Anyone in the White Mountains this weekend?

[Chi Meson]

My wife and I are staying at the Crawford Notch Campground this weekend. Foliage out in full, no rain, going to bag a quick Mt. Washington summit,

Who's in?

 

[turbo]

Color me jealous! I had to give up climbing due to knee surgeries and arthritis. I can climb up all day long, but going downhill kills me. Mt. Washington would be do-able, if I could stand being confined with fragranced people. Climb up, and Cog down.

 

[turbo]

If there was an easy cheap way back down Katahdin, I'd pencil it in at least once a year. There are boulder-y ascents that require hand-strength and scrambling, and I could probably still do those easily, but the last time I descended, my knees swelled up so bad that when we hit the base, I had to get help taking off my jeans (cooler fall climb) and get some shorts on for the drive home. If you can get (and stay) fragrance-free including detergents and fabric softeners, I'll help you schedule some local accommodations, or you can camp on our property, and we can do a bit of fishing next summer. I fly-fish almost exclusively, but there are a couple of nice ponds that are really trout-y and allow artificial lures only (a bit more permissive) if you haven't gotten the fly-fishing bug. The best ponds are FFO, and some of them have a minimum length limit of 18". Wild brookies of 14-16" are a handful on light fly-rods, so if you've gotten hooked up with one 18-20", you'll need patience, luck, and some world-class grin-repellent.

 

[Dr Transport]

Pictures man, pictures. Mt Washington is on my short list of places to go hiking...

 

[Chi Meson]

Color me jealous! I had to give up climbing due to knee surgeries and arthritis. I can climb up all day long, but going downhill kills me. Mt. Washington would be do-able, if I could stand being confined with fragranced people. Climb up, and Cog down.

I've learned to live with and accept the Cog. WHen passing by, I throw some of the scattered ash back at it, yelling "back whence ye came, hellspawn!" And wave, nicely.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'll be there with my wife and son. How will I know you?

 

[Office_Shredder]

I'll be there with my wife and son. How will I know you?

You just do the secret PF handshake of course

 

[turbo]

I'll be there with my wife and son. How will I know you?

Speak softly and carry a big fish.

 

[Astronuc]

I'll be there with my wife and son. How will I know you?

He wears a kid on his shoulders.

 

[drizzle]

Speak softly and carry a big fish.

:rofl: frozen of course :rofl:

 

[Chi Meson]

I'll be there with my wife and son. How will I know you?

Seriously? In the White Mountains in general, or at the Crawford Notch campground? Were at site 90, way at the end. Just my wife and I (kids at gramma an grampas). Don't knock after 8!

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

In the White Mountains in general, or at the Crawford Notch campground?

We go leaf-peeping every year and this year we planned to go to NH this coming weekend. I thought perhaps Franconia Notch, but we didn't make any solid plans. We just go and find what lodging we can. Perhaps I will swing by and say hello if it doesn't disturb what vague plans we have. I spent a lot of time in the Lakes Region as a child and I will certainly head that way. We will not be climbing Mt. Washington unless by cog rail.

 

[Gokul43201]

Haven't posted here for a while, but just saw this thread and had to reply.

My wife and I are staying at the Crawford Notch Campground this weekend. Foliage out in full, no rain, going to bag a quick Mt. Washington summit,

Who's in?

I too will be in the area this weekend. Haven't yet figured out where I'll be staying, but weather permitting (there will likely be rain Friday night and possibly Saturday morning), I'll be hiking in the Presidentials on Saturday and summitting Whiteface and Passaconaway on Sunday. One of my fellow hikers is staying in the Dry River Campground in Crawford Notch (I presume that's the same one you're staying at), and I may join him there, but more likely, will stay either in North Conway or Gorham. Only time I am able to visit, is unfortunately after 8pm, but I might run into you on Mt Washington (yeah, right ... you and a million other people) if you happen to be there Saturday afternoon!

I was in the Notch last weekend too, when the colors were starting to seriously change. I took this picture from the summit of Mt Willey, looking south along the Notch:

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2522/pan1c.png

 

[Chi Meson]

Dry river campground is upstream from "Crawford Notch General Store and Campground." The latter is outside the park itself and is privately owned. They both have access to the Saco river which during the summer has wonderful swimability (a bit chilly now).

CNGS&C, is much more attractive to "Trailer Campers," a breed I used to rebuke with disgust. Since the kids arrived, I am a bit more tolerant, but still, folks who go camping while bringing EVERY piece of modern equipment with them AND a F******* generator to run them while "enjoying the outdoors" with their ******* microwave ovens and ******** televisions and ********* loud **** music playing on their ********* ****** ********** and ******* with their ********** going **** **** **** ***** all ******** night while *********** and ************ and *******

what was the question?

Oh, the Crawford Notch campground is really close to Bartlett, Glen, etc, so we'll be able to hit the restaurants. We'll have to put up with a little bit of noise, I guess.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2522/pan1c.png

Oh yeah, that's the stuff.

 

[Gokul43201]

Chi, Jimmy: Let me know if you folks are planning to meet up - I'd love to be able to join in, or meet either/both of you separately. Likely good times for me are Friday evening 6-8pm and maybe late Saturday night (after 9pm or so).

Astro: You should drive over - it's not too far from home is it? About 5-7 hrs from upstate NY along 90 and 91.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I PM'ed Gokul with my cell phone number. I can't PM Chi Meson, but he can PM me with any contact info if he wants me to call him.

 

[Chi Meson]

Yeah, OK. I've always had PM turned off b/c I really don't want to answer all those homework question PMs. Sunday is the day to be on the mountain. I expect Saturday evening, my wife and I will look for a decent burger and beer establishment.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

The trip was a great success. We stayed in Laconia on Lake Winnipesaukee, the first night in a motel because we arrived late, the second night in a cabin which was our intention. Friday and Saturday were spent getting up there because we spent time with some relatives in Connecticut. When we got settled in Sat night, I saw that Gokul had left a message on my cell phone and so I called him back. He was in N. Conway which was too far north for us to get to that night. Sunday he spent the day hiking while we went leaf peeping. This is the best year I can recall for it. I had never gotten there at the peak before and so had never before seen an entire mountain covered in bright fall colors, and lit up by the sun. Crawford's Notch is a great place for it. However, there is a traffic jam of epic proportions in the town of N. Crawford and we went right through it. I didn't meet Chi Meson either, but I left a message at the desk and a note at his campsite just telling him that I had been there. Then we went further north and back south through Franconia Notch. It was getting late so we didn't stop at any of the sights, but the leaf peeping was excellent. As we went farther south, the spectacular show came to an end. By the time we got back to Laconia, the colors were about what you get in NJ at peak. After we got back, Gokul called again from N. Conway and again we didn't meet up.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

These photos are none too good. Here are my son and wife.

Here is some mountain in Crawford's Notch.

Here is another photo of the scene that Chi Meson posted.

Our cabin on Lake Winnipesaukee.

The view across Lake Winnipesaukee from the cabin.

 

[lisab]

Cursor rollover message: "And I could replace you with older pictures of you, from back when you looked happy"

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Instead of driving all this way, we could've just taken our summer pictures and messed with the "hue" slider in photoshop.

Shh!

 

[Chi Meson]

Saturday, walking into the damp air of Mount Carrigain. Heading into a 14-mile hike.

My wife climbing the lookout tower at the top (cold, wet, wind. Her favorite!)

Sunday, climbing from Crawford Notch, on our way to Lakes of the Clouds. These are the first views of the weekend.

Here is the view to the south. Carrigain, Saturday's climb, is at the lower left.

Near Monroe, starting to look grim.

Made it! The Dungeon, at the Lakes of the Clouds AMC hut. My favorite place in the White Mountains. I've spent something like 12 nights in this dank prision over the years.

Snowing on the way back. You can see the silhouette of Pam near the right.

Almost back to Crawford Notch, and the view of Bretton Woods opened up.

Back at the campsite, I found a message!

Next day was, finally beautiful, but we only had time for a quick 5 mile hike over Hedgehog mountain. From this point you can ust see snow-covered Washington in the way-back, there.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Back at the campsite, I found a message!

Actually, I was going to put a homework help question there, but I thought better of it.

 

[Gokul43201]

The trip was a great success. We stayed in Laconia on Lake Winnipesaukee, the first night in a motel because we arrived late, the second night in a cabin which was our intention. Friday and Saturday were spent getting up there because we spent time with some relatives in Connecticut. When we got settled in Sat night, I saw that Gokul had left a message on my cell phone and so I called him back. He was in N. Conway which was too far north for us to get to that night. Sunday he spent the day hiking while we went leaf peeping. This is the best year I can recall for it. I had never gotten there at the peak before and so had never before seen an entire mountain covered in bright fall colors, and lit up by the sun.

I drove up to the White Mountains on Saturday, which was overcast and rainy, for most of the morning and early afternoon. The colors were out alright, but looked terribly understated, under a dark gray sky.

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/9695/img1861.jpg

But as I was driving, the clouds parted for but a brief moment, and down came the sun, for a little leaf peeping. It was brilliant - even if only for a short while - and enough to whet my appetite.

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/9711/img1874a.jpg

That didn't last though. Saturday, I climbed the Osceolas, through a light rain and heavy mist. There were some fun (and very slippery) rock climbs, but no views from the top.

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/6757/picture13.png http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/9315/picture15d.png

As I was coming down, the skies started clearing up slowly, and the trees were dressed in color again.

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/5470/picture16o.png http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/658/picture17pu.png

I called Jimmy after the hike - stuck in inching traffic in N. Conway - and left him a message letting him know where I was. I heard back from him later that night. He was about 50 miles south of me, and given the traffic, about 3 hours away.

Sunday was a better day. I went up Mt Whiteface and Mt Passaconaway with a group of hikers from the Appalachian Mountain Club. There was some sleet near the top, but a lot nicer views than Saturday.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6233/picture18t.png

Driving back to N. Conway, I made a brief stop along the way by Lake Chocorua to drink in the last drops of dusky daylight.

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/3129/picture19b.png

The next morning, I did the same hike that Chi Meson did Saturday, but with much better weather and much nicer views. Chi Meson might remember this sign to the trailhead, but I doubt he saw it with as pretty a backdrop.

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/633/img2093.jpg

Saturday, walking into the damp air of Mount Carrigain. Heading into a 14-mile hike.
[PLAIN]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g254/brichid1765/IMG_6937.jpg[/quote]<cough,[/URL] cough>

Monday, walking into the crisp air of Mount Carrigain. Heading into a 10-mile hike - though I'm sure it feels like a lot more when it's all wet and yucky, like it was Saturday.

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/28/picture4u.png http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/8156/picture7b.png

Some views from along the way:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2779/picture8g.png http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/2880/picture12l.png
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5242/picture9a.png

My wife climbing the lookout tower at the top (cold, wet, wind. Her favorite!)
[PLAIN]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g254/brichid1765/IMG_6947.jpg[/quote][/URL]

The lookout tower, from far and near (Monday morning was clear, with hardly a breeze):

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/6097/picture10p.png http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/602/picture11n.png

It was so clear, you could see the puffs of smoke from the Cog climbing up Mt Washington. And it was so still that the smoke clouds hung around for minutes.

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/4775/img2068.jpg

Finished that hike in a hurry, and drove back home, catching a few final views on my way out.

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/9389/picture7bs.png

 

[turbo]

I called Jimmy after the hike - stuck in inching traffic in N. Conway - and left him a message letting him know where I was. I heard back from him later that night. He was about 50 miles south of me, and given the traffic, about 3 hours away.

Ooh! Bad! North Conway traffic during foliage season is brutal. My wife and I headed to the Balsams for a short hike to table rock with my cousin, her husband and their young daughters. The rain moved in, and somehow my wife and my cousin conspired to steer us to North Conway for a side-trip to the outlet-store strip. There was a very old man walking with two canes alongside the main strip. We could just about keep pace with him, though he would surge ahead of us for a few hundred feet at a time. Hell! Able-bodied people (even very obese or lethargic-looking folks) left us in the dust. I never want to see that town again.

 

[Chi Meson]

<cough, cough>

Monday, walking into the crisp air of Mount Carrigain. Heading into a 10-mile hike - though I'm sure it feels like a lot more when it's all wet and yucky, like it was Saturday.
[/PLAIN][/URL]

I'm sure it was a 10 mile hike if you turned around at the top and came back the same path (since the sign at the top says "5.0 Miles" to the trailhead). We went on down the west side, to the left of the tower-shot we have, tremendously steep, and came back through Carrigain Notch. That loop is between 13 and 14 miles.

 

[Redbelly98]

Back at the campsite, I found a message!

Actually, I was going to put a homework help question there, but I thought better of it.

Now that would have been a funny surprise :rofl:

 

[Chi Meson]

Now that would have been a funny surprise :rofl:

We had been at the site for more than an hour before I saw the note. I had to set up our smaller, 4-season tent because it was too cold to be in our luxurious, family-size 3-season tent. So, pitching a second tent in the dark, hungry, after 30 miles in 2 days, joints hurting, starting to feel old, time to eat *oh BOY* ramen noodles, and then...

there's the note! I'm not sure if the world suddenly felt larger or smaller, somehow both. It was really a blast to see it.

 

[Gokul43201]

I'm sure it was a 10 mile hike if you turned around at the top and came back the same path (since the sign at the top says "5.0 Miles" to the trailhead). We went on down the west side, to the left of the tower-shot we have, tremendously steep, and came back through Carrigain Notch. That loop is between 13 and 14 miles.

Yup, 13.5 mi according to the WMG. So much for being a smart-***! How were the views coming down the other side?

 

[Chi Meson]

Yup, 13.5 mi according to the WMG. So much for being a smart-***! How were the views coming down the other side?

not

There was an initial mile of absurdly steep descent (it was quite literally, "class III" rock-climbing at a few points; I am a overly-proud "mountain goat" when it comes to ascents and especially descents. I do NOT use my hands, I do NOT "butt-scrape" on a hiking trail, EVER! Well, I held onto branches, and my butt was scraped by the end of it. Totally demoralizing. No pictures, please.)

...then some nice woods, like the initial approach. Going through the notch, we saw the even steeper north side of Carrigain, but that was it for views the whole time. Mostly a long tree-tunnel.