Mt Garfield (4,500 feet). Franconia/Bethlehem, NH. 2022-01-08 (Sunday.) Via Garfield and Garfield Ridge Trails. 10 miles round-trip, plus 1 1/4 mile (each way) road walk. Mid-20s throughout. Winds were hardly a whisper in the trees, a bitter 10-15 knots at the summit. Unbridled sunshine all day. Car: 1145. Trailhead: 1210. Summit: 1510. Trailhead: 1545. Car: 1735. A safe bet is to budget about half an hour to walk from the […]
Appalachian Trail
29 posts
Some days, you can’t believe your outrageous luck. A beautiful summit, golden light, and the Milky Way. What more do you need?
Jefferson pains me. On the one hand, it has some stunning views. On the other hand, it’s frustratingly cumbersome to get to the top.
When you do all five Wildcats in a few hours, but in that same amount of time, can only bag one Carter, what makes the difference?
Don’t judge a kitten by its claws. Judge it instead by the fine views you get from its ledges. But don’t forget the claws.
Sometimes, they blow the higher summits forecast. The weather changes, occasionally for the better.
Mt Washington is known to have its way with hikers, and its weather is notoriously fickle. Sometimes this force of nature is for the good.
Sometimes you don’t know whether you liked something or not, until you’ve had some time to think. And yet, you know everything was fine.
How do you describe perfection? Maybe start with things that are more fundamental. Like a three day hike. Golden sunsets. Stars like diamonds.
Why suffer the hardship, the pain, the miles of the Pemi Loop? What’s there? Oh wow, lots.
Sometimes you look up and see clouds. You hike up, and see something more.
And then there were none. I finished my winter 48, and my fourth season, on the most bluebird of bluebird days.