Grantham, NH (USA)

After work today, I went skiing at Eastman.  A light dusting of snow last night (after six inches over the weekend) revived the trails at John’s Glen enough for me to get in 90 minutes (3 miles) on the trails (1500 to 1630). There were several patchy areas and I had to deal with a slight, sideways incline on some of the grooming.  Temps were in the high teens but I had a cloudless sky. Nessie was the only car in the lot when I finished so you know how enjoyable it was for me...

Adirondack Weekend - Day 4

Eileen was awake early, as usual, but had slept until almost 0430 before starting her day.  Meanwhile, I slept for another hour and then came upstairs to find her making scones.  We talked for a little bit and then played a (partial) game of Scrabble (we had trouble because of a missing piece).  We also worked on one of her crossword puzzles.  At 0730, she had to leave to get together with her workout friends so we said goodbye.  After she was gone, I got ready and packed up my car.  By 0815, I was on the road, bound for home.  I used NY-72, NY-11B, NY-458, some back roads and then NY-30 to reach the VIC, an outdoor activities center maintained on the Adirondack State Park lands by Paul Smith's college.  It snowed all the way there but I drove carefully and made it to the parking lot by about 0915.  After talking to some people who were getting ready to ski too, I figured out that I needed to go inside the Main Building to get a ski pass (0925). After I paid, I quickly made my way out onto the complicated trail system.  Three days of intermittent, fluffy/powdery snow in the ADK made for amazing skiing conditions!  I spent almost two hours skiing around on well marked trails named “Heron Marsh”, “Jenkins Mountain”, “Boardwalk Express” (took a tumble), “Barnum Brook”, “Boreal Life” and “Logger’s Loop”.  The latter trail had groomed tracks and it was interesting to shift from backcountry to my normal style.  For about 80% of the morning, I was the first and only skier on each trail.  The temps were good (low 20s) but there was an icy wind in places near the lake.  At a few points, I followed the signs and found myself on sections that weren’t groomed.  Sometimes, I had trouble seeing my skis (they were buried in eight inches of snow) but enjoyed the different conditions.  Could have stayed out all day but continuing snow and the required drive home curtailed the fun...  Reluctantly wrapped up my day in the snow at 1205.  In the car again, I left the VIC on NY-30 and drove to Saranac Lake.  Along the way, I encountered more heavy snow - then used NY-86 to get to the Lake Placid area.  Google Maps tole me to drive around town on the Old Military Road (NY-35) and NY-73 to reach Keene and the eastern side of the Adirondack Range.  Listened to audiobooks as I drove, trying to ignore more nasty weather.  I reached NY-9N and followed it through Elizabethtown, across I-87 and to Westport.  After that, I continued south around the southern end of Lake Champlain until I could use NY-185 and the Lake Champlain Bridge at Crown Point.  In Vermont, I had to use a detour for VT-125 (VT-17), due to construction but eventually got on VT-23 and drove into Middlebury.  Got gas at Shell (1400) and lunch (including a Shamrock Shake) at McDonalds on US-7 (1410).  From there, I took VT-125 to VT-100.  Inclement weather on the pass across the mountains prevented me from stopping to hike the Long Trail at Middlebury Gap, as I'd hoped.  Later, Google Maps took me on a route across the mountains east of Rochester, VT.  This ended up being a shorter route but included crazy snow conditions as I drove through Rochester Gap.  Ultimately, however, this shortcut (Bethel Mountain Road and Camp Broom) brought me into Bethel on VT-12 from the north side.  From there, I was soon able to get on I-89 and finish my trip.  Reached my condo by about 1530 and unpacked.  Checked in with with Mollie and Eileen and relaxed for the rest of the day.  Had a GREAT time in the Adirondacks this weekend - it is always nice to get outdoors and enjoy the winter weather - but even nicer to spend time inside a warm house as the snow falls!

Adirondack Weekend - Day 3

I didn't get as much sleep as I'd wanted because Eileen woke up several times during the night and the dogs made lots of noise.  Meanwhile, I kept making an attempt to get more rest and didn't come upstairs until around 0630.  By then, Eileen was in full housecleaning mode - she tole me she'd spent a lot of the night reading and organizing her scrapbooking materials.  Feeling unproductive, I helped her for a little while and then went outside to shovel around my car again.  Temps were in the low single digits in the early morning but things started to warm up by 0800.  We'd decided that Eileen's two wheel drive was probably not the best vehicle to use for a drive into the Adirondacks so I set up Nessie to carry all of our stuff and the two dogs.  Eileen told me she usually leaves Juneau behind (because he is unable to do as much walking or climbing as she and Mika can) so this was a real treat for him.  We departed Eileen's house by about 0830 and drove to the Village Diner for breakfast.  We also got food (for lunch) to go and departed Potsdam by (0850).  We then drove (via NY-72, NY-11B, NY-458, some back roads, NY-30, NY-86, more back roads, NY-3, more back roads and then NY-431) to the Toll Booth Parking Area at the bottom of Whiteface Mountain.  The dogs were pretty good but they made lots of excited noises all the way.  Meanwhile, Eileen and I had some good talks about various things - one of the most interesting items was when we started high-level planning thoughts on a possible Cape Cod course in 2023.  We were parked and geared up by about 1045 and then started our climb up the Toll Road.  When I'd planned the trip to see Eileen, we'd talked about how I could snowshoe up the mountain while she used her skis (with skins) to reach the top.  The way we saw it, we'd both get mountain time and finish at about the same time if we tried it that way.  Eileen forgot her skins, however, and the whole plan had to be reconsidered.  Since we'd brought Juneau, we decided to split up the dogs so that we could each go at the pace we wanted.  It was sunny but very cold (low double digits) and windy.  Along the way, my beard froze... Juneau wasn't used to being on a leash but we decided that we'd need to keep him with me until Eileen and Mika were out of view.  The plan worked well but Juneau whined for most of the climb, even after he couldn't see them.  At about the two mile mark (for me), I unleashed Juneau and continued my climb.  He immediately got so far ahead of me that I couldn't get him to stay or wait with word commands alone.  Meanwhile, I started to meet more and more people and chatted with them.  Along the way, I even passed some who were skiing uphill...  Each time I stopped to talk, Juneau would come back to me and whine - I think he was saying "let's go!"  I'd almost made it to the three mile mark before Eileen reappeared, skiing downhill.  The dogs' reunion was spectacular!  It turned out that the strong wind had blown all the snow off the road above the four mile mark and Eileen was having trouble without her skins.  She and the dogs blazed away and I snowshoed downhill alone.  After reaching the bottom, Eileen started back uphill and met me just after I passed the one mile mark.  She then took her time skiing down with me.  The dogs seemed exhausted and Mika got painful ice crystals in her paws.  Despite the challenges, however, I think we were all happy for the outdoor time.  We ate our lunch in the car and I laughed a good bit while Eileen fed some of her food to the dogs.  After feeling a bit less frozen, we departed the area and drove down into Lake Placid to do some shopping.  It took a lot of work to find a place to park because the whole town was VERY crowded.  After finally getting the car in a good place, we walked around in town (from about 1510 to 1610).  We stopped into almost every shop so that Eileen could get some gifts for one of her daughters.  She asked my advice a few times and I tried to help her decide on items to buy.  We also got some ice cream at Emma's Lake Placid before departing.  Since we'd had trouble finding a bathroom all day, we stopped at Hannaford's just before leaving town.  On the way home, the dogs were conked out in the back...  We mostly backtracked via our morning driving route on our way home.  We had three separate deer encounters on the road and the snow started up again.  I started to wonder about whether I might be "trapped" another day because the forecast called for more snow in the next 24 hours...  Talking to Eileen during our ride and the good spirits we were both in after our mountain adventure made me dismiss thoughts about the next day.  I knew that Mollie would love to know that I'd used Nessie to take some dogs for a ride and Eileen had kidded me that she was going to tell Mollie about this ("we both want you to like dogs").  She actually sent Mollie a picture of me driving the dogs - I'll be interested to see what kind of feedback I get about that...  We then had some great talks about our day and plans for the coming week.  Eileen wanted to get some dinner at her favorite Indian restaurant in Potsdam but I wasn't really hungry.  As a result, she basically talked herself out of eating dinner by the time we'd reach her house and gotten cleaned up (1745).  I talked to Mollie and Eileen talked to her sister.  A bit later (1900), I decided that I would try to convince Eileen, as diplomatically as I could, that it was worth another excursion from the house to get something good to eat.  This turned out to be a game saver and, by the time we got home again (2000) and started watching the rest of "The Book Thief", she was in very good spirits with her delicious dinner.  We barely made it to the end of the film before Eileen was nodding off but she told me she'd had a great day.  We said goodnight - I read until around 2200 before going to sleep.

Adirondack Weekend - Day 2

I woke up at about 0600 and found Eileen reading in her living room.  We talked for a little bit and told me again she was REALLY glad that all her papers were already graded.  I started my telework day at her kitchen table and played a little with the dogs.  At about 0645, I made breakfast for us and then we sat together to enjoy it. By then, it was snowing a LOT.  I helped Eileen edit a photo for a presentation she had to finish before she went to work (0730).  She had an extra car (one of her friends had left it for the winter) so she left her own car behind so I could take the dogs for a walk.  I waited a bit to make sure the snow had stopped and the plows had time to do some clearing.  Eventually, I got the dogs in the car and, after somehow getting out of the driveway, I drove south on NY-56.  Eileen's car was very light, with only front wheel drive, and the roads were tough but I made it to Hannawa Falls.  I parked at the Fire Station and headed across the road to the Red Sandstone Trail.  The dogs and I walked for few miles in a thick snow - Mika and Juneau behaved great.  I was able to get back to Eileen's house OK and then resumed my work day.  The cleaning lady came by in the morning and we worked around each other.  Meanwhile, the snow continued...  Eileen was able to get home by about 1400 and got to work on fixing her tub drain.  By 1500, I stopped teleworking and helped Eileen bring in a week's worth of firewood.  I also went outside and shoveled my car out of the deep drift that had developed since the morning (so I could use it, if needed.  The plow-man didn't come during the day so I also shoveled some of Eileen's driveway.  We had worked hard for a while and Eileen thought we should take a break and watch a movie.  She poured us some wine, with frozen grapes in the glasses, and we started on "The Book Thief".  After only about half an hour, though, she suddently blurted out that it would be nice to go walking in Hannawa Falls before dark.  Who was I to argue?  Eileen is a good hiking buddy!  We drove down (very slippery) NY-56 and parked just off the Old State Road.  From there, we walked south.  There was some new snow but we only needed spikes to navigate it.  We followed the trail/road along the Raquette River.  The dogs were really happy to get outside again and Eileen was in the mood to keep walking longer than I would have expected.  At some point, she started talking about going to the liquor store in Hannawa Falls Village and we actually made it there before dark (1755).  The manager lady of Spirits of Hannawa was really nice - she even let the dogs come inside.  After a little browsing, we purchased some small drinks that were easy to carry.  We then walked back to the car, mostly in the dark, but didn't have any trouble finding our way.  Back at Eileen's, we started cooking dinner.  Eileen made a cauliflower dish, some fried sweet potatoes, a green salad.  Meanwhile, she put me to work on cooking the petit sirloin steaks in her broiler.  I didn't do as well as I'd have liked but, when we sat down to dinner, we both ate very well.  We also enjoyed trying out several of the little liquor bottles.  Eventually (2000), we went back to watching the movie.  By then, however, Eileen was very tired.  I thought she was going to sleep for good but the plow driver suddenly came and got the dogs all riled up.  Even though we'd been unable to finish the movie, we both decided to call it a night and get some rest before our hike the next day.  I was in bed at 2145 and, after a little bit of reading, fell asleep soon afterwards.

Adirondack Weekend - Day 1

I was trying to get my Global Entry paperwork completed and learned that I was able to conduct the in-person interview in Champlain, NY, this week.  Since I was going to be in her area, I checked on Eileen's availability and we both decided that we should meet up again.  I teleworked in the morning (from about 0600 until 1100) and then packed up my car.  I left Hanover at about 1120 and drove (via I-89) all the way to Burlington, VT.  Listened to an audiobook on the way.  I stopped in Colchester for gas and a break (done by 1255) and then joined a work call for as long as I could hold a signal (almost an hour).  Meanwhile, I was driving (via VT-78 to US-2) across the northern end of Lake Champlain - I made it to Champlain by 1400 and decided to check in (early) at the Customs Office on the Canadian Border.  The place was not busy at all and, after only about 10 minutes, I had finished my interview and was back on the road.  I made several phone calls on my way west (via I-87, US-11, NY-190 and NY-24) to Malone and also listened to Moth Radio Hour podcasts.  After getting back on US-11, I switched to NY-11B and, eventually, to NY-72 - I saw lots of Amish buggies.  I arrived at Eileen's just after 1600.  After unpacking the car, I got dressed for a hike, assuming Eileen would want one when she got home.  I was right and we were quickly able to depart (along with the dogs).  We drove a short distance to Lehman Park and walked on the frozen fields.  Sadly, we only had a short time to be outside because Eileen had a telcon at 1700.  Back at her house, I teleworked a little longer.  She finished her call by 1800 and we drove a short distance to Parishville so we could eat dinner at the Barking Dog Saloon.  The place was a great dive bar, with delicious food, and we really enjoyed the ambiance and conversation.  After months of trying, we finally figured out how to play a round of Scrabble Go.  It was strange to be sitting at the table together but playing a game online...  However, it was also fun, since we didn't need all the wooden pieces.  We got back to Eileen's at around 2000 and she started grading some exams.  Meanwhile, I read the most recent copy of "Appalachia".  Eventually, Eileen got tired and was going to stop working, even though it would mean more work the following day.  With a little encouragement (and help in looking up some resources for some of the extra credit questions) from me, she finished her entire project.  This made her happy.  By then, it was 2230 - uncharacteristically late for both of us - and it wasn't hard to fall asleep in the warm bed.  Very glad to be here!

North Conway Weekend - Day 3

I've had a great weekend getaway to “America’s Favorite Ski Town” (I believe it may be self named)!  This morning, I was up early again (0630).  I packed and loaded up the car before heading over to Jim and Cathy's.  We ate breakfast together again and then I left the Red Jacket (0830).  Drove north on NH-16 and stopped to check out Pinkham Notch.  Also checked out the trailheads for Carter Notch, Imp and Moriah (all too crowded).  After giving up in the area, I drove to Gorham and the took US-2 to the west.  I wasn't exactly certain about the plan but eventually settled on trying to hike on Mount Waumbek.  Fortunately, I was able to find a trailhead parking spot just outside of the town of Jefferson (1000).  From my guidebook, I knew that Mount Waumbek was about four miles from the road - I had to take the Starr King Trail to reach it.  There were other folks with the same idea as me but I noticed that the big climb discouraged some.  I don’t blame them!  The roughly 3000 foot climb in the first three miles was quite steep - add slippery snow and ice and it was some hard work.  I plodded along steadily and was surprised that I actually passed a few people on the way up.  The temps were pretty nice (low 40s) and most of the hike stayed on the leeward side of the mountain but, when I reached the summit of Starr King, I got the full blast of wind and cold.  Fortunately, I’d stayed layered up (3, with another in reserve) and was able to power through without stopping.  The views were good but the cloud cover over Washington took some of the “amazing” out of the vista.  Perhaps I’m spoiled from summiting several other peaks in the area - my climb up Mount Hayes gave me closer and better angles of the High Peaks of the Whites… The trail between Starr King (just under 4K) and Waumbek (just over 4K) was bowl shaped; this meant that I got to descend a bunch before reaching my goal. I did meet a lot of cheerful people up there, though - the mountain air is a great boost.  There were a lot of deep snow drifts in this area and I had to be careful not to step off the trail by even a few inches or I’d end up in snow that was at least three feet!  The trees were mostly still heavy with snow but some had dumped their branches in places, making the trail snowshoe depth.  I stuck with my microspikes, though, and didn’t have too much trouble.  Waumbek’s summit was not very exciting - just a small stack of rocks - but I found an overlook about 25 yards beyond it (on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail).  There were actually 15 people there and I didn’t tarry (I stayed long enough to enjoy the view, though).  The descent was very quick - I had to worry about sliding, rather than stepping, but weathered it ok.  Arrived at my car after about 8 miles in four hours (1400).  Felt great after getting a nice, tough workout today - it inspired me to do some more climbing soon!  When I was settled in the car, ready to drive home, I realized I had a bunch of voicemails.  I talked to Mollie (briefly) on the phone and resolved a few things before starting up the car.  Then took US-2 to NH-116 and followed it all the way to Littleton.  On the way, I called my dad.  Used US-302 to reach Woodsville and then NH-10 to Orford.  Crossed the Connecticut River there and got on I-91 at Fairlee.  Arrived back at my condo by 1630.  Very nice to get out on the trail a few times this weekend - hoping the winter hiking will help prepare me for a great summer of AT hiking!  NH 4000 Footer #12 of 48

North Conway Weekend - Day 2

I was awake by 0600 and then got ready for a hike.  At 0700, I walked over to Jim and Cathy's townhome, like we'd discussed the night before, but found they weren't awake yet.  To pass the time, I spent about an hour walking around the Red Jacket Resort (and trying to make up for the lack of steps yesterday). By 0800, I checked on my friends again and, this time, found they were ready for a delicious breakfast that Cathy made for us.  Jim and Cathy planned to go skiing so I decided to drive up to Crawford Notch for a hike.  I used NH-16 (actually encountered a train crossing the road!) and US-302 to get there and found the parking situation quite crowded when I arrived.  Yikes!  Somehow found a parking spot by about 1000.  From the railway station, I used the Avalon Trail to reach another trail that climbed Mount Willard (2815’).  The dusting of snow we got yesterday made everything look pretty, just like the beginning of Winter.  Temps were close to 10 F and my extremities protested to being exposed to the elements.  But the sun was bright and I’d heard the views from this summit were amazing.  The trail ascended steadily, with only a few steep places, and I only had to stop a few times (and then only because other people were passing me on their way back down).  It must be another sign that I’ve kept a good foundation of a fitness for the last few months because the 1.6 mile climb seemed easy.  When I reached the top, I was able to spectacular views of Crawford Notch, below.  I was able to see the AT ridge as it tracked from West to East: Zealand (and Willey), Webster, Jackson, Pierce, Eisenhower and Washington.  Wow!  The descent was pretty easy but, like I saw on Tecumseh, the “trail sledders” kept building slide-like conditions.  Guessing that another overnight freeze will make the trail a lot more difficult.  At the bottom (after about 3.5 miles), I wandered over to the AMC Highland Center to see if my membership has any perks…  I got lunch at the cafeteria and explored the gift shop.  Back at my car (1330), I got back on US-302 and drove back to Jackson.  I then used the West Side Road to find Cathedral Ledge State Park.  Fortunately, I was able to find a parking spot there and walked on some of the trails between there and Echo Lake State Park.  It turned out that some of the trails I walked were included in my White Mountains Snowshoe Hikes book - cool!  When I was finished (1500), I went back to the Red Jacket and spent the afternoon reading in my room.  At about 1745, I walked over to Jim and Cathy's townhome and ate a delicious dinner (Cathy had made several pizzas).  I met Jim's brother (a jazz musician from NYC) and we all had a great time talking, eating and drinking.  Starting at about 2030, we watched the famous Kurosawa film called "The Hidden Fortress".  It was pretty good but took a long time to develop.  I ended up going back to my room at about 2230 and went straight to bed.  What a great day of hiking!

North Conway Weekend - Day 1

It was snowing in the morning so I did some work around the house.  My friend (Jim F) had mentioned that he and his wife had some extra beds at the Red Jacket Resort in North Conway and suggested that I come to visit them for the weekend.  I was excited for this opportunity but the weather continued to downgrade.  We texted for several hours, trying to make definite plans, but I decided to stay put until the snow started to let up (1430).  By then, I was packed and ready to go!  I used I-89, US-4, NH-104, NH-25, NH-113 and some back roads to reach NH-16.  It snowed all the way, with heavier accumulations in the Danbury and Conway areas.  I made it to North Conway by about 1700 and tried to reach Our Lady of the Mountains (so I could join Jim and Cathy at Mass).  Unfortunately, the traffic in the downtown section was so bad that I couldn't move for 20+ minutes.  I escaped this traffic jam (talking to Mollie for a little bit of it) and went back to the Red Jacket.  Since I really hadn't gotten any exercise all day, I walked around in the buildings (mostly exploring) and tried to get my bearings.  Jim and Cathy returned by 1800 and I met them in the lobby.  After checking me into a room, I went with them to their townhome (very nice) and we chatted for a little while.  We discussed dinner and I suggested we go to the Resort restaurant (Champney's) for the Prime Rib Buffet.  This turned out to be a great idea and we had lots of good food and conversation.  We were finished by 1930 and went back to the townhome.  Cathy and Jim and I watched some Olympic skiing events (Mikayla Shiffren was competing) and enjoyed some drinks.  I was tired by about 2200 and went to bed.  This should be a great weekend!

Grantham, NH (USA)

After feeling like Winter was almost over when I went skiing yesterday, I tried to squeeze in a bit more of the season at the Eastman Cross Country Center this afternoon (break from work in the middle of the day)...  It was pretty difficult!  Encountered lots of ice and exposed grass/pavement, even close to the Center - the groomers have apparently given up on retaining the tracks.  Managed to get about 1.5 hours of exercise (1335 to 1505) but skiing the green circle trails didn’t feel as fun as they did last week.  With 40+ degrees and rain coming in the next 72 hours, we might be seeing the end of the ski season...  Oh well - I had a pretty good time at Eastman this year!

Grantham, NH (USA)

Brrr - it’s cold!  Fortunately, by waiting until after work (1430), I got a bit better temps.  With gas prices rising a lot recently, I found a good price in Grantham (1445) before I headed over to the Eastman Cross Country Center (arrived 1500).  I was then was able to get almost two hours of exercise at Eastman Cross Country Center.  Logged one hour skiing (despite poor grooming) on the northern end of Sunrise Crest Trail and another hour on the Heath Forest Trails (completed another Snowshoe Challenge).  Headed home at 1745 (getting dark), quickly changed and then met my friend (Joe C) at SNAX for Tuesday Night Trivia (1900-2130).  We had fun, but I kept thinking about how I'll really need to cross my fingers for another few days out on the cross country trails before the season is officially over...

Grantham, NH (USA)

I went to Mass (0800) this morning - it was very cold again (glad I dressed warmly).  I then drove to Eastman for some more cross country skiing.  When I arrived (0915), temps were still in the teens and all the trails were almost solid ice.  What a difference 24 hours makes!  I was layered up ok, as I usually am for a ski day, but my normal gloves weren’t thick enough to protect my finger tips.  So, unlike previous visits, I had to interrupt my ski and return to my car for something warmer.  Another challenge: without recent grooming, the tracks were difficult to use.  Even with these obstacles, however, I ultimately stuck to my original plan of staying on the trails for two hours.  After getting warmed up on the green (beginner) trails I usually use, I ventured away from the Cross Country Center to explore some blue (intermediate) trails to the west.  This required me to navigate some tricky hills and cross several roads.  Sadly, I found conditions on Croydon Run and Longwood Loop to be even worse than I’d seen on the Lazy Loop.  As a result, I did a LOT of walking - mostly so I wouldn’t careen into the trees but also because of my unfamiliarity with the new trails.  At one point, the grooming machine came by; when I saw how little effect it had on the track quality, I decided to walk over (by gravel road) to the northern end of the Croyden Connector and use that familiar trail to get back to my “normal” routine.  This proved to be a good decision and I spent the rest of my time skiing on better quality tracks.  Didn’t see any other skiers until just before I reached my car again (1115) - felt like the place was open just for me!  With the sap starting to run from nearby maple tree farms yesterday, it seems like I may not get a lot more chances to ski this season.  No matter - trying out more trails this year has really boosted my confidence!  

Waterville Valley, NH (USA)

Last year, I didn't follow my normal routine of hiking through the winter. I suppose it is understandable, since the temperatures in New Hampshire are much more brutal than those to the south.  However, I never felt like I found my trail legs in 2021 - mostly, I believe, because I spent three straight months cross country skiing and walking on flat rail trails.  Determined not to repeat the same mistake, I've been watching the weather in the WMNF very carefully (including checking conditions at the Summit of Mount Washington), hoping that I'd get an earlier start in 2022.  Today, everything came into place: warmer temperatures, no precipitation, day off from work and I found an achievable "Kick Off" hike destination: Mount Tecumseh (4003').  Left house at 0830 (later than I'd wanted) and used I-89, US-4, NH-118, NH-25, US-3, I-93 and NH-49 to reach the Waterville Valley Ski Resort by 1000 (1.5 hour drive).  It took a while to locate a parking spot (very busy) but, after I was all geared up (it felt strange!), I started up the mountain.  There were other folks who had the same idea but it was nothing like the lines that I saw for each of the chairlifts - the craziness of the downhill skiing scene reminded me of videos I've seen when Black Friday Sales begin (wow).  I didn't need a hat or gloves for most of the hike but my microspikes were a must.  Other people chose snowshoes but I never felt the need for them (lucky that was the case because I left them in the car).  For most of the ascent, I was in my own little world, sometimes seeing a hiker or two above or below me.  The trail was very peaceful, overall.  This was good, because I needed to concentrate to get my climbing rhythm back after several months of walking and skiing.  The temps were much warmer than I'd expected (mid 40s) and, even though I was only wearing two top layers, I was sweating all the way.  About a quarter mile from the top, I had a choice of trails to take to get to the view and I ended up choosing the wrong one.  There were enough clues that I should have gone left - mostly unbroken trail, steep ascents in places - but the book I bought (for conquering the 48 mountains above 4000 feet) had suggested it.  After getting submerged in snow drifts a few times, I encountered a snowshoer coming down on her rear end - at that point, I decided to turn around and use the other option.  This turned out to be very wise (MUCH easier) and I was very pleased to soon be standing on top of Tecumseh!  It was much colder and windier up there than I'd seen all day but the views were spectacular - practically all of the high peaks of the White Mountain range were visible.  I only stayed for a short time because I still had the descent and drive home to complete.  Thus began an even harder part of the day - walking downhill on a sledding hill.  It was literally that because lots of people brought their little sleds with them and smoothed out the footing area until it was almost impossible to get a firm step planted.  The snow actually started balling up on the soles of my boots - hard to walk!  Somehow, I made it down without falling into a deep drift on the side of the trail - my poles went almost to the handles into the snow.  Stopped in a few places on the way down to watch skiers on the Waterville slopes - the trail paralleled their trails for most of the hike.  Was glad to reach my car (1400) after hiking (with my mistake) over six miles in less than three hours.  Drove home via NH-49, I-93, US-3 and got on NH-25.  Used this last road to reach Wentworth and then took NH-25A to Orford.  Crossed Connecticut River (into Fairlee) and then used I-91 to get back to Hanover (arrived at at around 1545).  Not a bad start to my 2022 hiking season - hope I can get some other days just as good as this by the time the AT sections are hikeable! NH 4000 Footer #11 of 48

Dorchester, NH (USA)

After figuring out that I’d only skied on the edge of the huge Green Woodlands property (Dorchester, NH) when I visited in December, I obviously wanted to return to explore further.  This morning, the temps were in the high 20s when I woke up (heat wave!) and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!  I left the house just after sunrise, drove through Etna and Lyme and soon found myself on the icy Dorchester Road. My goal, the parking lot on the west end of the trail complex, turned out to be easy to find because the road ended for all car traffic (just over five miles from the Dartmouth Ski-way).  From there, all the dirt roads (which looked like they were mainly used for fish camp traffic in the warmer weather) were all carefully groomed for skiing.  There was plenty of ice and lots of rolling hills but I was able to easily navigate deep into the woods.  The complex had great signage, some privies and several awesome views (including some of pretty powder-covered Smarts Mountain). I also located the warming house, a “borrow skis” barn and some pleasant sitting spots (with Adirondack chairs).  There were some really long stretches where I was able to speed along the tracks, using a combination of my normal diagonal stride and some fun roller coaster hills. Even after braving some really long downhills with tricky turns, I managed to complete my whole ski day without falling (although I did take off my skis in some “intermediate” areas).  The parking lot was empty when I arrived just before 0800; other than two or three other people that I encountered, I was alone most of the ski. Just as I wrapped up at around 1000, however, a huge crowd of people showed up, filling the lot - glad I was leaving!  My decision to return to Green Woodlands this morning (before work) was the best idea I’ve had in a while - although I spent almost two hours (4ish miles) skiing around on the trails closest to my car, I’ve still barely scratched the surface of fully exploring this massive ski area.  G-W is a definite “must visit” for anyone who loves X-C skiing!

Grantham, NH (USA)

With some snow accumulation last night and temps in the mid 30s by noon today, I eagerly headed over to Eastman after finishing work (1530).  Feeling confident that my skiing has been improving, I decided it was time to check out a blue square (intermediate) trail that was located closer to Eastman Lake.  Some of the resident trail coordinators had walked the trail with me early in the season (very little snow) and pointed out areas where they decided I’d be able to safely navigate.  Turns out that they were right!  The atmosphere was tremendously different than the comfort of the green circle (beginner) trails near the Center.  They did have groomed tracks but it felt much more “wild.”  Not only were there some steep hills on the narrow trails but the wet snow was unfamiliar.  As a result, I had to use my brain a lot more, using strategic falls, ski-off transits and risk assessments to get the most out of these trails.  The Brook Trail (loop) portion closely followed a pretty creek and, at times, I had four choices: (1) ski well, (2) hit the deck, (3) hit tree, (4) hit water.  Fortunately, I made good choices all day and actually enjoyed myself.  Best part was when I found a long fairway with rolling hills (Sunrise Crest) - I was able to practice my diagonal stride, ride the “coaster” back down and then do it all again.  There was useful daylight until 1700 so I skied until I’d seen everything nearby.  Didn’t see any other skiers and most trails looked relatively unused.  Will definitely return to this more remote area of the Eastman trail system!

Grantham, NH (USA)

Got to spend three more hours outside at Eastman today!  Part 1: snowshoed the trails at Heath Forest and completed another Challenge punch card.  Part 2: I skied all the trails (some big hills) at John’s Glen, including the rather treacherous Balsam Loops.  The sun was shining and there was very little wind.  However, everything was frozen solid from over 24 hours of extreme cold.  By attending Mass first (0800), I was able to get started outdoors with temps close to 0 F (rose to 10 F by the end).  I kept warm with four layers and continuous movement.  By the time I finished (just after noon), crowds of people began to arrive and I was glad to head home.  New motto: “The Cold Bird gets the Solitude”...

Grantham, NH (USA)

After running errands in West Lebanon, I went skiing at Eastman Cross Country Center.  They had over 12 inches of new snow!  Spent two hours (4ish miles) on the courses near the Center.  Temps were in high single digits and low teens and it was sunny and windy.  Had the place to myself until the start of the “Nordic Nibbles” - after that the trails got trashed with walkers and snowshoers...  Plus, my eyelashes froze!  Still glad to have spent the time outdoors!

Hanover, NH (USA)

I recently discovered that the Hanover Conservancy was looking for someone to adopt a trail system on the Greensboro Ridge Natural Area.  Since it was very close to my condo, it seemed silly not to volunteer to become a caretaker.  Today (after work), I took my first hike on the three trail system and explored all of them: Oli’s Eagle (blue blaze), Greensboro Highlands (orange blaze) and Silent Brook (unblazed).  Altogether, there are about 1.5 miles of trail and I enjoyed walking along the snowy tracks, especially where they traversed some of the Velvet Rocks. Temps were in the high 30s and I barely had enough daylight to finish walking the network.  Bonus: I got to touch my toe on the AT at the north end of the circuit where “my” trails intersect!  I may not be an official ATC Trail Runner but I’m proud to be responsible for maintaining a feeder to the “Big Daddy” of trails.