself!

Kid Gore Shelter

2007-08-12T13:38:00.001-06:00

Once I opened my eyes and saw light, I jumped out of bed. I thing we hit the trail by 6:30am. I am sure I fell asleep before it was dark and sometime in the middle of the night I was awoken by the conversation of the thru-hikers. It was fun to listen in on the dialog going on between them.

Here are a few things I learned:
- NOBO = Northbound
- SOBO = Southbound
- LT = Long Trail
- AT = Appalachian Trail
- Slackpacking = hiking without your pack and having your pack moved ahead for you
- Birdcage = Rob's home in Dalton, MA where he puts up thru-hikers (room, shelter, food, etc..) all for free. You have to go to the Shell Station and ask for Rob.
- Taking a Zero = no miles hiked that day
- 4 state challenge = Start in Virginia, head into West Virginia, then Maryland, then Pennsylvania, all in one 24 hour period. It is something like 45 miles.
- 1/2 gallon challenge = Not sure what this is but it has something to do with ice cream.
- Through Connecticut, Pennsylvania, etc... you can eat from delis a lot and only pack 1-2 days of food at a time.
....Anyway, it was fun to listen and learn.

The morning hike was great. Harmon Hill had raspberries on top. The hike down the hill was tough. Basically a big stone staircase. When we finally made it out I unloaded my tent and other extraneous gear before saying bye to Pop. Rich Congdon was going to pick him up after church.

It was sad saying bye to Pop but hitting the trail hard felt good. The first mile was tough (about 1000ft in that first mile). The rest of the morning and early afternoon continued the theme of up, up, up. I had a strong mental day for the most part. I kept myself motivated and strong. It was great to finally make it to Goddard Shelter (10 miles in from VT-9) an then Glastenbury Peak. On the peak was this old fire tower which you could climb up and get above the trees.... beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

The hike down to Kid Gore was tough on me though. 4 miles down and my feet had had enough. My left foot's metatarsals started feeling sore and it made me nervous. By the time I made it to the shelter I was starting to loose the mental game. I was happy to see Connie when I arrived. There was also a group of 12 or so kids who are doing a wilderness survival/leadership trip for kids with diabetes. It took me a while for my legs to recover but I can finally walk. It was a lot of fun to sit at the picnic table and chat with Connie and John (new). They are both retirees and are NOBO on the LT. I am impressed with them and am jealous too. John is 60 and has retired from his career as a school teacher. I also learned that Connie was able to retire at 48 with her house paid off and enough $ to retire! Congrats to her!

Anyway, all in all a great day. 18.x miles and tonight I am sleeping in the hammock. Tomorrow looks like it will need to be either 15 or 20 miles. It will be another tough one.

Trail names I have heard:
- Tina Dean
- Faithful
- Danger Mouse
- Stickman
- The Breeze
- Dr. Ninja
- ... and many others

It seems for a lot of people there is a tradition of having someone else give you your trail name. I am going to use the trail name Squeakers until I am given another.

Congdon Shelter

2007-08-11T23:55:00.001-06:00

Pop must have not slept very well because when he woke up he complained about having been cold all night. He slept in a hammock about 20 yds from the shelter. On top of it from 10:00pm - 5:00am there were a bunch of kids having an ATV rally or something about 1/2 mile from the shelter. It only kept me up for a few minutes but I think Pop and Connie were kept up a little longer. The only thing that kept me up was the little mouse that kept going in and out of my pack. He did pretty well for himself as I discovered a hole in the trail mix bag this morning.

I let Pop sleep in a bit and by 8:00am we were on the trail. Much to Pop's dismay we began another 2 miles of more or less up. I think it discouraged him pretty badly and he was soon talking about hiking out and leaving the trail at VT-9. I can tell he is physically tired but this morning he showed mental fatigue as well. In the end we decided to do a shorter day and stop at Congdon Shelter. At one point he wanted me to call patrol and tell them there was a hiker in distress. I told him we weren't at that point yet. I gave him a rice krispie treat and some water and that seemed to help. I also think he gained a mental edge one he realized VT-9 would be his exit point. I have decided not to try and change his mind. I don't want him to feel more guilty than he already does. I don't feel like I pushed him at all but I think it was a little too much for him.

One very cool thing we saw during the hike was a beaver dam. It was probably 75 ft long and we were actually hiking beneath the level of the water. Pretty amazing. Those beavers make for pretty good engineers.
The hike was pretty muddy most of the day today and we covered about 7 miles. When we got to camp I noticed that Connie had signed the register and was moving onto the next hill. We made it to Congdon Shelter around 1:30-2:00pm and Pop immediately crashed which was good for him.
There was another guy sleeping there when we got there. He was a character. When he finally woke up he had a joint and then he began thinking about how many miles he was going to do tonight. Around 5:00pm he packed up, smoked another joint and headed out with a plan to hike 20 miles arriving around 2:00am! He had been hiking since Georgia (4 1/2 months), he had also run out of $ so his dad was sending food and $ every 100 miles. Pretty funny guy. Turns out he used to live in Leander, TX. He also had been robbed in Juarez and has successfully hitchiked from El Paso to the Grand Canyon and back!

We passed the time making a fire, playing cards (rummy..... I won 370 to 170) and talking a little. I am disappointed that Pop is hiking out but I also look forward to covering some more territory. Mostly I hope he doesn't feel bad. I actually think he could go on but I don't think he would win the on going mental battle.

Anyway, I have 14 miles scheduled tomorrow and most of it is up so I am trying to turn in early and get up early too.

Found!
- A camera (not sure what to do with it though)

Appendix:
- I also met a guy from Connecticut who used to manage the apartments just behind NI! Small world.

North Adams, MA to Seth Warner Shelter

2007-08-10T23:43:00.001-06:00

My plane landed in Boston @ around 12:30 am (I should have flown into Albany). It was good to see Pop. His hair has gotten more white and I was reminded how jealous I am of the white hair. After a very late McDonalds dinner we made our way to Springfield, MA before renting a hotel room for the night. I was in a furry the next morning as I tried to tie up loose ends from NIWeek. We had a late breakfast (11:30 am) at Cracker Barrel and made it to North Adams by 1:30. We bumped into the trailhead by luck (we didn't know where it was) also were lucky enough to find a nice business where the ladies let us fill our water bottles. After calling the police to let them know where we were leaving our car, we did a quick pack check and took off. Pop had a few extra things but for the most part we were good to go.

I picked a heck of a first day! I think we did somewhere around 2500 ft of elevation gain and about 7.1 miles to Seth Warner Shelter. Pop and I were both very tired but I have to say Pop impressed me. He never gave any sign of giving up even though I could tell he was hurting. As for me, although my body started to wear I was constantly fresh and excited mentally. I was finally out there! I could have pushed the body further just because of my frame of mind. I had forgot how beautiful it is here.

It rained all morning but by 2:00 it was done so it was wet but probably around 70 deg so it was cool/fresh. When my legs brushed the ferns I could feel hundreds of droplets on my legs which were chased by the cooling rush as my motion blew air over them. We followed a gorgeous stream for the first couple of miles. The forest here is so comfortable for me. Your are completely embraced by the trees. the canopy, the vegetation the thick moss on the ground, the muffled sounds as they are quickly absorbed. I immediately felt a million miles from civilization and content with my decision to be here.

We arrived at the shelter around 7:00 and were glad to be here. We have a shelter buddy (Connie from upstate NY, used to be in the Air Force but is retired and she started the Long Trail today! She plans to finish all 270 miles of it in 26 days.... more power to her!)

I am grateful to be out here. Grateful to Anne for letting me go. Grateful to Pop for coming and grateful to our Heavenly Father for this place. At one point we actually had a break in the tree cover and I was able to see the valley covered in a dark green blanket of trees. This place is full of life and I feel it too. I look forward to tomorrow. My goal is to cross VT-9 and camp at the shelter just past that. I will have to see how we do.

Things I forgot!
- Butt paste (for treating chaffage)
- Cell phone charger (for when I get out of the woods)
- A watch

Appendix:
- To keep the critters off of food, the shelter has a little contraption which is basically an inverted tin can suspended from the roof. The rope used to suspend the can extends through the top and below the can where a stick is attached and where you can tie up anything you would like to. The can keeps opportunistic "mini-bears" from getting your food.

Guadalupe Peak (Texas Highpoint)

2007-05-28T22:21:00.001-06:00

What a weekend! Last Thursday I headed to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and spent 4 days/3 nights backpacking. We saw mountain goats, mule deer, a warthog, jackrabbits, lizards, and I summited the two highest peaks in Texas (Guadalupe Peak and Bush Mountain) while also camping at the highest campground in Texas.

I should mention that the day we climbed Guadalupe Peak was also my anniversary. I called Anne from the summit to wish her a Happy Anniversary! She is a saint for letting me go and I will have to make it up to her next year....

View from Hunter Peak looking towards El Capitan (rocky bit jutting out from the ridge) with Guadalupe Peak just out of the shot to the right. Allen (the guy) works with me at National Instruments.

Chef Boy'ar'Craig.