At Four Thousand Feet

It’s official – I have an addiction to carrot cake. Vegan carrot cake made by the delightful folks at Cafe Indigo, to be precise. At $5.97 a pop, it’s certainly not the cheapest of indulgences… but luckily for me, my good hiking friend Cath shares my obsession with the stuff. To celebrate the first day of calendar winter back in December, we decided to carry a little baby carrot cake with us to the summit of Cabot. Save for the slight frostnip that sprung up on my pinky finger (note to self: licking icing off one’s fingers in -10F temperatures is not the most brilliant of ideas), it proved to be the perfect hiking treat. Thus, a new tradition was born…

Carrot cake on Carrigain. The phrase has a pleasant ring to it, does it not? Perhaps a carrot cake x 48 is in order, as I’m now three peaks into the list (7 if you count post-hike indulgences).

Osceolas.
Carrigain.
Moriah.
Black tights (as the January thaw was in full force).
Carrot cake.

Throw in some absolutely phenomenal – and wholly unexpected – views, a welcome encounter with a new friend, and some good old trail breaking… who could ask for a more perfect few days of hiking!

More Pictures Behind the Cut »

Extreme cold, frostnip, wind, and 2+ feet of new snow – week two of my vacation was certainly tough. Nonetheless, I refused to let the conditions hold me back. Heading into my winter hiking extravaganza, I didn’t have any lofty goals in mind. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to have…

Covered: 171.1 miles in distance
Gained: 55,550 vertical feet in elevation
Stood Atop: 30 4,000 footers

…in 15 days out on the trail. A quick recap of week two:

• 12/28 – Moriah
• 12/29 – Tecumseh
• 12/30 – Zealand
• 12/31 – North Twin, South Twin, and Galehead
• 1/1 – Liberty and Flume
• 1/2 – Tom, Field, and Willey
• 1/3 – Cannon

Not surprisingly, it was a terrible week for pictures! Here are a few of the better ones (please take that with a grain of salt)…

More Pictures Behind the Cut »

Finally, a short break! I’ll keep this succinct as I have many errands to run during this brief reprise from hiking, but the past eight days have been just marvelous. Although I’ve not been half as aggressive as I was during my Thanksgiving vacation, I still managed to bag 18 peaks (14 for winter 2009/2010):

• 12/19 – North and South Kinsman
• 12/20 – Hale and Waumbek
• 12/21 – Cabot
• 12/22 – Middle Carter, South Carter, Carter Dome, and Wildcat A
• 12/23 – Wildcat D
• 12/24 – Garfield and Lafayette
• 12/25 – Washington, Monroe, Eisenhower, and Pierce
• 12/26 – Whiteface and Passaconaway

Here’s a glimpse of some of my favorite photos from the week (full album here – well worth checking out). Now, onto week two of my vacation!

More Pictures Behind the Cut »

I’ve finally sorted through the pictures from my Thanksgiving vacation. What strikes me the most about this particular set of images is the wonderfully apparent transitioning of the seasons. Since my previous post on the topic shamefully did not admit the mountains that I climbed, here’s a brief synopsis:

• 11/21 – North Twin, South Twin, Galehead, and Garfield
• 11/22 – North and South Hancock
• 11/23 – Lafayette, Lincoln, Liberty, and Flume
• 11/24 – Tom, Field, and Willey
• 11/25 – Zealand, West Bond, Bond, and Bondcliff
• 11/26 – Pierce, Eisenhower, and Jackson
• 11/27 – Waumbek
• 11/28 – Moriah
• 11/29 – East Osceola, Osceola, and Tecumseh

It certainly was a week of milestones for me. Not only did I reach my halfway point – and my 300th peak! – on the grid, but also ended November with a total of 44 4,000 footers climbed.

Below are a handful of my favorite images. The entire gallery may be viewed here…

Distance: 14.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 4,750 feet
Trails Used: Nineteen Mile, Carter Dome, Carter-Moriah

People are often surprised to hear that the Carters (not just one, but all three) are my favorite 4ks in the Whites. In all honesty, I can’t even provide a good explanation as to why this is the case. To many, the Carter-Moriah Range pales in comparison to its lofty Presidential neighbors on the other side of Pinkham Notch. The summits are mostly wooded, there is little above treeline exposure, and the best views to be had are from a peak – Mount Hight – that does not even “count” as a 4,000 footer per the AMC’s guidelines.

Nevertheless, there’s something magical about these three mountains – something that resonates with me on a very deep level. It’s a feeling that I cannot easily describe; a sense of calm and belonging, if you will.

This past weekend, things were no different. I was as happy as could be, having the opportunity to visit my favorite mountains for the first time in nearly three months – on a stunningly lovely day, no less. I couldn’t have asked for more.