Trish and Alex Hike the 4000 Foot Whites

All Future Posts...

2011-10-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

...will be on our main site, Trish, Alex and Sage. Please join us over there for updates about our ongoing adventures and for more information about our forthcoming book, UP (Broadway Books, April 2012).

The Highpointing Continues!

2011-09-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

The girls just highpointed Maine and will soon attempt Guadalupe Peak (Texas), Humphreys Peak (Arizona) and Wheeler Peak (New Mexico). Follow their adventures on our main blog, Trish, Alex and Sage.

Seven Peaks in Six Minutes (Twins-Galehead-Bonds-Zealand with Sage, 8/13-18/2011)

2011-08-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Alex's little sister just returned from a five day peakbagging adventure. Watch the video trip report here.

Sage Hikes the Hancocks. August 7, 2011

2011-08-09T13:58:00.001-07:00

Check out Sage's hike of the Hancocks here.

Kids and Happy Chaos on Moriah and the Carters. July 30-31, 2011.

2011-08-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

Our recent trip report for Moriah and the Carters is here.

Eisenhower and Pierce. July 23, 2011.

2011-07-26T19:23:00.001-07:00

Alex recently accompanied her sister on a hike up Eisenhower and Pierce. Details here.

Highpoint: New York (Mt. Marcy)

2011-07-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

Trip report here.

Whiteface and Passaconaway. July 9, 2011

2011-07-13T20:31:00.001-07:00

Alex accompanied her little sister, Sage, on a trip up and over Whiteface and Passaconaway. Sage is now halfway through the White Mountain 4K list; the trip report is here.

Windy Ascent of Madison and Two Foggy Adams. June 30 - July 1, 2011

2011-07-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Alex recently accompanied Sage and I on an extremely windy ascent of Madison and a foggy ascent of Adams and Adams 4. The trip report can be found here.

Sage's First Ten-Miler. Garfield, June 20, 2011

2011-06-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

Alex accompanied Sage on her first ten-miler; the trip report is here.

Parenting and Acceptable Risk

2011-06-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

Check out my commentary on hiking, parenting, and acceptable risk.

Hight, Carter Dome, Wildcat A -- June 12-13, 2011

2011-06-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

We tried something different last weekend and used a Flip video camera to document our hike.

Hight, Carter Dome and Wildcat A - Flip Video

Presentation on July 23 at AMC's Highland Center

2011-06-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

On July 23, the girls and I will give a lively presentation about our experiences hiking the White Mountain Four Thousand Footers. Our talk will take place at the Appalachian Mountain Club's Highland Center at 7:30pm.

Get Up and Go -- with Trish, Alex and Sage
AMC's Highland Center, Bretton Woods, NH
July 23 at 7:30pm

This event is open to the public and free of charge.

Moosilauke, June 6, 2011

2011-06-07T21:55:00.001-07:00

Alex recently accompanied Sage on a hike up Moosilauke. Read the trip report here.

National Trails Day, June 4, 2011

2011-06-07T04:31:00.001-07:00

Alex, Sage, Hugh and I were happy to participate in National Trails Day on June 4. Events took place all over the country; we were here.

Want a Mountain Wanderer Cap?

2011-06-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

Click here for details.

The Kinsmans, May 29-30, 2011

2011-06-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

Alex accompanied Sage on her hike to the Kinsmans. Trip report is here.

Gearing Up for the Holiday Weekend

2011-05-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

Alex, Sage and I are getting ready for a weekend of backcountry camping and 4K peakbagging. Hugh will be able to join us, which is wonderful; he works long hours and rarely has the time to get away. We hope the weather cooperates...we don't want to dodge any lightning bolts! Will post our trip report on Tuesday evening.

Enjoy your long weekend, everyone!

Sage Bags the Osceolas

2011-05-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to sister Sage on her 13th and 14th Four Thousand Footers! The trip report is here.

A Tale of Three Blogs

2011-05-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

I originally started this blog to document my oldest daughter's ascents of the 48 White Mountain Four Thousand Footers. Alex was five years old at the time and Sage was three. Being three, Sage was not yet a strong hiker, and I did not want to put any pressure on her to become one. She could not, at that time, accompany Alex on her original round of the 48 4Ks, so I went ahead and titled this blog "Trish and Alex Hike the 4000 Foot Whites."

I also used "TrishandAlex" as my username when I registered with the Mt. Washington Observatory Forums and Views From the Top, two prominent New England online hiking sites. We therefore became known as "Trish and Alex."

Now, however, there's a problem. Sage grew (funny how kids do that) and began hiking too. She's now just as strong as Alex was at her age. She too has hiking goals, she too likes being out there, and she too deserves acknowledgment for her accomplishments.

If you're a parent of more than one child, then you know you have to make things as fair as possible between your children. There's a blog about Alex, so there should be a blog about Sage. Hence Sage on the Trails of New Hampshire.

And what of the times when we all hike together? This, I suppose.

Three blogs. One for each kid, and one for when we all hike together (including our highpointing trips). I think this is fair. Each blog links to the other two; the set-up is very user-friendly.

Now, however, a conundrum. I've a book coming out in April 2012 about Alex's original quest for the NH48. Books and authors require a blog/webpage. Most authors have one blog/webpage. I have three.

Do I consolidate them into one giant blog? I'm very attached to both the girls' individual hiking blogs and I don't want to lose them. Perhaps I could leave each one as it is and post all future messages to Trish, Alex and Sage?

My instinct as a mother is to leave things the way they are. My business sense tells me to consolidate and make things as easy as possible for the public. Some folks don't like to click on links.

The marketing team at Crown, my publishing house, has not told me to change anything, by the way. Nevertheless, I've been thinking about this and would like to figure out the best course of action.

Stay tuned.

We're now on Facebook and Twitter!

2011-05-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

Like us here and follow us here.

Alex and Sage Now Tackle the Whites Together

2011-05-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

Alex's little sister, Sage, is now making her own way through the White Mountain Four Thousand Footers. Alex often accompanies her sister; trip reports are here.

Back on the 4Ks!

2011-05-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Alex hiked Mt. Waumbek with Sage on Mother's Day. It was her first 4K since breaking her leg back in January. All went well, she's 100% back to normal. See our report on http://www.trishalexsage.com/.

Heading to Hawaii!

2011-04-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Alex, Sage and I will soon ascend Mauna Kea and tag our 35th highpoint. Look for the trip report on our homepage, http://www.trishalexsage.com.

Methinks She's Better.

2011-03-31T11:54:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, the girls and I hiked up to Lonesome Lake (2.4 miles roundtrip, 1000 feet elevation gain). This was Alex's first moderately steep trail since she fractured her tibia in gymnastics two months ago.

All was well; Alex hiked at her pre-injury pace and descended in her typically rough-and-tumble fashion (running and jumping into the snow, sliding as fast as I'll let her, etc.). Both girls were their normal goofy selves.

We've one more appointment at Childrens Hospital in Boston next week...I think they'll proclaim her good to go.

Soon, the girls and I will travel to Hawaii and ascend Mauna Kea (our 35th highpoint). When we return, Alex, Sage and I (and Max, our border terrier) will be back on the NH4K trails.

Recovery Hikes, March 2011

2011-03-14T16:26:00.001-07:00

Hike One: Lincoln Woods Trail with brace, about a mile roundtrip.

Hike Two: Lincoln Woods Trail without brace, 2.8 miles roundtrip.

Hike Three: Pemi East Side Trail without brace, 5.2 miles roundtrip.

Alex is growing stronger with each passing day, so we've decided to start hiking again, using the Lincoln Woods Trail (LWT) as our initial recovery path. Though many 4K hikers loathe this trail due to its flat and straight nature, we find it ideal because of...well, its flat and straight nature. It might be a horrible, monotonous trail at the end of the 18 mile Owls' Head hike, but it's a pretty, scenic trail for those amblers just trying to walk a few tame miles. Plus, we enjoy the sights and sounds of the Pemigewasset River.

Hike One: LWT, about a mile.

Sage, Max (our border terrier puppy) and I accompanied Alex on her first hike since fracturing her tibia on January 26th. Alex had a crutch and her brace for this one.

Before setting foot on the trail, Alex used her crutch to clear a parking space of ice. Once she was satisfied with her work, we made our way across the suspension bridge and began our slow progress along the LWT.

Sometimes Alex used her crutch, other times she chose to walk without it. The four of us took our time and walked about half a mile before stopping to rest.

Max was his usual hyper-puppy self...

...Alex managed to get a picture of him sitting still.

A couple pictures of the girls at rest...

Alex was happy to get back into the woods, though when we got back to the car, she said she felt silly for being so tired. I assured her that injuries take time to heal, and that she'd fully regain her strength when the time was right, no worries.

Hike Two: LWT, 2.8 miles.

Three days later, Alex and I were at it again (Sage was with Hugh). This time around, Alex left the brace and crutch at home, declaring them to be more of a hindrance than a help.

Alex wrote on a railing before we began. I don't know when she'll grow out of doing things like this...I hope I have at least another year before she stops making these kinds of signs.

Off we went...

The sights and sounds of the Pemi River were lovely, as usual.

Alex took this photo of the branches in the sky.

Alex's steps were strong, she hiked without limp or complaint, and her pace was almost normal. However, she was ready to rest when we arrived at the Osseo Trail (1.4 miles in).

We watched Max chew on some sticks for a while, then we turned and made our way back to the car.

Hike Three: Pemi East Side Trail, 5.2 miles roundtrip.

Alex spent the week after Hike Two walking normally and running around with friends, so I figured she was ready for more mileage. This time around, we chose the Pemi East Side Trail, a relatively flat trail that runs parallel to LWT on the east side of the Pemi River.

This stroll felt like a run-of-the-mill walk with the girls. There was no limping, no slow paces, no fatigue.

We stopped once we got to the campsite (2.6 miles in).

After about ten minutes of food and rest, we turned and headed back. Both girls did a bit of running and sliding on the snow, and at the end of our hike, Alex said she wasn't tired at all.

I think we're ready to add some elevation. All looks well, everything is going smoothly.

No More Brace, Moving Right Along

2011-03-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Well, that was quick.

Alex is now walking around like nothing happened. She kept the brace on her leg until she felt it was more of a hindrance than a help, then she took it off and declared she didn't want it anymore.

We'll get back into the woods this weekend and do a few flat miles, see how it goes.

The Cast Is Off and the Future Is Bright

2011-02-26T18:40:00.000-08:00

Time for the cast to come off! Alex is more than ready to see her leg again.

The good doctor at Children's Hospital in Boston explains the saw...

...then uses it.

Now off to get more x-rays, to see how things are healing...

We wait for the verdict. Alex is happy to have the cast off and she hopes she doesn't need another one.

Gore-Tex imprints...

Muscle atrophy...

The doctor comes in and give us good news. The fracture looks like it's completely healed. Alex will wear a brace for a few weeks while she rebuilds her strength. After a month, we can slowly get back into a normal routine. He predicts that two months from now, she'll be completely fine and ready for 4Ks. This is good news indeed, though I will be sure to take things slowly. We've a very big year ahead of us; I want to ease her back into hiking so she feels happy and strong for all that lies ahead. If the recovery process actually takes longer than a couple of months, then so be it. She needs a healthy leg! We'll treat it right.

On with the brace!

One happy camper.

Alex Takes a Break (Literally)

2011-02-04T19:08:00.000-08:00

Alex is an extremely active kid and her athletic interests run the gamut. Hiking, climbing, karate (she's a brown belt), swimming, gymnastics -- she does them all with gusto. At home, she plays for hours outside with Sage. She is and always has been a kid that needs to move-move-move.

Unfortunately, all that move-move-moving has come to a temporary halt. On January 26 she performed a specific jump in her gymnastics class and landed the wrong way, fracturing her tibia. Unfortunately, the fracture extends into a growth plate.

Treatment is blessedly simple and relatively short. We had the option of going with a wrap-around external brace or a full-length leg cast. I chose the cast, since there is no way on earth this kid can keep her joints from twisting without forced immobilization. The day after her injury she was chasing after Sage...I need duct tape to keep Alex still for more than five minutes.

The cast will stay on for three weeks, then she will wear a walking brace. I was told that she should make a full recovery by summer at the latest. The fine doctors at Boston's Children's Hospital know of Alex's hiking accomplishments and they were very reassuring about her future. She will need to have yearly x-rays throughout her childhood so that the doctors can continually assess her growth plate situation, but all should eventually be well.

Alex is in good spirits for now, but I do fear the novelty of the cast will wear off after a few days. I'll do my best to keep her spirits high. She's an optimistic and fun-loving kid with a great sense of humor, so I'm going to try to make the next few weeks as silly as possible.

Here's a close-up of her multi-colored, psychedelic Gore Tex cast...

...and a close-up of her new multi-colored, psychedelic hair...

I'll keep this blog updated with reports of her healing progress. By summer we should be out on the trails again, and next winter we should finish up the winter 4Ks, assuming Alex's leg is completely healed and the doctors give her the green light.

Stay healthy, everyone.

Trish

Knee Injury

2011-01-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

Alex injured her knee at gymnastics last Wednesday. She'll have an MRI in the next day or two to rule out anything serious. Assuming all goes well this week, we'll be back on the trails next weekend. If the injury is something serious, then we'll of course lay off the knee and wait to hike until she's fully recovered.

I'll post an update after the MRI.

Extremely Cold Weather...

2011-01-21T05:42:00.001-08:00

...forces us to stay home this weekend. Mt. Washington's Upper Summit Forecast predicts wind chills of -70 (!) and wind speeds of up to 85 miles per hour. High temperatures might be in the negative teens. In addition, there's a new foot of unconsolidated snow up there.

Sounds like a good weekend to read by the fireplace!

We'll get out there again next week. Stay warm, people!

East Osceola (winter 4K #25) and Mt. Osceola (winter 4K #26), January 16, 2011

2011-01-17T14:57:00.001-08:00

Greeley Ponds Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail. 7.6 miles, 3100 foot elevation gain.

The Upper Summit Forecast called for wind chills of 30-40 below zero today, so Alex and I naturally decided to stay below treeline. The Osceolas seemed like a good, sheltered choice; we knew the trails were broken and somewhat packed, so off we went.

An inch or two of dry powder covered a nicely packed trail. 'Twas a splendid sight.

The 1.3 miles along Greeley Pond Trail was flat and easy; it didn't take us long to arrive at the Mt. Osceola Trail.

The first mile up East Osceola was relatively moderate, and neither of us found it difficult. That last half mile before the summit, on the other hand...well, let's just say that the picture below aptly describes our ascent up the steeps.

Two steps up, one sliding step down...it was a frustrating ordeal.

The day called for fog, so the view from the top of the slide was better than I expected...

Weeks later (or so it seemed), we reached the summit of East Osceola.

To my pleasant surprise, HappyHiker appeared during our snack break. We exchanged greetings, then she went on her way while I stuck a body warmer between Alex's layers (it was chilly up there and Alex looked cold).

At this point, Alex wasn't sure she wanted to continue; she had spent the entire previous day skiing with Hugh and now felt rather worn out. I told her I had no problem heading back to the car, but I did need her to understand that if she wanted to get Mt. Osceola for the winter 4K list and we didn't get it now, then we'd have to go over the East Osceola summit all over again on a different hike. There was the possibility of approaching Osceola later from the traditional summer trailhead, but that would mean a long road walk through deep snow along a very rarely used route. As I explained all this, the food and body warmer began to do their jobs, and Alex perked up and became her usual energetic self. After a few minutes of thinking it through, she decided she felt strong enough to go ahead and get the second peak.

We continued onward, Mt. Osceola beckoning us forward.

The ascent up Osceola wasn't nearly as difficult as the ascent up East Osceola. The only troublesome spot was the chimney bypass, a very steep scramble up a little narrow ledge. Alex scampered to the top without a problem, but I couldn't get up. The slippery snow prevented my hands from getting a good grip on the rocks, and my feet kept sliding out from under me. Luckily, a nice fellow named Ben came to my aid; he found us while he was descending and offered to pull me up by my hiking poles. I happily accepted his offer, and Alex and I were able to continue our ascent (thanks again, Ben!).

Osceola!

HappyHiker was waiting for us when we arrived. We quickly ate a snack and began the descent; though we were out of the wind, it was still too cold to linger.

The trek back to East Osceola was uneventful, except for...the chimney bypass (of course). This time, it was Alex who had the problem. She couldn't get herself down without potentially sliding uncontrollably and smashing against a few rocks or falling over the ledge and impaling herself on some trees. We figured it out eventually...I anchored myself in a position where she could slide into me hard without knocking me over. Then we kind of half slid, half jumped the rest of the way down.

The rest of the hike went smoothly. We dragged ourselves back up East Osceola, then had a blast all the way back down to the car. There were some very steep bits (the same stretches we had cursed on the way up) that required some very controlled butt-sliding, but on the whole, the descent was easy. We had fun playing leapfrog with HappyHiker until we reached Greeley Ponds Trail, then the three of us walked out together, reaching the parking lot just as the sun disappeared.

Two more winter 4Ks down, twenty-two left to go.

Mt. Pierce (Winter 4K #23) and Mt. Eisenhower (Winter 4K #24), January 8, 2011

2011-01-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

Crawford Path, Eisenhower Loop. 9.6 miles, 3250 feet elevation gain.

Alex and I enjoyed a wonderful day on Mt. Pierce and Mt. Eisenhower. MadRiver, DaveBear and Thor accompanied us. We also saw LRiz and Toby, and we had the pleasure of running into BarkingCat.

I'll let the pictures do the talking for this one, though I'll start out of sequence with a beautiful picture BarkingCat took of Alex on the summit of Eisenhower.

Now, back to the beginning...

Alex made this video for Sage while we were climbing the summit cone of Eisenhower:

We're halfway through the winter list!

Many thanks to our fellow hikers for their cheer and good company.

South Carter (Winter 4K #21) and Middle Carter (Winter 4K #22), December 30, 2010

2010-12-31T18:04:00.001-08:00

19 Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, North Carter Trail, Imp Trail, bushwhack to Camp Dodge.

About 10 miles, 3500 feet elevation gain.

It's that time of year again; calendar winter has arrived and the game is on.

Our first peaks of the season were South and Middle Carter. Alex and I had our boots on the trail at 8am. We were to hike with DaveBear, but we all agreed the two of us would start without him and he would catch up to us after taking care of his playful and energetic puppy, Thor.

Off we set on a typically brisk winter day.

DaveBear and Thor joined us about a mile up the trail...

Thor loved the snow!

We took a break at the intersection with Carter Dome Trail...

...before beginning the climb up to Zeta Pass.

And...the fun began.

The trail was broken from the previous storm, but the snow was still too soft to bareboot. I tried going without snowshoes only to sink ankle-high with every third step. Even Alex, who usually floats on top of the snow due to her light weight, had difficulties. I called for a break and on went the snowshoes.

For most people, snowshoes are a blessing. Not so for this hiker. When I was pregnant with Alex, I developed a large and extensive blood clot that stretched from the bottom of my calf to just underneath my heart. This clot almost killed me and my unborn child, but medical technology saved the day and we both survived. However, the circulation in my leg is now permanently affected and there are times when my leg simply does not get the blood it needs in order to function properly. Repeatedly lifting a snowshoe up a steep hill causes cramps and eventual excruciating pain, as the weight of the 'shoe is heavier than my leg can handle. I can wear snowshoes on the ascent for a mile, tops -- and that's if the trail is already broken (going downhill isn't a problem).

Carter Dome Trail is 1.9 miles, and the pain kicked in before we'd gotten halfway up. The pain turned into mind-blowing agony, and my pace slowed to that of an overweight snail's. Alex kept stopping and asking if I was okay...I told her I'd be alright once we reached Zeta Pass. I also told her -- truthfully -- that the only reason we were continuing was because DaveBear was with us. This hike was going to take much longer than I had anticipated.

A quarter mile from Zeta Pass, I couldn't take it anymore. The snowshoes came off, I stretched and massaged, and all was soon better. I barebooted the last bit of trail to Zeta Pass, postholing a couple of times but not really caring, as I was thrilled to have healthy sensation return to my leg.

A nice break at Zeta combined with DaveBear, Thor and Alex's patient understanding helped restore my spirits.

I thought about trying to bareboot to South Carter, but descending hikers warned that the snow was too soft. The 'shoes went back on, and we made our way toward our first peak of the day.

Fortunately, the pain in my leg did not return -- at least, not in full force. However, I remained quite the slowpoke.

We arrived at South Carter and took another nice break.

Food, water, and onward.

Here's Middle Carter, our next destination, 1.3 miles away.

We were treated to some lovely views on the way there. Here, DaveBear and Alex check out the Presidential Range. Unfortunately, as I climbed up to take a picture, I fell and managed to slam my camera deep into the snow. Had to wait a bit for the lens to defog; I got a nice shot later.

Views to the northeast (after my camera recovered from the rude dunking).

Middle Carter, just ahead...

...and that nice shot of the Presidentials I was finally able to take.

On Middle Carter...

Views to the east...

Thanks to me and my bum leg, the hour was late. DaveBear suggested we go down North Carter and Imp Trails instead of the out-and-back we had planned. The advantage to this approach was that there would be no going back up and over Middle Carter. My leg liked this idea very much, and we followed DaveBear north for an impromptu loop hike.

Thankfully, the trails were broken and we descended at a decent pace. Nevertheless, the sun went down while we were still about two miles from the road, and I began to worry about goblins and werewolves (I'm afraid of the dark).

We made it out in fine shape, intact and uneaten, which probably had everything to do with the mighty presence of Thor.

Many thanks to DaveBear and Thor for their excellent company!

Happy New Year, everyone.

John Quincy Adams, December 19, 2010

2010-12-20T12:17:00.001-08:00

Valley Way, Gulfside Trail, Air Line Trail, "rockwhack." About 8.4 miles, around 4100 feet elevation gain.

In a few short days, calendar winter will arrive and Alex will resume her quest for the winter 4Ks. We decided to warm up for the imminent challenge by visiting John Quincy Adams, a peak on the shoulder of Mt. Adams. This challenging hike is a steep 8.4 miles roundtrip. I felt if we handled this well, then we'd be good to go for the coming season.

We had our boots on the trail by 8am.

'Twas a winter wonderland out there!

The two of us got up Valley Way in about three hours, which is pretty good considering neither one of us has had a serious hike since early November.

Alex stopped to read the "Beware" sign...

We reached treeline and saw the false summit of JQ Adams off to our right.

Madison Spring hut (closed for the season) sat before us; we waved at it before heading south.

Footing on Gulfside was good. As we made our way toward the intersection with Air Line, Mt. Madison poked its head out of the clouds.

At the intersection of Gulfside and Air Line...

Mt. Madison to the north...

Getting up Air Line was tricky. Alex wore her microspikes and I used my snowshoes, but the going was slow. There was plenty of snow overtop the ice, so the footing was decent, but the slope was steep and I wanted to be extra cautious. When we reached the topmost boulder, I told Alex to sit against the rock while I took a few pictures. I couldn't step back to take decent shots, since I was worried about slipping and didn't want to take any chances.

Here's the top of JQ Adams' summit boulder....

...and the side of that boulder, with Alex hunkered down next to it...

...there's Adams, behind the boulder...

....looking westward over a sea of clouds...

After a quick bite of chocolate and a few swigs of water, Alex and I made our way back down to Gulfside, where we were treated to a nice view of Madison and the hut.

We stopped at the base of the hut to have some food; after eating our fill, we headed down. The descent was easy, but Alex was disappointed that she couldn't sled down as much as she'd hoped. She's grown, and her tiny sled is now too small for her, it no longer holds her well. I've got to out and find something that fits her before our next hike.

Alex seemed strong today; she was her typical cheery self throughout and her energy levels were high. She looks forward to the weeks ahead.

Happy holidays, everyone.

Broadway Books to Publish "Trish and Alex" Story

2010-12-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

Alex and I are proud to announce that Broadway Books, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, will publish my account of Alex's quest to climb the White Mountain 4Ks. We are honored to have this memoir in the very good hands of Broadway Books, and I look forward to working with my editor over the next several months. Tentative publication date is spring 2012.

Many thanks and kudos are due my agent, Laurie Bernstein of Side by Side Literary Productions. She's an enthusiastic supporter of this work, and Alex and I are grateful for all her efforts.

Emergency Drill, December 5, 2010

2010-12-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

Lincoln Woods Trail and Wilderness Trail. About 9 flat miles roundtrip.

It's that time of year again; winter conditions have returned to the Whites. I now carry everything I need to keep Alex safe, warm and dry overnight in subzero temperatures. However, having the right gear doesn't mean anything if you don't know how to use it. In the extremely unlikely event that I am knocked unconscious and there's no one else around, Alex needs to know how to get everything out of my backpack and set up the bivy.

Soon it will be calendar winter, and the Winter 4K game will be on. Most of our hikes will be long and strenuous, and many of the summits are far above treeline. Therefore, I will request company throughout the winter; Alex and I will rarely hike alone. Nevertheless, I find our emergency drill procedure useful. It never hurts to know how to take care of yourself.

I was planning on doing this drill later in the month, but since I had a bad cold and wasn't up to any significant elevation gain, I decided to do it today. My body could handle nine flat miles (so I thought) and Alex could use the memory jog.

We set off on the Lincoln Woods Trail at about 9am.

We reached the Wilderness Trail in about an hour...

Lots of large blowdowns on this trail...

Lots of flatness (nothing but flatness!)...

...and we arrived at the intersection with Bondcliff Trail. Just ahead of us stood the "No More Maintained Trail" sign, along with evidence of the bridge removal.

After some snacking, we got to work.

I pretended to fall over and knock my head against a rock. Alex then had to open my backpack (while it was still buckled onto me) and take everything out. I instructed her to first put a body warmer between her shirts and hand warmers in her gloves (if they're not already there). Then she is to put on whatever layers she doesn't already have on, and to don her hat if she's taken it off. Next, she's to activate our PLB. Then it's on to the shelter.

She rolls out the mat, takes out the bivy, pulls out the winter bag, shoves the winter bag in the bivy, gets in, and zips everything up as best she can. She struggles with her hands getting cold when she takes them out of her gloves, but she's learned how to only take off one glove at a time whenever she needs to use her fingers. She knows where the food and water is, she knows it could take over 24 hours for someone to find her. She knows to stay put, and not to worry about me. She knows her father and I do not want her trying to save me -- she can put a body warmer between my shirts if she thinks about it, but other than that, she is only to take care of herself.

Alex views this drill as something she's supposed to know how to do, just in case. Just as she needs to know how to get out of the house in the unlikely event of a fire, she needs to know how to take care of herself in the unlikely event that I cannot help her and no one else is around. She isn't bothered by it, she just takes it for what it is -- a drill.

Twenty minutes after I pretended to fall over, Alex was snug in the bivy.

Is any of this foolproof? No. Do I feel overconfident because we have the right gear and Alex is learning how to use it? Absolutely not. This kind of thing is useful, but the best way to stay safe is to watch the weather conditions and not take on any more than you can handle.

As we were packing up to leave, I felt a heaviness in my chest. Laying sprawled out in the snow for twenty minutes did nothing good for my health. Unfortunately, I developed bronchitis later in the week...I think those twenty minutes were the kicker.

Alex and I sang Christmas carols on the way back. She's very excited for the winter season to begin and she can't wait to buttslide down the mountains. We have one more fall hiking weekend together, and then we will plunge ourselves back into the winter 4K game.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

Mt. Clay, November 7, 2010

2010-11-08T09:04:00.001-08:00

Jewell Trail, Gulfside Trail, Mt. Clay Loop. About 10 miles, 3500 elevation gain.

Alex has been requesting to do Mt. Clay for quite a while now. This 5000 foot pile of rocks is situated between Mt. Washington and Mt. Jefferson. Since the route to Clay is completely exposed for miles, we had to wait for decent upper summit weather before making the attempt. A nice window opened up this weekend, so we went for it.

It was cold when we began -- felt like February out there.

The amount of snow naturally increased as we ascended.

Alex admired this "horseshoe trunk."

The Jewell Trail remained moderate throughout; Alex and I look forward to sledding down most of it come January or February.

We walked up to treeline and into the clouds.

Just as we popped out of the trees, the sun made an appearance and fought its way through the fog. We were fortunate enough to witness the birth of an undercast!

Hello, Washington!

Hello, Monroe and Franklin!

Blue sky began to appear. The trail behind us seemed to disappear into an ocean of cloud.

We continued onward, Alex helping herself to the many icicles which hung from the scrub and boulders.

The views were now simply spectacular.

We stopped at the intersection with the Gulfside Trail, sat down, and enjoyed the incredible scenery.

Eventually we made our way to the Mt. Clay Loop trail. Before leaving Gulfside, we turned and waved to Washington.

The way up Clay was more difficult than I had anticipated. Quite steep!

Views into the Great Gulf...

We reached the fake summit of Clay...

...before walking over to tag the actual summit of Clay.

We were careful not to get too close to areas such as this...neither one of us wanted to slide off the mountain.

...and, we made it!

There were some extremely dark clouds way off to the east. The forecast predicted a storm during the evening; though we had plenty of "safe" hours ahead of us, neither one of us wanted to linger too long. Storms sometimes arrive early...so we hung around just long enough to eat our traditional summit chocolate, then we began heading down.

Jefferson lay before us, the Caps Ridge Trail disappearing into the mist.

After a careful descent of Clay, we arrived at the intersection with Gulfside by Jefferson.

Now we faced the most difficult part of our hike. There's a 500 foot climb from this end of Clay back to the Jewell Trail. Psychologically, it's difficult to have to go up in order to get back down. Though Alex did not complain, she did slow considerably. Once, she even asked if we were there yet, which isn't like her at all. However, she handled this section much better than her mother did. I whine enough for both of us during a slog such as this.

Once at the top of the Jewell Trail, we sat, ate, and continued to enjoy the views. Once we both had recovered from the recent climb, we began our journey back into the trees.

And then -- the moment arrived. I knew this would happen at some point: I can no longer keep up with Alex on the way down. I tried, but I couldn't do it. I had to ask her to slow down numerous times. At one point, she asked if I would like to go in front, and she would slow her hiking to match my pace -- that was quite the role reversal. When she did hike behind me, she was on my heels so much that I told her to stay in front but just stop and wait if she got too far ahead. I'm not the strongest hiker out there, but still...

It was a great day out there. We probably won't be able to hike again until December, since Thanksgiving travel will soon interrupt our normal routine.

Happy hiking, everyone!

Alex's Little Sister Now Following Suit

2010-10-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, five year old Sage officially threw her hat into the 4K ring. In addition to supporting Alex's continuing adventures, I'm now facilitating Sage's goal of hiking all 48 of New Hampshire's highest mountains. To date, Sage has seven 4Ks under her belt. Tomorrow will probably bring number eight.

Sage is more laid back than her big sister, so I've no idea how often she'll choose to hike. I do know that she's heavily influenced by Alex and seems to enjoy being out there as much as Alex does.

You can follow Sage's pursuit of the NH48 on her hiking blog, http://sagehikes.blogspot.com/.

Mt. Jim, October 17, 2010

2010-10-18T09:49:00.001-07:00

Asquam Ridge Trail from Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, 6.8 miles roundtrip.

Alex wanted to ascend Mt. Clay today, but Winter With Attitude kept us below treeline. Mt. Jim, near Mt. Moosilauke, has a treed summit and is a moderate hike from the lodge. Just the thing for this kind of weather.

It was fall when we started...

...but it became winter within a mile of the hut.

Alex was happy to see the snow; winter has become her favorite hiking season and she looks forward to the coming months.

Tracks!

The one bit of view we had today...

The path leading up to the summit...

The peak of Jim lies a bit off the trail, to the north of the path. There's supposedly a herd path leading to it, but we couldn't find it underneath all the snow and blowdowns. We resorted to wandering about and stepping on all the high bits of land we could find.

Is this the summit?

What about this?

Well, I think we must have gotten it at some point. We're deciding we did, anyway.

Our descent was quick and easy, in spite of the slippery snow-slush on the lower portion of the ridge.

This was a great hike for the shoulder-season conditions -- not too steep, and relatively short.

After an after-hike stretch at Moosilauke Ravine Lodge...

...we spent the rest of the day making pumpkin pies.

We'll get Clay next time, provided the wind behaves itself.

Alex Takes the Guyot Challenge (and Revists Zealand), October 3, 2010

2010-10-04T07:07:00.001-07:00

Zealand, Twinway, and Bondcliff trails. 13.6 miles roundtrip.

In eleven short weeks, Alex will continue her quest for the winter 4Ks. Since many of the roads leading to trailheads close in November and do not reopen until May, there will be times when we will have to walk two to six miles (along closed roads) just to get to the trailhead before doing the actual hike. Last year, this wasn't an issue, as there were plenty of mountains with open roads for us to climb. This year, however, we want the option of tackling almost anything we choose. Therefore, we need to start upping our mileage to make sure we feel fine and dandy for the arrival of December 22.

At first, Alex wanted to "start training" in a couple of weeks; she first asked to do Wildcat C this weekend. At the last minute, however, she chose Guyot, with the option of turning back at Zealand (11 miles roundtrip).

The morning was crisp and clear. We made great time as we briskly walked along the first (flat) two and a half miles toward Zealand Hut.

Thursday and Friday's heavy rainfalls had done a number on this bridge...

While there were certainly more than a few muddy sections, most of the trail and rocks were reasonably dry. I had expected a lot worse, considering the recent storm.

The ponds were beautiful, as always...

It took us about an hour to reach the first steep section of the day...here's the rocky bit of trail just before the hut...

View from the hut...

The croo was cleaning up after having just served breakfast. I nipped in, bought a couple pieces of coffee cake, and nipped back out. Alex and I ate our treats on the hut's porch, in the bright morning sunlight.

After we wiped the crumbs from our faces, we carried on -- over the easily manageable water crossings, through a birch glade...

...up the steep and rocky mile...

...to Zeacliff, where the view was spectacular.

The two of us took off our packs and sat a while, drinking in the view and chugging some hot chocolate. When we were ready, we continued onward...

...up some more steep and rocky bits....

....over a rotting wooden ladder....

...to Zealand! The viewless wonder of the NH48...and Alex's 70th 4K peak (by AMC standards).

After admiring the beautiful view of the trees, Alex and I sat and contemplated our options. We could turn back now or continue to Guyot...I left the decision up to Alex. She thought for a moment, then she declared that she wanted to eat her summit chocolate "on a boulder in the sunlight, on top of a mountain with beautiful views."

Onward to Guyot.

1.3 miles later, there it was.

We headed over...

...and ate our chocolate on a boulder in the sunlight, on top of a mountain with beautiful views.

After consuming vast quantities of sugar, we stood and prepared to go. I snapped a summit photo before leaving; Alex was her usual silly self.

Conversation during our descent was the usual animated and enjoyable affair; today's extra couple of miles didn't seem to put a damper on Alex's cheerful attitude.

Another happy day of hiking. Life is good.

Little Haystack and Mt. Liberty, September 19, 2010

2010-09-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Liberty Springs Trail, Franconia Bike Path. About 10 miles.

Last weekend, Alex and I decided to knock another Trailwrights peak off the list. Little Haystack is close to our home -- I know we just did Franconia Ridge two weeks ago with Sage, but Alex and I felt like revisiting the area.

This hike marked our first time ascending Falling Waters Trail; we've always done the loop clockwise, going up Old Bridle Path and DOWN Falling Waters. We looked forward to seeing the waterfalls in the morning, while we were still fresh. In the past, we've been too tired to properly appreciate them.

The falls were indeed gorgeous. I captured one on film...

We ascended quickly; Alex hiked faster than she ever has before. We made it to Shining Rock in about two hours.

While at the intersection with the spur trail, what should we find but...

a friendly Gray Jay!

The critter was cute. He checked out our snacks before flying toward the peak.

Near the top, we turned and took in the nice view of Cannon and Bald Mountain...

A tenth of a mile later, we reached the summit of Little Haystack.

The day was foggy. We glanced toward Lincoln, which was immersed in cloud, and decided we didn't feel like heading that way. After all, we had just been on top of that one two weeks ago. Our options therefore became a) go back down, or b) head over to Mt. Liberty. I left it up to Alex, who ate a while and thought it over before announcing her desire to head south. There 'tis, almost 2 miles away.

Now you see it...

...now you don't.

Off we went...

Before descending into the col, the trail opened up and afforded us a lovely view of both Liberty and Flume.

We ambled amicably, enjoying each other's company and covering a wide variety of topics. Alex and I have always shared pleasant conversation on the trail, but our discussions grow deeper and more meaningful as she grows. I must be the most fortunate hiker out there, to have such intelligent and affable company.

Up the summit cone of Liberty...

Alex and I were last here on a cold and blustery winter day, when the summit had been enveloped in icy fog. We were happy to have some views this time around. The scene from Liberty's peak is mighty purty...

After lounging about for a bit, we headed down Liberty Springs Trail. Both of us decided that this trail is MUCH more exciting with a ton of snow on it. Our descent time was about half an hour back when we did this for the winter list, since we slid on our backsides most of the way down. This time, unfortunately, we had to walk.

Our weary legs held up just fine, though we were both complaining of sore knees by the end of the trail.

Now...our car. It was two and half miles away, back at the parking lot for Falling Waters/Old Bridle Path. Alex and I sighed and began slogging our way up the Franconia Bike Path.

We walked for about a mile before reaching the parking lot for the Basin. An elderly couple was unlocking their car; the man's arm was in a cast and they both looked grandparent-ish...though I'm not a fan of hitchhiking, I figured no harm would befall us if we asked them for a ride. They graciously drove us the remaining mile and a half to our vehicle.

Half an hour later we were eating pizza at the Common Man in North Woodstock.

Another enjoyable hike with my oldest.

Mt. Washington, Mt. Monroe, and Mt. Franklin with Sage. Sept 9-11, 2010

2010-09-13T13:31:00.001-07:00

Alex and Sage recently hiked up Washington, Monroe and Franklin. Check it out on our main blog, http://www.trishalexsage.com

Lafayette, N. Lincoln, Lincoln, and Back Again. Sept. 2-4, 2010

2010-09-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

Alex recently joined Sage on a hike along Franconia Ridge. The trip report is on our main website, http://www.trishalexsage.com.

Highpointing, Summer 2010

2010-06-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

Alex and Sage are about to go on a highpointing spree across the United States. Follow their progress on http://www.trishalexsage.com/. First stop: New Jersey, the week of June 7th!

AMC Trails Day, June 5, 2010

2010-06-06T20:54:00.001-07:00

Alex and Sage did their first day of trail work on June 5, 2010. The report is here:
http://www.trishalexsage.com

South Tripyramid, May 16, 2010

2010-05-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

Livermore Trail, Mt. Tripyramid Trail. 10 miles roundtrip.

I'll let the pictures do the talking today.

(Alex took the next three photos)

(Alex took the next nine photos)

'til next time...happy trails.

Smaller Hikes with Sage

2010-05-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Alex has been highpointing with her sister lately. Check it out at http://www.trishalexsage.com

South Peak (Moosilauke), April 24, 2010

2010-04-24T13:47:00.001-07:00

Glencliff Trail, South Peak spur. 6.4 miles roundtrip.

Alex and I are now pursuing the Trailwrights list. There are 72 peaks on this list, 48 of which are the NH4K mountains we've already climbed. However, Trailwrights only allows one peak to be counted per hike, so there are a few loops/traverses we'll need to repeat.

I brought this list to Alex's attention so that we might have direction when choosing trails. We are people who thrive on structure; lists appeal to us. We are in no rush to complete our new quest, and we look forward to many years of relaxed peakbagging.

Today's challenge was Moosilauke's South Peak. And a challenge it was! There was nothing onerous about the trails themselves, nor were there any unforeseen circumstances with which to wrestle. The difficulty was our lack of recent hiking experience. Both of us felt very tired and out-of-shape.

The day began rather well. MadRiver joined us, and as usual we were happy to have his company.

Alex and I marveled at the sight of the Glencliff Trail. We've only hiked it during winter conditions, so it was interesting to see what this path looked like without snow.

Along the way, Alex discovered these "bark pants" (for very short people):

Patches of snow began to appear halfway up...

...before beginning in earnest just before the steep and final half-mile.

Alex and I felt strong as we reached the South Peak spur path.

This path looked relatively unused. However, the snow was firm enough to permit barebooting.

The spur path is only a few tenths of a mile long, and we reached the summit quickly and easily. The views were lovely -- here's the main peak of Mt. Moosilauke and the snow-covered Carriage Road.

Looking out and about...

We lounged for a bit, relishing the vista and chatting with Rick, a nice fellow who joined us on the summit. We also had the pleasure of meeting Kim, Kelly and Pete -- it was lovely speaking with all of you!

After consuming our traditional summit chocolate, the three of us began the trek downward. Unfortunately, Alex and I have become too accustomed to butt-sliding on winter snow; our legs have apparently forgotten how to hike downhill. Alex uncharacteristically stopped every twenty minutes or so to rest, and my knees complained with every step. Six weeks without hiking plus five months of butt-sliding equals two out-of-shape hikers.

We did manage to get down, but I was so tired when we arrived back at the trailhead that I forgot to take our traditional end-of-the-hike photo; this picture of Alex walking through the fields will have to suffice.

The 2010 AMC Four Thousand Footer Awards

2010-04-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

Alex and I received our 4000 Footer scrolls last night! Our envelope was handed to us by none other than Mohamed Ellozy, creator of the extremely helpful website, Peakbagging the 4000 Footers of New England (http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/index.html).

We had a blast. It was great fun hooting and hollering for all the wonderful hikers who received their rewards, and we thank the many kind souls who stood up and applauded for Alex when her name was called.

Good times, good people.

See you out there on the trails (after most of the spring snow has melted)!

North and South Kinsman, March 13, 2010, winter 4Ks #19 and #20

2010-03-13T16:12:00.000-08:00

Mt. Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Bald Knob Spur (for Bald Knob).

About 10.4 miles roundtrip.

Our last hike of the 2009-2010 winter season! We were pleased to have MadRiver join us for this one, his company is always a pleasure.

The forecast called for warm temperatures and fierce wind up top, much like we had last weekend on Franconia Ridge. The trails to the Kinsmans are 99% sheltered, so we shrugged at the wind forecast and set off on a sunny, spring-like day.

The lower portion of the Mt. Kinsman Trail was a mixture of bare ground and thin ice...

The maple syrup boiling shed was interesting...if you peek through the locked door, you can see loads of stacked buckets inside...

Soon after the shack, the snow appeared and covered the trails in a proper winter fashion. We had no need of our snowshoes, however, as the path was completely packed all the way up.

It was easy going. The trail remained mostly moderate, with only a few steep sections to negotiate. We reached the intersection with the Kinsman Ridge Trail without incident.

Looking back on what we'd just ascended...

...and looking forward toward North Kinsman's summit...

We took a break here to eat, drink, and layer up. MadRiver adorned a great hat that his wife, Susan had discovered.

A short four tenths of a mile later, we were on the summit.

It was too windy to venture out onto the ledge. Instead, we enjoyed the view of Franconia Ridge from the shelter of the trees.

A nice fellow offered to take our picture (thank you!)...

After our traditional summit chocolate, we continued toward South Kinsman.

It was a fairly mellow 0.9 miles. We got to the first summit bump and snapped a photo.

The wind was now howling all around us. We forged on toward the next summit bump (the one most consider to be the true high point), trying hard not to be blown off the mountain. There were a few seconds when I thought we'd have to crawl, but we made it to the cairn walking upright, albeit leaning heavily. Once there, Alex could not stand, so I put her behind the cairn, a teensy bit out of the wind.

MadRiver came to join her for a summit photo, but the wind made it impossible for him to strike a normal pose. In this picture, it looks as though he's trying to keep his kilt from flying up (and Alex is covering her eyes in case he's unsuccessful).

Here's a video which gives a hint of the windspeed...please note that it's very jerky and therefore might make the viewer dizzy...

We didn't stay long up there! After only a few minutes, we struggled back into the trees and ate our customary chocolate near the col. On the way down, we were treated to this nice view of North Kinsman...

Once past North Kinsman, the descent was a breeze. Alex used her sled often, and we played leapfrog with a very nice AMC group all the way to the car.

We had passed the Bald Knob Spur on the way up, so we decided to check it out on the way down. We were happy we did, as the ledges were out of the wind and comfortable, and the views were fine.

The remaining two miles flew by and we were back at the parking lot in no time.

It's been a great winter season. Now, bring on the spring!

Mt. Lafayette and Mt. Lincoln, March 6, 2010, winter 4Ks #17 and #18

2010-03-06T16:17:00.000-08:00

Old Bridle Path, Franconia Ridge Trail, Falling Waters Trail.

8.9 miles total.

We were planning on doing the Kinsmans today, but, after looking at the weather forecast, we changed our minds at the last minute and decided to tackle Franconia Ridge instead. It was to be sunny and relatively warm...we figured we should take advantage of the nice day and get above treeline. We knew there would be 25-30 mph gusts to deal with up top, but the high temperatures would nix any chances of frostbite, and we both felt up to the challenge of pushing through the blowing wind.

'Twas a beautiful morning as we set out upon the firmly packed trail. We decided to do the loop in a clockwise direction, as it's psychologically easier for us to get the tallest mountain out of the way first.

Old Bridle Path winds its way through a lovely bunch of birch trees. This is my favorite part of the lower portion of the trail. I adore birch trees and think they have the most interesting and beautiful trunks.

We made excellent time and were at the first viewing ledges in about an hour and a half. Here's our destination...

...and the bumps ("Agonies") one must first climb in order to get to the Ridge....

Looking back the way we had come...

Tackling the Agonies was much easier than we remembered. We were last here in May 2009, when most of the snow had melted and we had to pull ourselves up and over a plethora of rocks and boulders. This time around, we had a nice white sidewalk to ascend.

The Agonies behind us, we approached the hut...here's the "no camping within 1/4 mile of the hut sign," down by our boots, almost buried in the snow...

...and here's the hut itself (closed for the winter).

A familiar face was waiting for us -- rocket21, who had overtaken us on the trail in the middle of the Agonies. We exchanged pleasantries, then listened as Jeremy and his buddies joyously harassed one another. I got a kick out of all the jokes flying around, but Alex was left utterly confused. I had to explain that this was normal, that manly mountaineers like to throw verbal barbs back and forth. Being an extremely literal kid, Alex still didn't quite get it, but she did understand that everyone was having a good time, so I think she just chalked it up to typical (and somewhat mysterious) grown-up behavior.

We also met a ten year old kid named Chase (in the same picture with Jeremy, sitting on a bench with his father). We later saw Chase on the summit of Lafayette -- awesome! I love seeing other young folks out there! Congratulations again, Chase (and Chase's father!)!

The view of the Ridge from the hut...

Here's Jeremy and his crew, beginning their ascent of the summit cone (they're the little dark silhouettes all in a row, on the lower section).

Alex and I layered up, then set off after them.

Looking back at the hut...one can see Cannon's summit and mountaintop ski structure in the not-so-far distance...

While looking back to take this shot, I saw a familiar white dog on the trail behind me...it was Sheep, with Bill close behind him. We gave Sheep some well-deserved pats on the head, then we stepped aside so the two of them could pass. Nice to see you guys again!

Back to the ascent...steep, steep, and more steep.

Alex loved the interesting snow formations on Lafayette's summit cone.

We made our way slowly but steadily, and eventually arrived at the summit.

Here are both of us at the top, with the Presidentials in the background (thank you, kind hiker who took our photo!)...

Alex, with Franconia Ridge and Mt. Lincoln behind her...

It was a tad windy up there...

We descended a few dozen feet toward Mt. Lincoln and sat out of the wind for a while, eating, drinking, and enjoying the views...

Eventually we felt rested enough to continue on our way. I told Alex to put on her goggles, since a) the snow was extremely bright and b) I knew the wind would be blowing things around and goggles would eventually become a necessity. At first she refused. Since the temperatures were warm and frostbite was not a danger, I agreed to let her start without them. I figured she'd change her mind at some point...and I was right. We made it down the summit cone of Lafayette without much trouble, but then the wind began gusting something fierce as we made our way up North Lincoln. After getting smacked a few times in the forehead by tiny pieces of blowing ice, Alex requested the goggles. We took shelter by some rocks and I put them on her.

Getting up and down North Lincoln and then over to Mt. Lincoln itself was...interesting. The wind speeds never grew greater than the forecast had promised, but they were still strong enough to push us around. Alex was frightened at first, but after a few minutes she became used to the sensation. As we trekked onward, she grew more and more aggravated with me...I kept grabbing her arm and yanking her back into the middle of the path. She wanted to walk on her own, without my help, but the wind was pushing her and she kept walking off toward the side. I couldn't NOT grab her, even though I got a lot of "Mama, I'm okay, stop holding on to me!!" protests. I let her do it on her own as much as my nerves would allow, but most of the time I either held her arm or the back of her backpack...much to her annoyance.

We made it to Lincoln (sorry for the fuzzy photo)...

...and took shelter among the summit boulders. There we were able to sit out of the wind for a while and, as we had done on Lafayette, eat, drink, and enjoy the views.
Looking back toward Lafayette...

Cannon...

Flume, Liberty, and Little Haystack...

Alex built a little cairn by the summit while she rested...

As we were lounging about, a group including drewski, MEB and Matts arrived from Lafayette. It was a real pleasure meeting everyone. Actually, turns out we had unknowingly met MEB and Matts before...Sage and Alex had given them candy on the Mt. Tecumseh Trail a few weeks earlier, but I didn't know who they were at the time. It was a privilege and a pleasure conversing with this group. Congrats ahead of time to MEB, who is about to finish the Grid!

The group continued onward while we were still resting. Eventually we got up and began to make our way south.

The wind pushed us around again, but by now Alex was not only used to it, she was enjoying the sensation. I kept my hand on her most of the time, even though she really wanted to go it alone. My comfort level dictates the hike...when she's older, taller and heavier I'll refrain from worrying about her so much...maybe. Okay, probably not.

Looking back at Mt. Lincoln from somewhere close to Little Haystack...

Flume and Liberty...

We made it to Little Haystack in one piece. Once again, we took shelter from the wind and fed ourselves.

Going down was fun! Once in the trees, Alex got her her little sled and slipped along behind me. I think she did a pretty good job re-flattening out most of the trail...the upper part of Falling Waters was much softer than the hard-packed Old Bridle Path.

By the time we got a third of the way down, the trail had become hard packed once again...and Alex's sledding became much faster. Again, I stayed ahead of her and spotted when necessary.

The rest of the descent was standard, except for the pleasure of meeting Darl58 and Steve-O, who overtook us about halfway down the trail. Darl58 had thankfully retrieved a microspike Alex had accidentally left behind (it had detached from her boot). We enjoyed a few minutes of pleasant conversation before we all continued on our way.

By the time we reached the car, I was extremely fatigued and ready for a nap. Alex seemed fine and not all that tired. It's interesting, watching her grow stronger and stronger by the month. She now outlasts me in terms of stamina, and in a couple of years I expect she'll outpace me as well.

Another fine walk in the woods, and a glorious (albeit windy) day up top.

Mt. Moriah, Feb. 20, 2010, winter 4K #16

2010-02-20T16:39:00.000-08:00

Carter-Moriah Trail, 9 miles roundtrip.

Alex and I enjoyed a lovely trip to the summit of Mt. Moriah, in spite of Carter-Moriah Trail's many ups and downs. My time is limited this weekend, as I am finishing up a personal project which takes up every bit of my spare time. Therefore, for this entry, I must spare the words and simply provide the pictures.

Happy hiking!

Mt. Tecumseh with Sage, February 13, 2010, winter 4K #15

2010-02-13T15:52:00.000-08:00

Mt. Tecumseh Trail, Sosman Trail.

5 miles roundtrip.

Sage has been saying she wanted to try a 4K for some time now. For a while, I had my doubts about taking her out. The main reason was that I didn't know WHY she wanted to try a 4K. Did she think I loved her less than I loved Alex, simply because Alex hikes with me all the time? Did she feel left out? Was she fed up with Alex getting so much attention from other hikers? Was it good old fashioned sibling rivalry?

Sage has always liked being outside, and she has always enjoyed hiking -- at her own pace, and on her own terms. So having her try a 4K is fine, in and of itself. The situation I've been trying to avoid, however, is having her try something that she's not ready for, and then having her feel bad about herself because she didn't make the summit. None of that pressure would come from me, or from Alex -- but I was the youngest child in our family, and I remember what it was like to be frustrated because I couldn't yet do what my older sister could. Our 4K experience had to be a positive one, no matter what, and I had to make certain she understood that it was a successful hike and a valiant effort even if we didn't make it all the way up.

Alex and I had a few private conferences during the past couple of weeks. We both agreed that we would take Sage with us on our Tecumseh hike. We also both agreed that we would go at Sage's pace, and rest anytime Sage requested. We'd put aside our usual go-go-go mindset and tailor the excursion completely to Sage's mood and abilities. And, of course, we'd turn back the moment Sage asked. Alex was extremely agreeable to all of this, and looked forward to getting her sister out there with us, no matter how far we did or did not go.

The three of us agreed we'd hike on Valentine's Day weekend, a weekend where their father would be away on a business trip (so no father-daughter time would be sacrificed).

The girls came up with the idea of passing out Valentine's Day candy to other hikers on the trail. Therefore, their backpacks were heavier than they needed to be, being stuffed with individually wrapped chocolate hearts. Neither seemed to mind the prospect of carrying excess weight.

The day arrived, and we hit the trail at 7am.

Our pace was relaxed, and Sage stopped every twenty feet or so to examine tracks, rocks, trees, boulders, and snow. Alex and I took Sage's lead and therefore ended up appreciating much more than we normally would have. It was an enlightening experience. Sage enabled us to really SEE what we were hiking through.

We came to the "view" sign at 9am, two hours after having left the car. The sun shone brightly, and we sat in the warm light and had a long and luxurious food break.

The time came to tackle the hard part -- that dreadful, never-ending steep latter mile. I prepped Sage by telling her that it would be a horrible experience, but that we'd stop often, be very silly, and turn back anytime she chose. Sage was determined, cheerful, and full of hot chocolate, so she gave us the green light.

It was an Extremely Silly Ascent. To make things easier (for them), I began by hiking on my knees. Laughing at their mother seemed to add a little extra fuel to both girls' fires.

When my knees simply could not take it any more, I stood and walked in a normal fashion. It was then Sage's turn to be goofy -- she picked up a stick and "hunted" Alex and me up the trail.

Many, many breaks were taken. Here, Alex makes a few glove prints in the snow.

Many original songs were sung. Our favorite, sung to the tune of Cinderella's Mouse Song (while the mice are making Cinderella's dress) and sung in high, squeaky mouse voices:

We can do it, we can do it,
We can hike the big ole' mountain,
With balaclavas pretty,
There's nothing to it really.

At one point, Alex and Sage devised a game where Alex would run ahead, sit down, and wait for Sage to approach. Once Sage got close to Alex, she was to talk/sing while waving her stick around.

More breaks, more food.

We finally reached the sign leading us up the last couple tenths of a mile to the summit.

The path to our left was packed out, while the path to our right had one lonely set of animal tracks on it (both ways lead to the top).

We decided we'd go the way greatly traveled. But first, another break!

After more munching and hydrating, we made the final push toward the summit. All three of us were in fine spirits, having been completely ridiculous all the way up the steep parts of the trail.

And then -- four hours after leaving the "view," and six hours after leaving the car -- Sage bags her first 4K (and Alex bags her 15th winter 4K)!

There were several people enjoying themselves on the summit. One of the kind men offered to take our picture.

Views from the top:

Summit chocolate!

We lounged about for almost half an hour, the girls often engaging in some bizarre game that I don't understand...

Then came -- the descent!

Much fun was had sledding down the mountain. To keep things safe, I'd hike ahead to a certain point, then give the girls the go-ahead. In this manner, I was able to prevent them from going too fast or too far (though I did get run over once or twice).

We returned to the final, flat portion of the trail, and Sage walked ahead of us, extremely proud of herself.

Both girls tagged the trailhead sign, and then it was official. Sage's first 4K, and Alex's 15th winter 4K.

Ascent time: 6 hours. Descent time: 1 hour, 35 minutes. Total hike time: 7 hours, 35 minutes.

Random notes:

The girls gave away over a bag and a half of candy to many surprised and friendly hikers.

My kids are LOUD!

Slow and silly beats fast and focused.

Hands down, the most fun any of us have ever had on a hike.

Mt. Jackson, Feb. 6, 2010, winter 4K #14

2010-02-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

Webster-Jackson Trail.

5.2 miles.

Today we had the pleasure of once again hiking with Mirabela and his very cool daughter, Isidora. Mirabela and Isidora were heading up to Webster, and we were heading up to Jackson...it was nice to share the first leg of our journey with them.

The trails were completely packed out. Couldn't have asked for better footing.

The four of us made our way up at a steady pace...

...pausing only to eat, drink, and check out interesting ice formations.

We came to the fork in the intersection much faster than I had anticipated.

More eating and drinking, then Matt and Isidora headed off to ascend Webster, and Alex and I began our climb up Jackson.

A few tenths of a mile later, the Gray Jays arrived! Here's one about to carry off Alex.

Luckily, he couldn't lift my daughter...he settled for the cracker that had been placed on her head instead.

We gave a couple of treats to a few other feathered friends...

...before continuing on our way.

There were a few blowdowns on the trail. Here's one that formed a lovely little arch.

We were now close to the summit ledges...up we went...

....until we were at the top! Here's what we had just ascended.

Views from the top:

Alex decided to write in the snow...

Here's one of our feathered friends -- he had followed us up the trail.

Our descent was, as usual, fast and furious. Thankfully, Alex had lost all fear of using her sled. I allowed her to use it on the descent, but I insisted on hiking ahead of her so I could better ensure her safety. We made it down in half an hour or so.

We saw many wonderful people today! Jim Towle, DynamiteSR and his friend George, a couple of large AMC groups, Fred Shirley, Boo and MadHatter, and a number of couples and soloists. We enjoyed running into so many good-hearted hikers.

Afterward, Alex and I met up with Fred Shirley and a few of his friends, along with Mirabela and Isidora, at the Highland Center. Hugh and Sage drove over to join us. 'Twas a lovely hike followed by a lovely gathering...good times.

Tom, Field and Willey, Jan. 31, 2010, winter 4Ks #11, 12, & 13

2010-01-31T19:47:00.001-08:00

Avalon, A-Z, Mt. Tom Spur, Willey Range, and Ethan Pond Trails.

8.5 miles.

Cold as it was, this one started out well enough. Alex and I were happy to have MadRiver with us today, we always enjoy his company. We began our hike in good spirits...I'll let the pictures do the positive talking and save the words for that last bit of the hike...the bit where Mama messed up bigtime.

The good stuff:

And now, the bad part:

We stood at the outlook on Willey and congratulated ourselves for successfully ascending all three of today's targeted peaks. As we finished up our snacks, we heard the voices of a friendly couple. They had just come up Willey via the ladder section, the very section we were about to descend. We chatted amicably, then I told them thanks in advance for their assistance on the way down, since they'd probably come upon us sprawled in the snow under one of the steeps. At the time, I didn't realize I was actually predicting the future...

I'd been down the ladder section in the winter before (last January). I well remembered the steep and tricky bits -- at least, I thought I did -- and I told Alex to get behind me and crab-walk. This method worked well. I'd dig in my microspiked heels and slowly inch my way down, never sliding for more than a second, and even then not too quickly. Alex sometimes slid, but she'd run into my back. There were sections where it was okay to buttslide with abandon, which we happily did. After what seemed liked an eternity, I thought the coast was clear, that we were past all the frightening sections. Alex asked if she could go ahead of me and use the new "buttsled" we had brought along. This was our very first hike using a sled, and she had loved using this little piece of plastic during our descent of Tom and Field. Obviously, I had told her she couldn't use it on Willey, at least not until we were finished with the ladders. Which I thought we now were.

Unfortunately, we weren't.

Looking back, I have no idea how or why I let Alex go ahead. I've now accompanied my oldest daughter up and down 58 4K peaks, and on each one of them I have been hyper-vigilant with her safety. I've been 100% on top of things regarding our peakbagging adventures. Except for this one time, when I handed my daughter her little sled and sent her off ahead of me.

It only takes one mistake to turn things sour fast. Luckily, our outcome was a positive one. But it might not have been, and believe me, the thought of what might have been will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Alex happily plopped on her sled, turned a bend, and sailed right over the last section of ladders at the speed of light. After what I'm guessing was about 3 or 4 seconds of extremely fast sledding, she stopped by falling over and running her chest and arm into a tree. I did not see this happen, I was a few steps behind her on the trail. I arrived in time to see her sit up.

She looked up at me and begged me not to buttslide down, she was afraid I would spin out of control, as she had. I moved slowly toward her, since she became hysterical any time I tried to speed up my pace. She was frightened for my safety, the sweet, dear child. As I made my way to her, I asked her about pain (there was none), about where she landed, I asked her if she had hit her head (no). When I finally reached her, I did a "chunk check" and thankfully found that she was not hurt, save for a small scratch on her side. I looked into her eyes and apologized to her, telling her it was all my fault and I was so, so sorry. I also assured her, promised her, that I would never, ever allow this to happen again.

Though she was physically okay, emotionally, she was an understandable wreck. She told me she had gone over the top before even realizing the drop was there. For a second, she thought she had fallen off a cliff. It had been a terribly frightening experience for her.

MadRiver arrived at the top and began to make his way down on crampons. Alex became frightened for him, just as she had been frightened for me. Unfortunately, MadRiver began to slide...he spared himself an out-of-control descent by hooking one leg around a tree. This tactic worked...kind of. Instead of flying down the trail, he ended up hanging upside-down. Though MadRiver was not hurt, but rather jovial about his predicament, Alex was worried nonetheless and burst into a fresh round of tears.

Just then, the couple we met on Willey's summit appeared. The man un-stuck MadRiver, then came to help me with Alex. My daughter was extremely shaken and it took a lot of coaxing before she was willing to get back into a sitting position on the trail. We still needed to get down a very short, steep section -- normally, we could have descended it without much ado. However, Alex no longer wanted to slide even one tiny, little bit. I had her get behind me, then I inched downward, assisted by the kind man and MadRiver. We made sure that Alex and I did not slide quickly, as the poor kid's nerves could no longer handle any fast movements.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to the young couple who assisted us. Both the man and the woman spoke to Alex soothingly, telling her how brave she was, talking to her in gentle tones. If they ever happen to read this -- thank you. You told me your names, but in my preoccupation with Alex I forgot them. I hope someday, under much better circumstances, we meet again.

Alex did eventually calm down and turn back into her usual self, but it took about forty minutes for the transformation to occur. By the time we were at the Ethan Pond Trail, she was displaying her normal descent behavior, running, jumping, wanting me to take photos, laughing, etc.

We came to the steep part just before the railroad tracks...and she asked for her sled (I did not give it to her).

Interesting day. Glad it all turned out well. I am extremely aware that things could have been very, very different. You can't make mistakes out here, of any magnitude. You just can't.

North and South Hancock, Jan. 23, 2010, winter 4Ks #9 and #10

2010-01-23T18:49:00.001-08:00

Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail

9.8 miles

Since the wind speeds were supposed to be minimal, we decided to ascend Mt. Madison this weekend. However, the day before our hike, Alex had a six hour ski lesson. As we drove home from the slopes, she told me she now felt worn out and would prefer to hike something mellow. We looked at the maps after dinner and she decided on the Hancocks.

Morning arrived. I packed up the car and off we set. Unfortunately, my usual hat, balaclava, facemask, liners, wool gloves, and waterproof mitts were missing when we arrived at the trailhead. I let out a choice word or two as I realized they were piled in a comfortable heap on the kitchen table.

There were a few seconds when I thought we'd have to abort, but then I realized that, as MadRiver says, I carry an EMS store on my back. Out came my spare balaclava, facemask, and heavy woolen socks from my emergency stuffsack. The socks worked just fine as gloves. I had small trashbags to use as a make-shift, extra waterproof layer, but I never needed to use them.

After I finally finished putting myself together, we began our hike.

The Hancock Notch Trail is flat, flat, and flat again. We had a nice and easy amble over the well packed snow.

Cedar Brook Trail proved almost as easy as Hancock Notch Trail, and we were at the intersection with the Loop in no time.

We noticed these "snow shelves" just past the signage...

Now the fun began. This is the only steep uphill section of the hike, but it was enough for me today, thank you very much. Alex and I continually slipped, fell over, and slid on the slick snow as we grunted our way toward the summit. There was one section we ascended three times, because we'd almost make it to the top, then we'd lose our footing and end up back where we had started, ten feet down the trail. Our microspikes were simply not up to the task.

I admired my daughter's good cheer during this ordeal. She never complained. In fact, she actually seemed to enjoy the challenge. She was a buoyant bundle of glee when we finally arrived at the summit. Good for her. Her tired and grumpy mother felt quite the opposite.

The day was clear and we were able to catch a bit of a view over the trees.

In spite of the forecast, there was quite a bit of cold wind flying around up there. We huddled down among the scrub and ate our lunch. Then we continued toward the South peak, fighting our way through a multitude of gear-hungry trees whose limbs reached out to tear everything off the outside of my pack.

Alex didn't mind the arboreal attack. She thinks maneuvering through sharp and pointy branches is great fun.

The hike to South Hancock returned me to a happier state of mind. The trek was easy, and at one point we were treated to a lovely view back toward North Hancock and Arrow Slide.

We arrived at South Hancock...

...and checked out the view from the "Outlook."

The wind was roaring through the trees at this point, so we didn't stick around for long. We ate quickly, then buttslid down the South peak in about 1.5 seconds.

The rest of the hike was, as usual, fast and furious. Alex ran, jumped, and slid most of the way down, only slowing when we were about a mile from the car. As we walked the rest of the way toward the Kancamagus, Alex spoke about wanting to live on top of the mountains. Just before we reached the highway, she turned to me and asked, "So when can we? When can we just live outside, on the summits?"

I told her she'd have to settle for a lot of camping trips this summer. With her sister, of course. Alex appeared satisfied with this answer, and she crossed the hairpin turn with a big smile on her face.

Moosilauke, January 17, 2010, winter 4K #8

2010-01-17T18:58:00.001-08:00

Glencliff Trail and Moosilauke Carriage Road, 7.8 miles roundtrip.

Alex has decided to pursue the winter 4K list. I'm game for this adventure, but it does present various challenges. One such challenge is finding enough calm days to bag the many completely exposed peaks, since my comfort level with having Alex above treeline in winter conditions is breached whenever the wind gusts above 20mph. We're just going to have to grab the nice days as they come along.

Today, Sunday, was one of those rare, appropriate days...warmer temperatures than usual, with little to no wind. We chose Moosilauke and set off on the well packed Glencliff Trail.

We stopped to say hello to this snowy inchworm, which was happily crawling on the underside of a branch. Alex asked that I take its picture.

We stopped again at the intersection with Moosilauke Carriage Road. Time to eat and layer up!

After consuming vast quantities of trail mix, Alex and I had a decision to make. MadRiver and his friend Mynetta were hiking Moosilauke today too, and I figured they were probably a half hour or so behind us. Should we wait for them before continuing onward? Maybe....but the longer we sat, the cooler we became...so I decided we should press on.

Up the snowy corridor we trekked...

...and into an increasingly white, foggy landscape. White, white, white...and bright! I secured Alex's goggles so my kid wouldn't go snow blind, then I adorned my own eyewear. Wow. We've never been in such a bright white world before. If we hadn't had our goggles, we wouldn't have been able to continue.

Visibility was low, perhaps fifty feet. While we were still in the scrub, this wasn't much of a problem. Frozen postholes, hiking stick marks and snowshoe tracks led the way quite clearly. Alex went first and navigated easily. She had a knack for distinguishing the snow-covered cairns from the snow-covered vegetation. I had my compass at the ready, and I was familiar with the layout of the land from having studied the map earlier.

As we neared the bare summit cone, this is what we saw.

The frozen marks were still easy to follow, and I felt confident with my bearings.

As we slowly made our way up, I reminded Alex to stay close to me at all times and to keep that bright orange hat (which I have her wear for exactly these potential circumstances) on her head. She led the way which, in spite of the poor visibility, was still easy to discern.

After fifteen minutes of carefully walking through the white fog, we saw a bit of orange ahead of us...the summit sign!

I anchored both my hiking poles before I followed Alex up those last few dozen feet. I knew that it would be difficult to see which way we had come up once we were both on the pile of jumbled summit rocks, so I wanted to clearly mark our exit. I tied one of my lightweight, blaze orange hunting vests to the top of one of the poles, just to give it that extra visual oomph, then I joined my daughter at the summit sign.

We ate a little and drank some water, then we made our way back down the way we had come up. Lengthy lingering would have to wait until we were back in the trees, where we could see more clearly.

Once out of White World, we crossed paths with a large group which included Bob (BobnGeri), Lawnsale, a nice fellow named Tom, and a myriad of other good folk. Nice to see you again, Bob and Lawnsale, and nice to meet the rest of you!

Before descending the Glencliff Trail, Alex and I sat, ate our customary chocolate, and wondered aloud about the whereabouts of MadRiver and Mynetta. Just before we geared back up, they both appeared. They had started out later than expected, which was why they hadn't caught up with us before we reached the summit. It was good to see them both, even if only for a few minutes.

Our descent was fast and furious, as it usually is during the winter. Alex ran, jumped, and slid all the way down, stopping only occasionally to rest in the snow.

Another great day in the woods. Mother Earth is one beautiful Lady.

Cannon, December 31, 2009, winter 4K #7

2009-12-31T18:20:00.000-08:00

Kinsman Ridge Trail, 4.4 miles roundtrip.

A few days ago, Alex turned seven. She had the traditional kid party with her friends in Massachusetts, but she also wanted to mark the event on top of our family's favorite mountain: Cannon. I put the word out, hoping a few people would be able to swing by and help us eat whoopie pies.

Alex and I were excited to embark on our first winter hike of this season. She and I both favor winter hiking over three-season hiking, especially when the trail is firmly packed down. [As she grows, I'll take her on hikes where we both have to break a good portion of the trail ourselves...but right now, that's too much for her to handle.]

We ascended slowly but steadily. Eventually, we seemed about level with the top of Sage's favorite peak, Bald Mountain (the peak in the center of the photograph).

Onward we climbed, enjoying the lovely view through the leafless trees.

What this trail lacks in distance, it makes up for in grade. The Kinsman Ridge Trail is a relentlessly steep climb with precious few flat bits during its first 1.5 miles. We both needed to stop frequently to rest and eat.

We were about halfway up the mountain when a friendly and familiar duo caught up with us -- Ed n' Lauky! Lauky was adorable and obviously thrilled to be out there. Alex and I were happy to have their company.

The trail finally flattened out. It was nice to be finished with the most difficult part of the hike! We moved forward into a peaceful winter wonderland.

Just before reaching the exposed, final two tenths of a mile, Bill and Sheep arrived. Sheep also looked happy to be out and about -- the two dogs together were the epitome of Joy, they were so obviously glad to be tromping about in the snow.

We layered up and stepped out into -- the wind! My goodness, what a difference the lack of trees make! The cold air hit us hard, but it didn't seem to bother Alex much. We've been in this type of arctic blast before, and, since she was well dressed and warm, she wasn't fazed in the slightest. Since we only had a very short distance to hike, I wasn't concerned either -- that being said, this kind of distance is my limit when it comes to taking her above treeline in windy, frigid conditions.

It took us perhaps fifteen minutes to get through the exposed section, and then we were back in the protection of the trees, very close to the summit. Alex scampered along and joyously climbed the tower. Here she is with Ed.

Snow was heading toward us...visibility was less than perfect.

Before going into the summit building, Alex sat on the official high point (a large rock directly underneath the tower).

Ed n' Lauky followed suit (Lauky was distracted by Sheep)...

We had to bid the dogs and their owners goodbye before entering the summit building, since animals aren't allowed inside. Thanks, Ed and Bill, for your company. It was great to see you both!

Bob, Geri and LawnSale were right behind us. They accompanied us inside, then Alex passed out the whoopie pies. Hugh and Sage were already there, having arrived earlier by tram.

Bob played with the kids for a while...

...then MadRiver and his friend Mynetta arrived. This was Mynetta's first winter 4K -- congrats to her!

I took many more pictures inside the summit building, but I'm afraid they didn't turn out. My camera kept fogging up, then I had water on it from my dripping gloves...arg.

I met MtnPa and a few other folks in the summit building as well. It's always good to chat with other hikers and put a few trailnames with faces.

After we were all properly infused with a ton of sugar, Alex and I bid our farewells to Hugh and Sage and thanked the others for their presence and well-wishes. Geri descended with us past the exposed portion of the trail, then she stopped to wait for MadRiver and Mynetta. Alex and I continued onward, Alex point-blank running and glissading her way down the mountain, and me rushing to keep up with her.

We had the pleasure of crossing paths with Paradox, Ishmael, and a friendly black dog during our gleeful descent. Good to see you folks!

As Alex's energy was extremely high and her spirits were soaring, we reached the bottom in a very short amount of time.

'Twas another great day in the woods! Happy winter hiking, everyone!

'Twas Two Days After Christmas

2009-12-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

'Twas two days after Christmas and to our dismay,
Alex and I could not hike a 4K.
Sleet was forecast, as well as cold rain.
I don't care for that and Lex thinks it a pain
to shiver and dodge the cold drops that fall fast.
Therefore, we decided to stay down in Mass.

We needed hard exercise -- where could we go?
Habitat? Walden Pond? We just didn't know.
Those places are nice, an urbanite's finest.
But they're no substitute for New Hampshire's highest.

Then suddenly into my head came a plan!
Why not hike to Boston! That's perhaps not as grand
as ascending Mt. Adams or Mt. Lafayette,
but the Charles ain't so bad, and I wouldn't get
out my bivy, the winter bag or the spare clothes.
We'd go without packs and feel light on our toes.

So off we set, waiting until the day
had lost quite a bit of its mid-morning gray.
Then we took to our feet and walked briskly along,
the both of us sometimes bursting into song.
We voiced Christmas carols -- the absolute best of them --
and ignored the stares of the other pedestrians.

Our pace was quite quick since the surface was smooth.
When one walks on sidewalk there's nothing to lose.
No rocks, roots or spruce traps, no postholing mahem...
those folks who think that we're nuts -- who can blame them?
We happily endure the cold and the heat,
just to reach some distant, remote, far-off peak.
We trip and we sweat and we freeze and we gripe,
but still those grand mountains infuse us with Life.
They are the reminder of Beauty, no less --
but forgive me for it does seem that I have digressed.

On now to Harvard, my old alma mater.
Once at the famed Yard, Alex asked me to give her
a boost so that she could touch "Harvard's" shoe.
I did so, and then snapped a picture or two.

Down JFK street we happily jogged,
then we turned left and followed the river along
its course between Harvard and MIT proper.
We planned to cross Longfellow, I and my daughter.

Though our time by the river went fast -- boy, it flew --
we did stand at times to ponder strange views.
Here's one sight that made both our eyes grow quite round...
let's hope that the owner is home safe and sound.

Our trek was adorned with animal presence,
geese were walking all over the place -- with no menace.
They did not behave as a grouse or a bear,
but instead waddled on as though we were not there.

We were close to the Mass Avenue bridge when Alex
requested her first gingerbread cookie fix.
We sat and we drank and we ate what we liked,
then Alex went over to stare at the ice.

Longfellow at last! The bridge stood there tall,
while Alex and I tried to contemplate all
of the miles we had walked and the visions we'd seen --
not a 4K but it had indeed been
a very nice day walking close, hand-in hand
over this urban, concreted flat land.

We crossed the long bridge under now sunny skies
and stepped into Boston, then Alex and I
looked for a stopping point -- what would be the way
to end such a lovely, convivial day?

Perhaps find the high point of Boston and summit?
We could, but quite frankly that seemed rather dumb -- it
would be much more fun to now eat, don't you know
so we finished our hike at posh Panificio.

This now brings an end to our hike into Boston
We had so much fun we may do this more often
But now I must focus all of my attentions
on Alex's birthday -- for now she is seven.

Bald Mt. and Artists Bluff with Fred and Carl, December 12, 2009

2009-12-14T03:09:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Clark recently introduced me to Fred Shirley, an avid New England hiker who often explores the trails with his seven year old grandson, Carl. The four of us had planned on ascending Mt. Jackson today, but a few factors forced us to reconsider our agenda. Carl has not yet climbed a 4K, and though he is an enthusiastic and very capable hiker, Fred and I agreed that something more laid back would be a better choice for this subzero, snow filled day. We settled on the Bald Mountain-Artists Bluff loop. Carl could practice using snowshoes, and Alex and I could enjoy seeing Sage's favorite route adorned in winter-white.

We arrived at the parking area, geared up, and turned the kids loose. They happily ran up the unbroken trail.

The snow was only a few inches deep and therefore easy to walk on. The ledges, however, posed a temporary problem. Well, actually, they only posed a problem for me -- both kids and Fred scrambled up without slipping once. This old lady had to attempt the ascent several times before finally making it to the top.

The summit felt nippy, but it offered some wonderful views.

After consuming our fill of hot chocolate, we descended the ledges the only way possible...by sliding on our fannies.

Next up was Artists Bluff. The snowshoeing was easy, and we were at the lookout in short order.

Carl and Alex had a grand time playing on, around, and under a couple of the boulders.

The kids could have stayed up there all day, but I was getting chilly and looking forward to lunch at the local pizzeria. We convinced Alex and Carl to head down the trail ahead of us; they happily obliged and gleefully trotted through the snow toward the road.

After finishing our hike with the traditional, serious photograph...

...we ambled up the road, climbed into the car, and joined Hugh and Sage in Lincoln for a hot meal and great conversation.

A nice day in the cold and snowy woods.

Avalon (Plan B) -- December 6, 2009

2009-12-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

Avalon Trail, 3.6 miles roundtrip.

Alex has been asking to revisit Tom for some time now. We thought we'd give it a shot today, but alas...the snow wasn't deep enough or thin enough to make the hike worthwhile. It was that in-between, slippery stuff that hides the rocks and roots from view but doesn't bury them completely. We got to the intersection with the A-Z trail, then Alex uttered a five word phrase that has never before come out of her mouth: "I want to turn back."

Since we were half a mile from Avalon, a summit we had never visited, I asked if she wanted to switch the goal from Tom to Avalon...or we could just turn back, as she had requested. She thought for a few seconds, then chose to see Avalon.

We were rewarded for our steep half mile efforts with plenty of gray jay attention. Once at the Mt. Avalon spur trail, two brave fellows made continual dives for our Goldfish crackers.

The birds followed us up the spur path, then continued to pluck crackers from Alex's hand while she relaxed on Avalon's summit.

The sky was overcast and the day was windy, so there wasn't much of a view.

We headed down after about ten minutes on the summit. Alex wanted to "buttslide," but the conditions were not exactly ideal. That didn't stop her from trying, however.

We returned to the trailhead in good spirits, though Alex looks forward to more snow and, with it, the complete burial of rocks and roots. Unless there's a big snowfall in the very near future, she'll probably wait until January before she hikes another 4K.

It was a nice mother-daughter day in the mountains, even if the conditions did make the trail a tad onerous.

Alex will be seven soon -- she's growing fast and our levels of conversation are getting more and more complex. She is a fantastic kid (as is Sage) and I am so very lucky to have such a close relationship with my girls. Parenthood...it's a beautiful thing.

Mt. Garfield, November 7, 2009

2009-11-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

Garfield Ridge Trail, 10 miles roundtrip....plus an unexpected 3+ miles....

It looks like Alex and I will continue to ascend the 4Ks on a regular basis, since we both get antsy if too many weeks go by without a good, solid dose of the Whites.

Except for the very end, this was an enjoyable, routine hike....so I'll let the pictures and short videos tell most of the story.

Alex noticed these groups of fungi during the descent and thought they looked like open mouths. She tried to mimic them, but couldn't stop herself from laughing when I tried to take a photo.

We had enjoyed ourselves on this beautiful, fine day, and were about a mile from the car when we noticed that Alex's custom-made hiking stick was missing. Horrorstruck, we realized Alex had left it at our last rest stop, 1.7 miles up the trail.

Neither of us wanted to risk losing it. If we came back the next day, it might not be there. So we turned around and set back up the mountain, me laying into Alex more than was necessary (bad mom) and Alex crying because she didn't want to go back up, but she didn't want to lose it either. Every once in a while she would sit down to rest and wail loudly about not wanting to lose the stick, but also not wanting to hike back up. We were both tired, and again, I snapped at her impatiently, which didn't help matters. I kept pressing us onward, knowing that it was better to deal with this now than to go through weeks and months of sadness over losing the hiking stick. I figured if Alex ran out of steam, we'd sit and rest until she was okay to move on. I had three sets of headlamps, water, and lots of layers/chemical warmers/etc. We'd be alright -- once we both chilled out, anyway.

We were almost all the way back up -- and Alex was really getting tired -- when arm from VFTT came down the trail with the stick on the back of his pack. I thanked him profusely and explained the situation. He was very nice and waited with us while Alex took a good rest and had some water and chocolate. The three of us hiked out together, Alex's spirits much recovered with the hiking stick in her hand and her legs going downhill instead of up. I apologized to Alex for my impatience -- and also for not making sure she had it with her all the time, since she is still a young kid and shouldn't be expected to remember everything on her own. She apologized to me for forgetting about it. Then life went back to normal -- her speed picked up, she chattered happily, and all was again well with the world.

A Fiftieth and a First -- Cannon Mountain, Oct. 17, 2009

2009-10-17T17:06:00.000-07:00

Lonesome Lake, Cascade Brook, Around-Lonesome-Lake and Kinsman Ridge Trails, 7.2 miles roundtrip.

Alex and I awoke Saturday morning unsure of which mountain to hike. We decided on Cannon, thinking perhaps Sage and Hugh would ride the tram up and meet us for lunch at the summit building. We scrawled a note for the two sleepyheads, propped it up between two bananas on the kitchen counter, and headed north.

We could see the snow glistening off the peaks of Lincoln and Lafayette as we approached Franconia Notch. Alex gasped with delight and asked if we could do those two mountains instead of Cannon. It was tempting...so tempting! I knew today's wind speeds would be minimal, and the sun was so bright! However, just as I started to pull into the Old Bridle Path parking area, Hugh sent a text message informing me that he and Sage were looking forward to our lunchtime rendezvous. Cannon it was.

It was a fine, crisp, clear autumn day as we started up Lonesome Lake Trail.

We moved quickly, Alex setting an adult pace and happily chattering every step of the way.

Snow appeared about a mile up the path. It was a welcome sight. Alex frequently commented on how beautiful everything looked.

Before we knew it, we were at the Cascade Brook Trail.

The walk from here to Lonesome Lake's western shore is flat, straightforward, and quick. We arrived at the water's edge in ten minutes.

In addition to the beautiful views, we found a mother and son hanging out, throwing various rocks and wood chips onto the thin layer of ice now covering the water. The boy, we discovered, was almost 9 years old. His name was Raymond, and he was on vacation with his mother, Juliet. Alex spent a few minutes tossing things onto the slightly frozen lake with Raymond, while Juliet and I made our introductions. She had been considering taking Raymond up Cannon, so, since the four of us were hitting it off so well, we decided to ascend together.

Around-Lonesome-Lake Trail was flat and scenic, just as it was a few weeks ago when I walked it with Sage.

A few tenths of a mile later, we turned left and resumed hiking on Lonesome Lake Trail. The grade was easy...for about three seconds. Then, the pitch steepened significantly.

As we climbed, the season seemed to change from autumn to winter.

Our ascent was made easy by wonderful conversation. Alex and Raymond happily chatted with each other, trading jokes and sharing laughs. Those two were a good match, and I had a fine time speaking with Juliet.

Alex and Raymond celebrated our arrival at Kinsman Ridge Trail by eating icicles.

It truly was a Winter Wonderland.

Walking along the ridge, just before we reached the summit, I asked Raymond if he had ever hiked up an entire mountain before. He answered in the negative. Alex and I enthusiastically congratulated him and explained that he was about to reach the peak of his first 4K.

Soon afterward, we arrived.

Congratulations, Raymond -- your first 4K!

And for Alex, congrats on number 50!

Ceremonial kid pictures taken care of, we relaxed, looked around, and -- my oh my. Clear skies, views galore, and no wind whatsoever.

Juliet and Raymond were properly amazed with the views, and rightfully proud of themselves for making it all the way up. We hung out for an hour or so, then went inside the summit building to wait for Hugh and Sage.

While we waited, Juliet made an interesting discovery. Alex had offered her the green M&Ms from her trail mix, saying, "I don't like this color." I've heard this kind of statement from Alex before, but I never really thought she could taste the difference between, say, brown M&Ms and blue ones.

Well, I was wrong! Juliet asked Alex to close her eyes, then she fed her one M&M after another. Alex guessed every single color correctly -- brown, blue, red, orange, yellow and green. When asked how she could tell which color she was tasting, Alex explained that each food dye combination interacts specifically with the chocolate, giving each color M&M a distinct taste.

Soon after Alex ate her weight in candy, Hugh and Sage arrived. The six of us relaxed and conversed for a while, then Juliet, Raymond, Alex and I began the hike down.

Alex and I wore our microspikes, not wanting to take a nasty tumble down the slick, steep path. Neither Raymond nor Juliet had traction, but they both moved slowly and carefully. Everyone made it down without incident.

Once back at Lonesome Lake, Raymond and Alex resumed throwing things into the water.

Soon it was time to say goodbye to our new friends. We once again congratulated Raymond (and Juliet!), exchanged contact information, and then went on our way.

The season changed back into autumn as we neared the trailhead.

What a lovely time we had! It was so nice running into Juliet and her son, Raymond. We had so much fun hiking with them.

Alex and I won't be able to hike again until November. So until then, happy trails, everyone!

Hale: Two Kids on a Cairn -- Oct. 10, 2009

2009-10-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hale Brook Trail, Lend-A-Hand Trail, Zealand Trail, Zealand Road. About 8.3 miles.

One of the many nice things about having finished the NH48 is that our options are now completely open. There's no psychological pressure to ascend a "new" mountain. We can do whatever we feel like doing.

Alex now wants to hike with other kids as much as possible, so we were thrilled when we discovered we'd be able to join Mirabela (a VFTT member) and his six year old daughter, Isidora, this weekend. Isidora is a strong, cheerful, six year old who routinely hikes and backpacks with her father in Vermont. This weekend they were in our neck of the woods, looking to bag Isidora's fifth 4K.

Since the forecast called for wind chills of 5 below and wind speeds of over 60mph, Mirabela and I thought a sheltered hike was in order. We chose Mt. Hale, and hoped the novelty of a massive summit cairn would offer some consolation for lack of view.

The girls took to each other quickly, and hiked the beginning of the ascent holding hands.

During our rest breaks, they enjoyed sharing snacks.

Once we made it to the top, both kiddos immediately ascended the cairn.

After we were fed and rested, the four of us decided to visit Zealand Falls Hut via Lend-A-Hand Trail.

'Twas a lovely path, much more scenic than Hale Brook Trail.

Once at the hut, we refreshed ourselves with hot tea and cookies before continuing on our way.

Both girls ran the two and a half flat miles of Zealand Trail, then mugged for the camera.

Next came the one mile roadwalk back to the Hale Brook trailhead...

...where both hams struck another pose.

This was a very enjoyable day. It was nice to hang out with another kid who so obviously enjoys hiking. Isidora and her father make a great team. We hope to hike with them again soon, and we look forward to reading more of their trip reports.

update

2009-10-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

Alex has been accompanying her younger sister, Sage, on a few smaller hikes during the past couple of months. Those trip reports can be found on the "Sage Hikes" blog, which can be accessed by a link to the right.

A few more 4Ks are in the works before the snow seriously arrives...then Alex wants to continue working her way through the winter 4K list.