I ended the 2006 season having hiked much more than the past few years (but still not enough). Highlights of this season included hitting 6 new 4000 foot peaks in the White Mountains bringing my total to 18 of 48, climbing Baxter Peak (the highest peak in Maine), and a five day trip with my friend Richard Perkins on Section C of the California portion of the PCT.
The links below are to my photo layouts at Tabblo which is a website that does very interesting things with online photo layout that no one else does. My friend Dan Dunn works there and I encourage everyone to go there and check it out. If you like it, go ahead and create an account (free) and join my circle. You’ll be able to easily check out new tabblos I put up and I’ll get to see who is browsing my tabblos.
March 28, 2006 – Mt. Passaconaway
I got the hiking bug in early spring and decided to do a midweek solo hike. I chose one of the lower and more southern peaks in the White Mountains in an attempt to avoid snow and ice — as you’ll see in the photos I was unsuccessful. I managed to summit without traction devices, although in retrospect I don’t think I’d hike without traction again, especially solo. There were some great views of the higher snow capped peaks from some overlooks near the summit.
April 28, 2006 – Cannon Mountain
Dan, Sarah, Max, Su, and I tried this hike while we were in the mountains for Becky and Laughton’s wedding. There was quite a bit of snow and ice above 3000′ so we ended up turning around and heading to Lonesome Lake.
May 2 through May 6, 2006 – Crawford Notch
On May 2, 2006, Steve Hines, Rich Boucher, and I headed up to Crawford Notch to do some hiking. The first day Steve and I arrived early and hiked up to the Mizpah Springs Hut. Steve taught me how to use crampons and I was amazed at how well they worked. I can’t believe I ever hiked on snow and ice without them before. On the way back to the parking lot we inadvertently started down the wrong trail. A quick look at the map and compass and we turned around and got back on the right path. The weather that day was about 40 degrees, overcast, and drizzle.
That night we met up with Rich for a hearty dinner and spent the night at the Highland Center at Crawford Notch. The Highland Center is quite a lodge. It’s really much more like a hotel with the exception of the bunk rooms and the public restroom facilities. Steve and I had a 4 person (2 sets of bunks) room to ourselves while Rich opted for a private room with personal bathroom and internet hookup.
The following day all three of us set out on the Avalon – Field – Tom loop. Weather again was about 40 degrees with rain. Once again I was very thankful for Steve’s extra set of crampons. When we got to the Mt. Tom spur, Steve and Rich decided to head back to the lodge and the fireplace while I decided to press on to Mt. Tom solo. Steve bet me a beer I couldn’t catch him before he got back to the lodge. Thanks for the free beer, Steve!
On day 3 we were exhausted from the long hike the previous day and we had to get back to the city so we decided to do a short walk up Zealand Road. The weather was partly sunny and in the low 50s which was a welcome change from the previous 2 days.
May 7, 2006 – Mt. Whiteface
This was Susan’s first hike of the season. Mt. Whiteface was a new 4000′ peak for me and it was in the southern Whites (near Passaconaway). The trail condition websites indicated the trail was mostly snow clear except near the summit. When we got to the trailhead Susan remembered this was her very first hike she had ever been on when some friends from WILG took her back in college.
The hike itself was pretty easy up until just below the summit. There are a series of ledges with some pretty spectacular views south towards the lakes region. There are a couple of pretty steep rock scrambles which we managed with minimal slipping. The last 200′ or so to the summit above the ledges had a bit of snow and ice.
June 3 through June 7, 2006 – PCT California Section C
I flew out to San Diego to see Richard and Margot before their move to Australia. While I was out there Richard and I hiked the PCT 77.2 miles from Highway 18 above Baldwin lake to I-5.
June 3 – We drove two cars up to I-5 and left one there. Margot then drove Richard and I to the drop-off on Highway 18. We got started about 4pm with the intent of camping at Doble Trail Camp. We made really good time and decided to continue on the next likely campsite near Van Dusen Canyon. This was a little late in the year to be making this trip due to heat and dwindling water sources. We had to plan our water stops carefully so we wouldn’t run out. Fortunately the creek at Van Dusen Canyon still had a trickle of water which meant we could drink as much as we wanted and not have to worry about rationing for the following day.
June 4 – This turned out to be an exceptionally long day but featured amazing views of Big Bear Lake and the San Gorgonios. Richard’s itinerary had us stopping at Little Bear Springs Trail Camp which was only 10.7 miles from Van Dusen Canyon. As we hiked that morning I kept trying to figure out how we were going to get all the way to I-5 by Wednesday. We hit Little Bear Spring just before lunch and went over the itinerary based on my trail guide and Richard’s GPS maps. Richard’s original itinerary had our total trip at about 65 miles while my trail guide had it at 77+ which meant we had to make up some serious time. We decided to take a 2 hour break from the midday heat and then press on and make this the longest day.
Unfortuantely the afternoon was very hot and dry (over 100 degrees) and Richard developed some spectacular blisters. We continued on to a nice sandy beach spot beside Holcomb Creek just before Holcomb Creek Trail Camp. We ended up hiking 19.4 total miles. The campsite featured a really spectacular pool of water where we had a great cold swim which did wonders for morale after a long day. Richard ended up leaving his water filter here the following morning. Fortunately I had brought my own filter so we didn’t have to turn back for it.
June 5 – This was another long and hot (100+) day. We reached our first major stream crossing about 10am. The next 10 miles we would spend hiking on the rim of the canyon so that water was always within sight but not within reach. There’s not much more mentally tiring than hiking in the hot sun while the cool water taunts you from below. Richard’s blisters continued to flare up and we decided to press on to Deep Creek Hot Spring to evaluate where we would spend the night.
It’s surreal to be sweaty and dirty and to round the corner of a trail and have hairy, naked people appear before your eyes. Apparently this spring is a hotspot for area nudists and there were about 15 or so sharing the area with us. We had a relaxing dip in the springs and cool swim in the creek. I went to lay down for a short nap while Richard went back to the hot spring. I awoke to Richard standing over me bleeding from a gash on his head. Apparently when he tried to stand up from the hot springs he had fainted and fell face first into the water. Richard said there was a couple near him that apparently didn’t react to him falling into the water. Fortunately the cut was the worst damage he sustained.
With Richard’s new injuries we decided to not press on any further that day and camped near the springs. At this point we began seriously discussing ending our trip early when we got near the next major roadway.
June 6 – This was going to be our final major day of hiking. We decided to hike to Grass Valley Creek and hike out to the road the following morning. The trail guide indicated a country store where we were hoping we could call a taxi or hitch our way back to I-5. The hike that day was rather uneventful. After having been in the true wilderness for the past few days, we hiked most of the day within site of Highway 173 and the Mojave River Forks Reservoir Dam. It was overcast and only in the 80s for most of this day which was a refreshing change. We arrived at our campsite and spent a leisurely afternoon napping and playing cribbage.
June 7 – We intended to hike out to the road (about 3 miles). It turns out the country store was closed permanently and no taxi companies listed in the area would answer their phones so we started hiking down to road toward I-5. Worst case it would be a 10 or 12 mile walk out to our car.
At about 10am we crested a hill in the road and there was a giant sign ahead that read ‘SUSHI’. It turns out there is a Japanese restaurant in the middle of the desert on highway 138 in Summit Valley. We were hoping that the owners would be able to point us to a local cab company who would answer their phone. The owners turned out to speak little or no english and wanted to have nothing to do with two sweaty, stinky, blistered, and bleeding hikers. I think this encounter may have been even more surreal than the naked, hairy people.
Finally, about noon (and about 5 miles from I-5) we stumbled upon the new country store. On the way into the store to buy some gatorade we ran into to very nice teenagers who looked at us and asked us if we were hiking the PCT. We told them where we had come from and what we had done. They were boy scouts and had been fishing in the area and seemed like good guys so we asked them to give us a lift back to our car which they thankfully did. On our way back to San Diego we stopped for the tastiest In-and-Out burgers and shakes ever.
We ended up covering about 60 miles on foot and got some amazing pictures and stories out of the experience. Hopefully this experience didn’t break Richard of long distance hiking forever.
August 5, 2006 – Mt. Tecumseh
Mt. Tecumseh is the mountain the Waterville Valley ski area is located on. It’s also the lowest of the 4000 footers at 4003′ and a short 4.4 mile roundtrip. Susan and I had the desire to hike but got a late start so chose this short hike. It’s a pretty easy up and down without any really spectacular views but a nice hike all the same. We added some mileage to our trip by missing the trailhead and accidently starting up one of the ski runs.
October 1, 2006 – Baxter Peak, ME
Baxter Peak is the highest in Maine and also serves as the northern end of the Appalachian Trail. Steve Hines, Dan Sheldon, Susan, and I wanted to hike this all summer but couldn’t find a free weekend until this one. October 1 is a little late to try to hike this peak as it’s so far north in Maine there is already snow and ice on the trail some years. This year fortuantely there was only a little ice in some portions.
There is a pretty spectacular ridge called Knife’s Edge which we were planning on doing, but due to ice we chose the longer but easier Saddle Trail instead. We got a 4 am start from the hotel, had a 6am breakfast at the trailhead, and started the long hike. The fall foliage was in full color and the clouds cleared as we approached the summit giving us some spetacular views. Unfortunately I was using up some old film and my second roll of pictures came out very grainy. I guess I’ll have to go back again to get some more photos.
October 21, 2006 – Mt. Hale
Early on Saturday morning, Dan, Sarie, Max, Su, and I headed up into the White Mountains for a nice fall hike. The Mt. Hale trail description indicated a short hike with moderate elevation gain. What I failed to check was the trail conditions that far north. After a beautiful, sunny drive around North Conway we headed through Crawford Notch and started to see snow.
At the trailhead we all bundled up and proceeded up the Hale Brook Trail. Dan, Sarie, and Max survived the first stream crossing but ended up turning around when Max decided to throw his glove off and make his hand cold. Shortly after that he’d had enough of the cold and let his displeasure be known by screaming.
Su and I plodded up a very wet and icy trail to hit another 4000′ summit and met a warm Sheldon family back in their car. Next year we’ll get Max his first 4000′ peak for sure!
