Eisenhower and Pierce via Edmands Path/Crawford Path - 6/4/17

The mountains: Mt. Eisenhower (4780') and Mt. Pierce (4310')
The route: Edmands Path --> Mt. Eisenhower Loop --> Crawford Path out and back --> Edmands Path
Total hike time: ~7 hours (Garmin 8 miles in 6:07 then died...+~30 minutes of hanging out at summits)
Summit beer: New Glarus Moon Man (WI represent!)

To complete a week of vacation which involved a TON of hiking (which I will probably have to recap here at some point) including almost 20 miles of hiking through the Porcupine Mountains in MI (summary: MUD MUD MUD, gorgeous forests, river crossings, and eventually some amazing escarpment views) and a lovely little stroll up Mt Potash to test out Dayton's gear and see how he'd fare with hiking, we decided to finish the weekend on a high note by hiking our first Presidential, Mount Eisenhower. Note that at the outset of the day our plan was JUST to hike Eisenhower...let's just say I sometimes have bad ideas. ;)

The weather forecast had been a bit sketchy leading up to the weekend but thankfully the predicted showers had been pushed pretty late into the afternoon, and so with an early start we figured we'd miss out on most of the rain. We were up bright and early and headed to the trailhead off Mt. Clinton Road. There were a few other cars in the parking lot and we chatted with a group of some older women - I forget how we got on the subject, but we were able to tell them about Mount Potash, which I feel like might be one of my new recommended hidden gems of the Whites - such a delightful hike and such high bang for your buck!

We departed the trailhead at 8:45 with our little goober in tow. The weather was fairly cool in the morning but warmed up quickly - this is one of those hikes where the photos show about 6 different outfits before the end, hah. The first mile of the trail is pretty much flat and heads over a couple of bridged brook crossings and into a lovely forest. 

We kept good time through the flat first section, and around mile 2 began a more steady climb. I had sort of joked about the description of this path in the White Mountains guide, about how Edmands had "carefully chosen the easiest grades". I have to say, while there were a few sections that definitely got the heart rate climbing and the legs burning, overall it wasn't too bad. The second mile was a pretty steady rock staircase type situation, about par for the course for the Whites. It was fairly cloudy and what glimpses we could see through the trees didn't look like much. After climbing for awhile, the trail leveled out somewhat - again, go Edmands and his moderate grades! If you, like me, have irrational fears of heights you could definitely notice that through the trees to your left there was a pretty significant dropoff! This didn't really bother me while we were walking on a flat path, but after awhile we reached a brook crossing that I was not expecting - a waterfall tumbling from a cliff above and a small waterway to cross that was basically tumbling over a cliff below. This being spring I assume the water was a bit higher than usual, and it actually didn't really bother me on the way back, but on first pass? Suffice it to stay my heart went into my throat and stayed there for a while after that section. I know there are way scarier things in the Whites, but slick rock + cliffs = scary in my mind. That obstacle vanquished, we continued upward and soon reached the sign indicating that we were entering the alpine zone. 

This photo doesn't really do the scary waterfall justice haha

And then, like absolute magic, we popped out above treeline and the haze that had enveloped everything drifted away, revealing some of the most incredible views I've ever seen. I spent the last mile or so to the summit of Eisenhower pretty much constantly repeating "this is amazing, holy shit, I can't believe it, this is incredible!" We walked across a talus fall which was probably Dayton's least favorite part of the day, but which he handled gracefully. Nothing too hard here as far as the hiking goes - no scrambling, nothing scary, just a perfect trail to enjoy the climb and take in some incredible views. 

Diapensia in bloom!

Lapland rosebay in bloom too!

At the junction of Edmands Path we headed over to the Mount Eisenhower loop, a 0.4 mile jaunt to the summit which was a fun climb up the summit cone. Unfortunately as we climbed we also found ourselves climbing into a cloud, and by the time we hit the summit we were totally socked in! Oh well - still a summit, #9 for me, #7 for Andrew, and most importantly #1 for Dayton!

We sat down behind the summit cairn to have lunch and all of a sudden found we needed to layer up - it felt like it had dropped about 15 degrees and was really windy up top! There were quite a few people at the summit, some of whom had some less than desirable trail etiquette (I mean you, people with the mega asshole dogs who plopped yourself right down into the rare and easily destroyed alpine flowers, grrr). Now, earlier in the hike I had casually mentioned that if we WANTED to, you know, JUST a suggestion, if we were feeling in the mood for it, that Mount Pierce was a mere 1.2 miles (I may have rounded down to 1 mile...and in reality I discounted the extra 0.4 miles of the Eisenhower loop so really it was almost 2 miles...BUT YOU KNOW WHO'S COUNTING) away and we could probably bag it as well if Dayton was doing well. Dayton seemed to be loving his life and maybe it was summit fever or the fact that we wanted a little more in terms of views than Eisenhower had provided today, but Andrew was in agreement to head over to Pierce. We figured we could always turn around if the weather started to look dicey, plus it wasn't even noon yet and the storms hadn't been predicted to roll in until 4 or 5. So, off to Crawford path we went!

Crawford Path was again, fairly easy hiking, although 1.6 miles in the mountains takes a little longer than say...1 mile in the mountains haha. Parts of the trail were quite wet and muddy especially when we really got down into the col between Eisenhower and Pierce. We hadn't seen too many hikers besides at the summit of Eisenhower up until now but there were quite a few groups out on Crawford. The views continued to be stunning - just expansive vistas looking back at Eisenhower and over to the rest of the Presidentials, off towards Pierce, and on and on. I could tell that once we had chosen this path Andrew was a little more stressed about the time component, particularly with the added challenge of trying to keep our feet dry, but I really just couldn't get enough of the views. One notable happening was that I actually fell right at the intersection between the Eisenhower Loop and Crawford Path - I stepped on a rock that was more slick than I thought and went down, catching myself with my arm. My shoulder was a little sore but otherwise nothing to dramatic - I was mad at myself for making such a silly mistake and vowed it wouldn't happen again (little did I know...)

After another hour or so of hiking, we reached a gorgeous viewpoint just before the summit of Pierce! We took our "summit" photo there as we were told the views were better than at the actual summit before heading a short distance up the trail to the true summit of Mt. Pierce.

Our time at the summit of Eisenhower hadn't been super relaxing, so we were pleasantly surprised to have both sunshine and the summit to ourselves at the top of Pierce! Dayton decided that some relaxation in the sun was in order and Andrew and I enjoyed some cheese curds and a beer for a snack. After awhile, two women and their dogs appeared from the other side of Crawford Path, and we were excited to be able to welcome them to the summit of their first 4000 footer! I haven't even been in the hiking game that long but the community is so supportive, and it was really fun to cheer someone on as they joined the club! 

Finally we decided that time was ticking onward and that we should probably start our 5 mile journey (oops) back to the car. We basically just backtracked, although took Crawford Path all the way back to Edmands instead of going back over the Eisenhower summit (which would have added more distance). The sun and clouds were pretty amazing on the way back towards Eisenhower and the views remained incredible - the mud/water also seemed less bothersome on the way back, maybe because we knew we had already reached our destinations for the day. 

Edmands Path down was a lot like Edmands Path up, although it had strangely become MUCH more wet and muddy since the morning! I think we were both a little stressed about getting through the waterfall section that had scared me earlier, but strangely on the way back it didn't bother me at all - in fact, I thought to myself, why the hell did that bother me so much? The last couple of miles down and out were a bit of a slog. Dayton was tired and I think sick of being wet/muddy, so he kept taking his own route through the woods which created some challenging situations. I fell again slipping down a wet rock while simultaneously trying to wrangle Dayton - I ended up sliding a little way down the path and only ended up stopping when my elbow slammed hard against a rock. Ow. Nothing severely damaged, but it hurt like hell - thank goodness for carrying ibuprofen in the first aid kit! Not 10 minutes later, Andrew ripped open his elbow when a controlled slide down a rock became an uncontrolled slide. I think after 35 miles of hiking in the week and a large chunk of that involving mud and water, we were just so damn tired of slippery rocks. By the time we got to the car (with a few stops to try to motivate Dayton to keep going - I think hikes under 8 miles are going to be his thing from now on!) we were all totally beat, but in that wonderful, I-had-a-great-day-in-the-mountains sort of way. 

Donezo

It was a great day in the mountains! Dayton absolutely surpassed our wildest expectations - watching the wheels turn in his head as he tried to figure out the best way to negotiate the rocks was adorable, and the times when the rocks were just too big and we had to pick him up like a suitcase using his backpack were even more adorable. Aside from it's length, this hike really wasn't terribly challenging and would be a great way to start the 4000 footer journey. The views of the Presidentials were unreal and I loved spending so much time above treeline! I'm excited to have made it into double digits on my NH48 adventure and with Andrew not far behind. Plus, after how well Dayton did on this hike, I think he may get to join us for more 4000 footers than we expected! Can't wait for the next one...

East Osceola and Osceola via Mt. Osceola Trail (from 112 out & back)

The mountains: East Osceola (4156') and Mt. Osceola (4340)
The route: Mt. Osceola Trail from Rte. 112 + side out and back to Greeley Ponds
Total hike time: 5:50, plus probably 20 minutes of hanging out and taking pics at the summit
Summit beer: Dogfish Head Seaquench

Andrew and I have pretty much been craving the mountains since April, and after our plans to hike the weekend of 5/13 were thwarted by weather, we decided that a day trip to NH the weekend of 5/21 was 100% necessary. After doing some digging to determine which peaks might be doable without spikes (spring comes late in the Whites!) I found some trip reports saying that the Osceolas were mostly clear of snow. Better yet? The trailhead was off the Kancamagus, one of the closer peaks to Boston. Done and done. We left around 7 on Sunday morning for the drive up 93 which I am quickly becoming intimately familiar with. I was practically too excited to sleep the night before - after months of waiting, we were finally back in the mountains!

YAY

From what I had gathered, the route up to the Osceolas from 112 was significantly harder than the route from Tripoli. Both because we weren't sure if Tripoli was open yet (turns out it was) and because we tend to make an effort to try to find the most challenging way up any mountain (and by we I mean Andrew, because I just don't think Huntington Ravine is in my future) this sounded like an excellent plan. The trail starts out relatively calm but soon begins to climb. Pretty much the last mile to the summit of East Osceola from this route is VERY steep - like, as I was climbing it, I was contemplating what a challenge it was going to be to climb down it later, steep. But there were plenty of good hand and footholds and the steepness was fun in a challenging way...tiring for sure, but most definitely fun!

I had never seen a trillium in the wild before today and it was VERY exciting

We crossed an interesting slide which I was too scared to fully climb up and get the views - Andrew, per usual, was out there like a mountain goat as I clung in the trees. My fear of heights tends to hit the hardest the first time I find myself above treeline and realize just HOW high I am, and then once I'm up there for awhile I acclimate. For this reason, I sort of like out and back trails since I'm often able to do things and appreciate views that I couldn't on the way up because my fear reaction has chilled out. A little ways from the summit there's a little side path on the right that leads to a stunning lookout ledge. I'm terrible at identifying what I'm looking at when taking in a view, but suffice it to day on a perfect weather day with blue skies, it was simply stunning. 

Happiness on the lookout ledge

We snacked on some cherries before continuing on to the very *exciting* summit of East Osceola. At 4000 footer #7 for me and #5 for Andrew, this was our first viewless summit. It delivered the lack of views, hah! We were glad we had done this hike from this direction, though, because it meant the less exciting of the two came first and we got the views at the end. Still, I appreciate all peaks (and the views on the way up didn't hurt) so we had a little thumbs up moment for East Osceola before moving on.

It's a pile of rocks in the woods! I promise we're on a mountain!

We headed into the col between the mountains where nothing too hugely notable happened...until we a came up upon the looming rock wall that I knew could only be the Chimney. I have a habit of extensively researching mountains and finding any aspect of trails that could POSSIBLY freak me out, and then watching about a million videos and reading blogs about it to try to determine just how scary it is. As a result, I felt infinitely familiar with what the Chimney would be like. What I did not realize was that climbing it was one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life! I felt like a kid on a playground, hunting for footholds and handholds, completely oblivious to the fact that I was basically scaling a 5 story rock wall. It was utterly fantastic. 

Andrew in the chimney - my turn next!

Riding the adrenaline high of the Chimney, we continued on towards the summit, and oh, what a summit it was. On an absolute bluebird day for our first hike of the year, popping out into the sun under blue skies with what felt like the whole world at our feet, it was hard to feel anything other than joy. 

I don't think most people would peg me as an outdoorsy person. Athletic, sure, but I think I continue to surprise my family and friends when they find out about the increasing amounts of time I've been spending in the mountains. But ever since the first time I got out on a summit and took in the view - terrified as I was at the time - I knew that I wanted more. More and more and more. How could you possibly live in a world where there are such extraordinary things and NOT want to be a part of them? To see things that can only be seen if you have the drive and the guts and the heart to reach them on foot? To me it feels like nothing short of discovering magic. And it's a wonderful thing to be able to push myself physically and mentally but without the competitive aspect of running, where I'm always thinking about my pace, my time, what does this mean for the next race, etc. With hiking, it's just all right there in the moment. As cheesy as it sounds, I never feel more present than I do when I'm climbing a mountain.

We hung out at the summit for awhile enjoying our lunch of turkey and cheese sandwiches and trail mix, then wandered around the various lookout ledges taking in the view. The weather simply couldn't have been more perfect, and there were quite a few people enjoying the sun on the summit with us - based on who we had seen on the trail, we assumed many had come up via Tripoli. But we were pleased with our choice to take the less trodden path! After awhile we reluctantly realized that we should make our way back to the car and began the trek back through the col. Descending the Chimney was interesting - Andrew doesn't love descents and he certainly did not enjoy this one. As for myself, while I didn't find it quite as exciting as ascending, I didn't mind climbing down at all! Just demonstrates how ridiculous and situational my fear of heights is. Speaking of which, on the way down I drummed up the confidence to go out on the ledgy section of slide that we crossed to take in the view...and I was rewarded for my bravery. I could have sat there all afternoon.

 Incredible. One of the Greeley Ponds, which we hiked to later, is on the R. 

The next section of descent was VERY steep and tough - there was lots of using hands and butts as additional points of contact to slowly maneuver the descent. It was slow going, and led to a SHOCKING amount of DOMS for the 2 days after the hike! Finally the descent became more gradual. We decided to make a little side jaunt on the flat and relaxed path over to Greeley Ponds, adding just under a mile to the hike - a nice way to stretch out the legs after the descent, and the pond was just lovely!  We made our way back to the parking lot with #7 and 8 checked off the list (5 and 6 for Andrew, I've really got to catch him up so I can just use the same numbers for us both!)

All in all, this was just a fantastic hike. On the way down I said that it may have been one of my favorite hikes I've ever done, and while pretty much EVERY hike I've done so far has been my favorite (the mountains I've chosen so far have all been pretty high on the views/excitement meter), having a perfect day and a gorgeous challenging hike that hit 2 summits for the first time out of the season really made for a wonderful day. A great start to the season and hopefully the first of many more peaks bagged this year!