White Mountain Guide Days 77-90

I can’t believe that I am already at day ninety. At the same time, I’m pretty tired. Despite only hiking 3 to 4 days a week since June 19, (which is really not that much compared to a thru-hiker) I am feeling the effects of the last seven months on my body now. My knees started hurting about three weeks ago (specifically my left one), I have these strange bumps under the skin on the middle finger of my right hand from using trekking poles, and my shoulders are so tight that my hands go numb when I’m sleeping. To be honest, it feels like my body is slowly falling apart in some ways, but I keep pressing on, because I know that the aches, pains, bumps, and bruises are only temporary. 

Winter is here now, officially, but you wouldn’t know that based on trail conditions at lower elevations. Although we got hit with a huge storm in early December (that dropped over 3 feet of snow at some elevations up north), we haven’t had any major accumulation since. From what I read on the trail conditions website, the trails leading to major 4000’ers are riddled with post holes. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the warmer temperatures, minimal amounts of snow, and am working really hard to get out and hike as many of the lower elevation trails that I had fully intended to have to break out solo, while they are snow-free. 

Yesterday I closed out my first spreadsheet - the Speckled Tab. There are 35 trails, totaling 77 miles, and it took me ten individual hikes to complete all of the trails. When I started working on this section of the Whites I was really intimidated. I had almost no experience or knowledge of this area, which is not heavily trafficked, and never expected to finish it off before any of the other tabs. Now that I’ve finished it, though, I’m saddened that I won’t be able to go back to it again until I finish my tracing journey next September. Out of all the trails in that area, my least favorite was Haystack Notch (which felt quite pointless). The rest of the trails were really pretty and I can’t pick just one that I liked most, I liked them all. 

I’m excited to continue seeing new sections of trail, but I won’t say that I’m not sad that I’m almost halfway done with this incredible and extremely privileged time of my life. 

12/9/22 - Day Seventy-Seven

Today was back to the normal kind of hiking aka lots of climbing and lots of single track. I hiked up Liberty Spring Trail for the first time in years and with no snow until reaching Franconia Ridge, and even then only a trace amount, I felt strong and proud of how quickly I made my ascent. I also have been in new winter trail runners for the last few hikes and am loving them. I had never hiked Franconia Ridge Trail between Little Haystack and Liberty before so it was nice to complete this stretch of trail. The final climb up to Little Haystack was a little steep but nothing more than normal NE trails. As soon as I broke treeline, the winds hit me. It was most definitely more than the 20mph winds that Mountain Forecast claimed we would be having and although I had been toying with the idea of doing Franconia Ridge, the winds made the decision an easy no. The descent down Falling Waters (which isn’t recommended) was a mixed bag, starting with very thick ice followed by almost bare trail, followed again by thick ice and water crossings, and then bare trail. The walk along Franconia Bike Path back to my car was really nice. It reminded me a lot of when my husband and I would do the bike path on bikes back before I found hiking, over a decade ago now. 

Daily Miles: 11.83
Daily Vert: 4050’
Overall Mileage: 851.83
Overall Vert: 250,695’
Trace: 37.1% -> 37.6% 

Trails:

Whitehouse Trail
Liberty Spring Trail
Franconia Ridge Trail
Falling Waters Trail
Franconia Bike Path 

12/12/22 - Day Seventy-Eight 

Today was really hard and quite honestly a bit scary. The trail ascending Moat Mountain and the trail descending it were both covered in thick ice. Too thick for microspikes to do anything and I was regretting leaving my legit crampons at home. But by the time I hit the really bad ice it was safer to keep going up than it would’ve been to go down. The descent down Red Ridge, while still icy, was less icy than Moat Mountain Trail. By the time I had reached the trees and could remove my spikes I was spent. I didn’t like hiking very much today. The theme for winter seems to be such. However, I am really trying to learn to like it. 

Daily Miles: 9.94
Daily Vert: 3029’
Overall Mileage: 861.77
Overall Vert: 253,724’
Trace: 37.6% -> 38.2% 

Trails:

Moat Mountain Trail
Red Ridge Trail

12/14/22 - Day Seventy-Nine 

I’ve hiked all of these trails once before back when I was still in active treatment and something that I am beginning to slightly enjoy is redoing hikes that I did while sick to see just how strong I am now versus then. I remember the blue trail was really steep. I remember being too tired to do all the trails in one hike. And I remember feeling proud of myself for even taking on a 4 mile day. Now, I cruised up the red trail, out to Judson’s Pond, and then down the blue. Although I made a slight adjustment to the plan it wasn’t because I wasn’t strong enough, it was because I got such a late start and didn’t have enough daylight to do the whole set of trails nestled into the base of the Mahoosucs in Shelburne, NH. This just gives me an excuse to revisit this area again. This area feels so much like a throwback to many other sections of the whites that aren’t as heavily traveled - such as the Blueberry Mountain area in the Speckled region or the Randolph Town Forest trails that don’t see nearly as much traffic as the trails across the street at Appalachia. Hidden gems. They are everywhere. And I want to see them all.

Daily Miles: 10.22
Daily Vert: 2277’
Overall Mileage: 871.99
Overall Vert: 256,000’
Trace: 38.2% -> 38.6% 

Trails:

White Trail
Orange (Wiggins Rock)
Blue Trail
Red Trail
Yellow Trail
Ingalls-Cabot Connector
Yellow Connector
Judson Pond Trail 

12/18/22 - Day Eighty

Today was really relaxed. I did an out and back on Lincoln Woods Trail to get Franconia Falls and Black Pond Trail. After getting dumped on yesterday I wanted to see what the trails would look like, what was and wasn’t broken out, and there’s no better way to do that than to actually see it with your own eyes. Over the next three months, I have picked hikes that are far less strenuous and are absolutely doable in winter. Doing Lincoln Woods Trail and throwing on my snowshoes for a few miles while on Franconia Falls and Black Pond Trail, was the perfect choice for the day. 

Daily Miles: 8.72
Daily Vert: 638’
Overall Miles: 880.71
Overall Vert: 256,638’
Trace: 38.6% -> 38.7%

Trails:

Franconia Falls
Black Pond Trail

12/19/22 - Day Eighty-One 

It was just a matter of time before this happened and today although I hiked the entirety of the Welch-Dickey Loop, I will be re-hiking it in spring to get the .1 mile long view spur on the summit that was (not surprisingly)not  broken out or even findable after the 2+’ of snow that fell over the weekend. I told myself on the drive home that it’s ok, that I have time, and I have space to add this to my calendar in April while the school I work at is on break. I reminded myself that the reason I’m doing this is because I love hiking, and that’s absolutely true. I reminded myself that if I didn’t get to hike today because of trail conditions up north, I would’ve hiked down south just to get outside. As much as this is absolutely a full-time job and feels like a job a lot of the time, it is also fun. It’s probably the hardest and funnest job I’ve ever had. I envy people who get to go to work and just sit all day. I envy that they don’t have to psych themselves up mentally in order to do something that is so far out of their own wheelhouse it doesn’t even seem possible that they’re doing it and have been doing it now for 6 months straight, three-five days a week. I envy them now but in 9 months I won’t. In 9 months I will be one of them again. I don’t know how I am going to ever go back to only hiking 1 day a week. It’s going to be so hard. 

Daily Miles: 7.53
Daily Vert: 2265’
Overall Miles: 888.24 
Overall Vert: 258,903’
Trace: 38.7% -> 39.1% 

Trails: 

Welch-Dickey Loop Trail
Pine Flats Trail
Yellow Jacket Trail

12/21/22 - Day Eighty-Two 

Today was absolutely stunning. This is the kind of day that people rave about regarding winter hiking. There was no wind, it was a bit cold but not terrible, and the trails were pristine. The skies were pure blue and the trees were caked in snow. I felt stronger than I’ve felt in a while today, too. Winter hiking has always been really hard for me because I’ve never felt strong enough to carry snowshoes even if I’m not using them (which isn’t the case, it’s all in my head, I am absolutely strong enough). Today I reminded myself that I did a two night backpacking trip twice while in active cancer treatment and carried a fully loaded backpack. If I can do that, then there is no reason I can’t carry snowshoes and wear them in winter. As I ascended Tom for the first time in a year (at least) via Avalon and A-Z Trail I felt strong. I welcomed the weight of the snowshoes on my pack before putting them on and not taking them off for the vast majority of the hike. I felt strong. I never feel strong. It was such a wonderful feeling. This must be what it’s like for everyone else who hikes, I thought. 

Daily Miles: 9.54
Daily Vert: 3786’
Overall Miles: 897.78 
Overall Vert: 262,689’
Trace: 39.1% -> 39.6%
NEHH: 35/100 

Trails:

Tom Spur
A-Z Trail
Avalon Trail
Willey Range Trail
Beecher Pearl Cascades Loop
Avalon Spur
Willard Trail

12/26/22 - Day Eighty-Three

Today was a hot mess. Because of the recent rains, there was a layer of crust on top of the unconsolidated snow and with every step, even in snowshoes, I would sink a few inches into the snow. Anyone who has tried hiking in these kinds of conditions knows that it is slow, laborious, and frustrating. It tests your patience and even though I wanted to turn around after only a half mile, I knew that wasn’t an option. I was forced to slow down and even though it was not an enjoyable day, I am proud of myself for continuing forward despite the crappy conditions. I’ve done all of these trails before in summer and found the hike to be really enjoyable so although re-hiking them in terrible conditions wasn’t fun, at least I can say I’ve seen them at their best and worst.

Daily Miles: 5.08
Daily Vert: 553’
Overall Miles: 902.86
Overall Vert: 263,242’
Trace: 39.6% -> 39.7%

Trails:

Saco River Trail
Maggie’s Run
Maggie’s Extension

12/27/22 - Day Eighty-Four 

Today was pretty nice. I’ve done these trails before in winter on my first attempt at tracing back in 2020 and they felt much easier than last time. The Sugarloafs are two small peaks that are nestled into the side of the Pemigewasset region of The Whites. The trail to their summits is less than 2 miles one way and although short, the final stretch of trail is steep. I ended up doing seven miles of hiking for only three miles of trail towards my goal. I don’t really think about how many miles are tacked on just to get each piece of trail in the White Mountain Guidebook as a waste of miles. Every hike is an entity in and of itself to me. I don’t really get discouraged by seeing the percentage go up by fractions at times. I do get frustrated at the amount of ice on the trails and my traction failing to grip into it. I get frustrated that I can’t go faster or that I’m not going fast enough. Today was really pretty and even though I only will gain a fraction of a percent towards my goal for the efforts I put in, it really doesn’t bother me at all.

Daily Miles: 7.45
Daily Vert: 1729’
Overall Miles: 910.31
Overall Vert: 264,971’
Trace: 39.7% -> 39.9%

Trails: 

Trestle Trail
Sugarloaf Trail
Sugarloaf Trail North Sugarloaf Branch

12/29/22 - Day Eighty-Five 

I woke up late today and was very tempted to stay home and hike tomorrow instead but after taking a shower I found myself, as if by rote, donning my hiking clothes and was out the door within 30 minutes of waking. The trails were very spring-like for almost January. Snow was softening to a consistency akin to mashed potatoes and there were many stretches of bare ground laced between the rotting snow and melting ice. I had picked the trails that I did for two reasons, they were close to my house (only an hour away) and would likely have less snow and therefore wouldn’t require snowshoes. I was right about not needing snowshoes but that didn’t make the hiking go any faster because spring snow equals slow going. I find myself able to keep going regardless of whether or not I’m tired at this point, six months into this journey. It’s as though my body has a mind of its own now. My legs know how to adjust their pace depending on the steepness or conditions, my lungs know how to breathe harder or softer to provide oxygen to my muscles, and my stomach knows how to let me know that it’s hungry and needs a snack. Because my body is such a well-oiled machine now, it allows my mind to wander. It gives my mind the freedom to drift all around. I listen to music or podcasts almost all of the time on hikes but there are days where I will have conversations with myself aloud or even just walk in silence for hours. It feels so silly to think that I used to be afraid of the mountains, of hiking alone not that long ago. I still have another 8 months of this, I’m not quite halfway done and I’m already dreading the end. What will it feel like? How will I adapt to not doing this day in and day out? How will I learn to live without spending dozens of hours a week alone in the forest?

Daily Miles: 8.19
Daily Vert: 2541’
Overall Miles: 918.50
Overall Vert: 267,512’
Trace: 39.9% -> 40.3%

Trails: 

Doublehead Trail
Old Highway North & South
Prescott Trail
Old Mountain Rd.
Crawford-Ridgepole Trail

12/31/22 - Day Eighty-Six

Today I did an out and back completing all of the trails within the Pondicherry Wildlife Area. I have done all of these trails before, and once again, they did not disappoint. I really love this area not only because of how well maintained the trails are (kudos to the Cohos Trail Association) but also because there are some really nice views of the northern presidentials from the trail. I love the Little Cherry Pond Trail area as well. This small loop is lined with old growth forest (and new) and the whole time I was hiking I was just waiting for a moose to pop out onto the trail (this area is prime moose territory, in my opinion). Although I didn’t see a moose, I was happy to spend the entire day sans traction and with the exception of a small stretch of the Colonel Whipple Trail, this area is snow and ice free.

Daily Miles: 10.90
Daily Vert: 288’
Overall Miles: 929.40
Overall Vert: 267,800’
Trace: 40.3% -> 40.7%

Trails:

Pondicherry Rail Trail
Waumbek Junction
Rampart Path
Colonel Whipple Trail
Little Cherry Pond Trail
Shore Path  

1/2/23 - Day Eighty-Seven 

Today I did two hikes that I’ve done before in the past, both while in treatment. Back then I did them individually, not in one day, and they were hard. Today, I did them together and they were not hard. I can’t believe there is no snow in January. But I am grateful because it makes the hikes much easier for me. Cobble Hill is a very interesting area that I would love to explore more in the future. According to the guidebook, branching off of Cobble Hill Trail, is South Landaff Rd, which is an abandoned road that led to some old farmsteads which were active in the nineteenth century. There are said to be some old cellar holes, an apple orchard, and remnants of a farm community. I definitely plan on going back to explore this area when I’m done tracing. Jericho Rd. Trail leads to an old fire tower past an area that was recently logged. This is another trail that is made up of old logging roads and was originally constructed as a horse trail. As much as I love the historical aspects of both of these trails, Cobble Hill is the one I am most excited about revisiting in the future.

Daily Miles: 11.33 
Daily Vert: 2239’
Overall Miles: 940.73
Overall Vert: 270,039’
Trace: 40.7% -> 41%

Trails:

Cobble Hill Trail
Jericho Rd. Trail

1/6/23 - Day Eighty-Eight 

Today was beautiful. Snow fell the whole hike and because of how warm it has been there was almost no snow on the trail prior to today’s storm. Only a few inches fell and because I was in the trees it was quiet - the kind of quiet you get in winter when snow is falling in the woods. Even the animals are asleep. 

Daily Miles: 8.38 
Daily Vert: 2229’
Overall Miles: 949.11
Overall Vert: 272,268’
Trace: 41% -> 41.4%

Trails:

Col Trail
Ridge Trail
Pasture Trail
5 Finger Point Trail
East Rattlesnake Trail
Butterworth Trail

1/8/23 - Day Eighty-Nine 

Today was less than ideal (read: sucked). I really didn’t want to go hiking but I knew I had to. Conditions were less than ideal and because of how little snow there is it’s impossible to get good footing or make easy ascents up even the smallest peaks. I put on a funny podcast and tried to zone out. The final ascent of the day was up the yellow trail (in other words, I climbed up Cole hill from two different trails) and as I was making the final push I reached a large group of people (around 8). I thought that they were turning off of the blue trail onto the yellow and that I had reached the junction and could turn around as well. However, I was wrong. I chose to turn around probably about 2/10s of a mile early and decided to quickly check my watch to verify I had reached the junction only to find out I had not. Annoyed, I let the group pass so that I could climb back up the trail and finish it all the way to the junction with Blue trail. In my annoyance I dumped my pack to make the final stretch of trail easier and thought that I had passed it going back down and didn’t notice it (it’s white, the trail is covered in snow = camouflage). This led me to backtracking back up the same 2/10s of trail two times to make sure I didn’t walk by it only to discover it a bit further down the trail. Needless to say I was ready to be done by this point.

Daily Miles: 9.30 
Daily Vert: 2249’
Overall Miles: 958.41
Overall Vert: 274,517’
Trace: 41.4% -> 41.8%

Trails:

Yellow Trail
Blue Trail
Red Trail

1/9/23 - Day Ninety 

Today I finished the Speckled tab! There are 12 spreadsheets that list all of the 657(+/-) trails in the White Mountain Guidebook, and this hike was the last one I needed to complete the Speckled tab. It was a really bittersweet hike. I have done all of these trails before, back on January 1, 2022, but this time there was almost no snow whereas last time the trails were completely coated with feet of snow. I really enjoyed seeing what was under all that snow. The old rock walls, boundary markers, and the forest floor. There is nothing quite like a forest blanketed in fallen leaves. The sun heated up the soil and I inhaled deeply, savoring the heady aroma that is usually unattainable in January. Every time I found myself feeling annoyed that I had yet another uphill, I reminded myself that this was the last time I would be over in this area and instantly felt myself slow down. The last place I ever imagined finishing first was in the Speckled region - one I had never visited until January, 2022, a region that intimidated me because of its remoteness. It feels right that of all the places to finish first, I picked the one that I knew the least about, the one that hugs the border between my two favorite states, the region that has won my heart.

Daily Miles: 9.27 
Daily Vert: 2416’
Overall Miles: 967.68
Overall Vert: 276,933’
Trace: 41.8% -> 42.2% 

Trails:

Leach Link Trail
Deer Hills Bypass
Deer Hills Trail
Ledges Trail
Frost Trail
Deer Hill Spring Spur
Deer Hills Connector