Carrigain, So Long Ago I Hope I get it Right...

Wow! So it's been awhile. Good news is I have been hiking! Bad news is the start of a new school year has taken over any resemble of a "life" I had. We're talking 12 to 13 hour days of working on school materials, going to meetings, creating stuff, making to-do lists that just seem to grow instead of dwindle. I mean, this is what I look like Monday through Friday:

I then fall asleep and dream about school. What kids go in what spelling group? Did I grade the writing too hard? too easy? Why is this my classroom this year (as I proceed to dream about moving everything into my old classroom that is almost twice the size). It. Is. Never. Ending. Great, I'll probably go back to dreaming about school again now that I'm talking about it. I had a sweet weekend off of those.

Anyway, this blog isn't about my work woes. It's about getting away from them and into the mountains.

So TWO weeks ago, which now seems like two months ago, the boy decided he wanted to test out his knee on a 4,000 footer. I just happened to be plotting my next hike up to the top of Mt. Carrigain. And okay, maybe I strongly encouraged his tagging along because I had some REALLY BIG plans brewing for the following weekend which you'll get to read about probably in October when I find some free time. Anyway, off we headed to the hiker's exit: number 35, up to 302 and through the notch we went until we reached Sawyer River Road. Here's where the fun began. And I'm not being sarcastic.

Trail head is pretty easy to locate

The trail started off gradually, with a few mud spots. (Don't ask me if it rained the days prior. I didn't even remember I had to pay rent this month. I cannot tell you about the weather two weeks ago.)

Someone was a little eager to test out their knee on the trail

oh, mud!

There was also the peaceful sounds of the gurgling water rushing by as we (or I) casually walked through the woods because that's the vibe the trail was signaling to me and I wasn't going dispute it. I mean, old logs poking up from a trail just say, "Take it easy," to me.

Random factoid: there was an assortment of mushrooms growing all around. I especially liked the puffy looking ones.

We continued on, over a river crossing that wasn't too treacherous. We skipped over a few rocks and I sacrificed one foot to the brook in my laziness to step on the last rock. Not quite sure why I wasn't very concerned about getting all the way across with dry feet. I like to think that I'm just seasoned now.

Leading the way and keeping his feet dry while doing it

In addition to the gradual, sometimes muddy, trail, and the gurgling brook there were planks. I have a new found love affair with planks. They make me unexpectedly giddy. I don't question it.

Soon after you'll find a junction.

We followed trail left up to Mount Carrigain. It started to increase in grades and reminded me of a mountain biking path.

I was stoked that this was what I was going to be hitting on the way down. However, I had actually done my research on this hike and knew it wasn't long until the trail would stop being my casual friend and turn into a rocky uphill foe.

Exhibit A:

Rocks. Everywhere. Big rocks. Little rocks. Rocks that are angled just a little too much for my liking. Enter moderate hiking.

Yes, a reward! Mini view!

There's also this beautiful slab that you get to hoist yourself up:

Okay, fine. That part was fun. I'm sure someone isn't going to lead the entire hike again when the photographer is behind him, as well. This part was also pretty wet (hey, thanks for reminding me pictures!) and when we both looked at each with vast disappointment that we weren't going to be able to run the entire way down. Slippery, loose rocks are no beuno for someone that just had major knee surgery 6 months prior.

The trail was fairly narrow and lacked scenery. I was ready to get to the ridge line views pronto. It felt like it took longer than it should've to get to them and yes, it's entirely possible that my stomach was growling at this point and that is why.

Heck yeah, views!

Yay! The views. I was really excited! The views stretched in both directions for miles. I was ready to just set up camp here and drink in the awesomeness. While I was striking poses, I heard a bottle of bubbly pop up towards the fire tower. I turned to my cohort and immediatly said, "Someone has just reached their #48! How awesome!" I later found out that this assumption was correct, so see, assuming doesn't always have to end with making an...

But...it looks SOOOO far away!

We continued on our mission up to the tower. I was slightly taken aback that the trail became more pillowy with pine needles and rich earth. I was also happy with how quickly we got up to the tower as it looked so far away from me on the ridge (thank you self for getting Dire Straits stuck in your head).

The tower. Let's talk about it. I was petrified going up and down. I've always had a weird fear of falling between stairs to my death. Makes me wonder how I was able to work construction for a summer. But  once you get to the top. Wowza! The views were insane. There was also a guy sitting on the railing that I thought was slightly insane for doing so, but that is neither here nor there. I was so very elated.

Go ahead. Drink it in. It was a gorgeous day.

We ALWAYS match! Completely unintentional. We even were matching the day we met.

At this point I was also stoked to eat my pretzels with chocolate hazelnut spread. Justin's makes these perfect little packets for hiking. I'm a huge fan. You should get some, too. Just go to justins.com and stalk up or my favorite store on planet Earth: Target.

Anyway, it was a great hike with amazingly awe-inspiring views. There was definitely a lack of running on the way down due to the rocky conditions and then my knee decided to give me the old "I don't like you" speech. Seriously, I blame Cabot for my knee pain returning. It's not the lack of yoga in my life at all. Or my on again, off again, relationship with my foam roller.

Overall, the hike is pretty easy for the first 3ish miles then it gives attitude and turns into steady uphill of rock. Overall I think it took a little under 4 hours (again, it was soooo long ago!) Definitely worth the views on a clear day.

Happy hiking and stay tuned for when I get around to my most epic hike ever!

Isolated at Isolation...No Really

 Sad story. I moved back to Vermont today. I've been packing, unpacking, cleaning, and organizing for HOURRRSSSSS. Literally. I need a break.

Enter my hike on Thursday. I woke up after Wednesday night's storm to gray clouds playing tug of war with peeks of blue sky. I decided to cheer on the blue parts through action and headed up the Kanc towards Glen Ellis Falls on Route 16 in Jackson. I found some really awesome jams on a pop station as I made my way northeast. I was rocking out so hard, getting jazzed for the hike, that a guy on his bike got a good chuckle. The plan was to hike Isolation up the Glen Boulder Trail/Davis Path, run back down and then venture across to bag Wildcat D. I mean, time is dwindling if I'm to get all 48 by the end of the year.

The signage for getting on the Glen Boulder Trail is very clear. You head straight from the parking lot, not turning left towards Glen Ellis Falls, but instead towards the toilets until you spot this lovely sign. It'll point you in the right direction (and only 1.6 miles to the boulder? sweeeet!)

The trail was expectedly wet and muddy after the monsoon that stormed through. There were rocks to galavant across like stepping stones guiding you along. I got distracted by a giant toad jumping around until he hid in a hole. While I was chasing him I heard the tinkling of water that signaled a waterfall. Therefore, I proceeded to this gem.

Then I wondered what happened to the trail because there was no way I was going to be able to scale the muddy hill that was in front of me. So I did the reasonable thing and backtracked to where I saw the toad. That's when I noticed the markers were on the rocks. Duh.

This hike was definitely more technical (read: rocky) than the ones I've been doing this summer.  I also greatly appreciated the clear signs at every juncture. Such as: 

and 

Here's a disclaimer: if you don't like getting your feet wet, literally, then don't do this hike after a rain storm. I gave up having clean, dry feet after a rock wiggled lose in a brook crossing and left me ankle deep in water. The hike actually became more enjoyable after that moment because I just blasted through any minor water/mud, which, again, there was a sufficient amount of. 

Just walk through it. Your shoes will dry. 

Oh, also, at that ski trail juncture there's a nice little look out of more cascading water that I do not suggest you just walk through. 1. It's more rapid. 2. There's no point.

Just for viewing. Not walking in. Unless you want to.

So you continue up because of course that's how you get to Isolation, but it's also the way you get to Glen Boulder and you want to see Glen Boulder. Trust me. Hiker be warned, there is a slight scramble you will have to conquer before you see said boulder. It's fun though! I was reminded of Howard and our climbing buddy yelling at me to trust my feet when I was rock climbing. It's really hard to do when you can't look down and see you're feet though. (Side note: when you come back this way, this doesn't seem like a scramble at all and you'll wonder why there were excited butterflies when you went up, or that's just me.)

Scrambling

Then, when you least expect it (although now you'll be expecting it) you'll see Glen Boulder. It's breathtakingly awesome when you're not expecting it. I guess I should've given you a spoiler alert before saying that part.

See, it's up there! Just follow the cairns!

If you're feeling a little lazy, stop hiking altogether at the boulder. The views will make you smile from ear to ear, kind of like what I'm doing in the picture above. (And clearly, the blue skies won out for the most part.)

Some fog did roll into the valley.

The trail is above tree level for the majority of the time as you weave through the cairns to Slide Peak, aka Gulf Peak. The trail is like a talus field: full of rock jumping. I think you can tell I got distracted by all the beauty and I couldn't help myself from snapping pictures left and right and forward and back.

Up and Up

Blueberries! 

Views for days.

Hang out. Have a snack. 

After a quick snack, continue on until you get to the junction with the Davis Path. Go down the hill, away from Mount Washington if your mission is to get to Mount Isolation. It says it on the sign even, and I'm a very careful reader of signs now a days.

The fog really rolled in at this point, leaving me viewless. I was okay with that because as you go downhill (yes, downhill) it becomes wooded. Oh, and wet again. It was pretty much hiking down in a small, continuously running brook. There's also trees that have been blown over. Looks like the Big Bad Wolf was working overtime.

No worries though. They don't obstruct your path.

In addition, if you were planning on the bridges to help you keep your feet dry you might want to rethink that notion. A lot of them are well loved and have either sunk, become detached, are rotted, or just don't exist

Muddy toes! Of course my shoelaces are untied. Typical.

There's a junction I failed to snap a photo of both times I went by it. If you see it, keep going straight on the Davis Path. I believe the other option is Isolation Trail East which is why I stopped and debated which way for a minute before getting informed by a very nice family that I needed to continue on downhill. Yes, the majority of the hike on Davis Path is downhill. There's some nice flat running parts as well as uphills as you pass Rocky Branch and get closer to Isolation.

It's uphill and flat-ish from here

Luckily, there's a little temporary sign announcing you go up to the right to hit Isolation. The misting had stopped at this point, my shoes were disgustingly muddy and wet, and the views were AWESOME! Except to the North as the fog was still hanging around those darn Presidentials. 

So, now it was time to head back and go UP the Davis Path. This is the part most people are not stoked about when taking this route to Mount Isolation. However, I felt like it was quicker going up than going down this time around (I'm also throwing out raps. I must be tired.) So the nice thing about an out and back is how I know where I am and what's coming up. The bummer about this route is I find it difficult to run down a rocky, boulderish trail. However, I was feeling good when I got to the bottom so it was time to add 4.7 more miles onto the 12 miles I just completed.

I contemplated stopping off at the car and dropping some gear off before cruising up the Wildcat Ridge Trail. I decided not to waste the time and head to the trail. You need to jump over the stone wall that gently guides you to Ellis Glen Falls. Then comes the "brook" crossing. Well, after multiple inches of rain it was more of a white rapids crossing. I made it half way across and found it impossible for the combination of my short legs, wet sneakers, and camera swinging around my neck to make it across. I wasted half an hour on a rock contemplating all my options, looking for different ones, and wishing the water wasn't so high so I could just jump in and walk across. I'm cool with wet sneakers, but that water was rushing and was clearly going to hit me at the hips. I turned around.

I decided I would hang out with all the tourists, otherwise known as 93.2% of the parking lot, and check out Glen Ellis Falls. I was thoroughly impressed, just like with Glen Boulder. It was well worth the flat, .3 mile walk.

So I headed back to my car feeling all warm and fuzzy from the waterfall and boulder, but frustrated that I wouldn't be able to cross off Wildcat D. 

BLESSING IN DISGUISE, MY FRIEND.

Soooo, apparently, when I wear polarized sunglasses and the sun comes out I don't see that the lights are still on in the car. And since my hiking car is older, it also doesn't beep at me saying, "Hey, idiot, you left the lights on!" nor do they shut off automatically. So imagine my surprise, not pleasant for the first time that day, when pressing unlock wouldn't unlock the car. DEAD.AS.A.DOORNAIL. (How cliche.) I swear I should be blonde because at this point I had no idea I had left the lights on and the battery was just dead. 

Did I mention my phone was well on its way to dying as well? AWESOME! The fact that I had to walk down the road for service was just icing on my cupcake. I called the boy (of course!) to ask what procedure to take. He LOVES these phone calls, especially when he's out of the country (that's a different story though) or at a work event (that's this story, and kind of the other one, too). He did me a solid and get me added to his emergency roadside stuff and called a tow, but only after I found a super duper nice couple to try to jump me (didn't work). They also hung around with their car running so I could give my phone some life.

It took over 2.5 hours from trying to unlock the car to getting it jumped. Those roadside assistant guys have a legit system to give your car some power though. That part took two seconds. Afterwards, I didn't want to turn the car off because I was scared it would die (yes, this is my first dead battery! I don't know the rules!) So, I drove straight home instead of running all the errands I had planned in North Conway. That lead to a very hectic Saturday (hunting for a dress for a wedding THAT day). The  car is also still kicking. I actually used to to schlep all my stuff to Vermont from New Hampshire (it was a lot of schlepping). 

And reader, do not fear, I'll be back to the great White Mountains this weekend to check some more peaks off, as well as Labor Day. It shall be my sanity before the school year officially gets underway. 

Until then, happy trails, wading, and getting around.

Ha forgot the stats:

Total milage: 12

Time: a hair under 5 hours

Exertion: moderate

Views: totally worth it 

Middle Carter...My Faith Restored

Monday was gorgeous, so I wrestled with spending the day hiking through the woods or sunning on a beach. Luckily for my 48er quest I had soaked up some rays doing yard work the prior day. I whipped together my hiking gear and headed towards Middle Carter. A peak that I have said, aloud to actual people,  that I was going to conquer that day but have bailed on for a myriad of excuses well developed reasons. Alas, today would be the day, and I was dreading it.

For starters, it was my first hike after the horrendous, life altering, infamous Cabot hike. (I just shuddered. Read prior post if you have no idea what I'm talking about and okay, I have a flair for the melodramatic.) Secondly, it would be my second wooded summit. I mean I hike for the views. I guess I should've started my hiking career with 52 with a view, but whatever.

I parked at the Imp trail that has the sign for the Carter-Moriah Trail. If you're traveling Route 16 North, it'd be the second lot on the side of the road for the Imp Trail. The Imp trail is an actual loop that start and end a few tenths of a mile away from one another.

Park here, or don't. I'm not your boss.

I headed up and my warm hiking fuzzies started to return. I could hear water babbling off to the side. The trail was wide, easy to navigate, and not one ounce of over grown vegetation. The grades were gentle, the ground sprinkled with pine needles, and the soil beneath soft and cushiony like a memory foam rug. I was getting amped for my run back down.

Any down trees were easy to get around.

This screams, "Run me!"

This trail literally has a little something for every hiker. I was pretty jazzed the boy and I bailed on bagging Middle Carter last fall when we did Wildcat A, Carter Dome, and South Carter. Otherwise, I would never had known the awesomeness that is the Imp Trail (well, this side, but that's for later.)

There's gentle grades for the trail runners, waterfalls for the sightseers, a wooden "ladder"/stairs for the ones that like something a little different, views for anyone that is breathing, wooden bridges for those that want a flat surface, and for those who have a love affair with rocks, welllll...rock slabs, rock stairs, dry rocks, wet rocks, rock hopping, rock beds, yadda, yadda. 

I love a nice cascade.

Soon after ohhing and ahhing the cascade and rock stepping over a stream you'll find this gem. 

Don't get too comfortable on the gentle grades. Who needs a stair master when you can hike?

Slabbing further up, past Imp

A river ran through it...

So that's just a taste to wet your hiking chops. Let's go more into depth with the views, shall we? Little did I know (because I'm a horrible researcher...very much let's get the basic idea and then go with it) there's a spectacular view on Imp Face. I mean my eyes were wide and I literally stopped in my tracks for a moment. It totally took away the disdain and general disgust for the snake I saw crossing the trail. Feast your eyes on this.

See, have picnic here. On rocks over looking a huge valley and mountains.

Or just enjoy the views that my camera failed to truly depict.

I was like Ariel when she got her voice back.

The best part about this surprise, giant rocky slab to sit and have a picnic on was how easy it was to get to. I have to say one of the best parts about these adventures is learning about other peaks I otherwise didn't know about. I'm pretty sure Howard is getting tired of me coming home and being like, "We have to go do this again because it was awesome!" I'm pretty sure he'd rather be there the first time, but alas, he has a real grown up person's job and is still recovering from his ACL avulsion.

So from here the trail you keep going along until you come to a crossroads, which I failed to take a picture of for here. Regardless you'll be faced with the decision to go right, leading you down the other side of the Imp trail back to Route 16 or go left, leading you up towards the Carter-Moriah Trail. Whatever your decision, don't go right (again, more on that later).

So you head on up towards the Carter-Moriah Trail on what I guess is technically called the North Carter Trail. This part of the hike is a little more technical with rocks, but nothing traumatic or even remotely close. It's like a wooded hike. It is, or was, quite wet. 

Wet, rocky, nature.

This part of the hike got a little monotonous for me. I think I was also hungry. Seems to happen a lot around mile 3. I should start prepping better for mile 3. I just loathe stopping and taking all my gear off and untangling my straps to grab a snack. I'll move on...

So you go up along the wet stones until you come to your next signage which tells you you can turn around, or go either right or left on the Carter-Moriah Trail. 

If you're like me and looking to head to Middle Carter then go right towards the Zeta Pass. This is where the wooden bridges I mentioned earlier come into play as well. 

Pretty cool looking if you ask me.

This one was my favorite because it unexpectedly opened up and the colors just punch you in the face.

There's even more! I just wanted to give you a sampling. It also makes the last 0.6 miles of your hike enjoyable and not very strenuous. So, you're hiking and you're going to find some rocks. Some, if you have short legs like me or are not very flexible which is starting to happen to me, you'll have to give yourself a gentle hand up or boost to get up. However, wooden bridges are not the only enjoyable part of this leg. 

VIEWS! I'm talking Presidential views, too. There's a viewpoint that has a cairn on it. Stop, take it in, but keep going. That's not the summit, just a nice place to rest. 

Not a summit cairn. 

Not angry about this.

So, I found my lunch spot. I had made these AH-MAZING banana, oatmeal, chocolate chip "cookies" the night before (literally, that's all it is, banana, oatmeal, and chocolate chips) and they filled me up with energy and the knowledge that I was doing something good for my health. Yet, they're so yummy you feel guilty about it. Seriously, bananas are amazing. There's SO MANY things you can do with them that I could write a whole post about it. (And maybe I will!)

Anyway, the point of this hike was to bag Middle Carter. Between the cairn on the slab and the actual summit, try not to fall off the rocks you need to semi-scramble (again, only if you're short or inflexible) as you take in the view. 

Also, hint, there's no longer a sign to announce you're arrival to the summit. There's no pretty cairn saying, "Hey, go you, you made it!" There is this:

It's off on the right side. I was checking my handy-dandy gps, which told me I had already walked by the summit, which made sense because I started to go downhill. So I backtracked and found this and assumed (I'm praying I assumed correctly) that this was the marker. 

I thought, "Cool, cross it off. Let's go run that gorgeous Imp trail." HA. HAHAHAHA. Why do you laugh, you say? Well, again, I like loops so instead of going down the side that I came up, I went down the other side of the Imp Trail. I figured they'd be somewhat alike. I mean, I had such a pleasant experience on the other side. I wouldn't want to miss anything similar. HA! Two words: WET ROCKS! I got fooled. You can't run on wet rocks! (Okay, maybe you can, but I can't.) At one point I stubbed my toe pretty spectacularly. Four days later and it still hurts. I also wiped out on a giant, wet, slabby piece of rock. It was one of those slow motion falls that you feel coming even before it happens. Got some nice scrapes on my elbow and a two inch bruise on my hip. However, I refused to allow it to ruin what was otherwise a surprisingly lovely hike. I have also come to love the predictability of an out and back hike. 

Overall, I would do this hike again. Which says a lot without saying much.

Total distance: 9.9 miles

Total time: 3 hours and 42 minutes (not including my 10 minute lunch break...hey, I was savoring the cookies)

Effort: Easy up, easy/moderate down because you have to concentrate on wet rocks!

Views: Yes, but not on the actual summit (laaaame)

Happy Trails, ya'll!

*I just found out Imp Face is on 52 with a view. No wonder I was impressed. Check another one of those off list as of 8/19