Zealand Mountain hike

On the second day of our camping weekend we hiked up Zealand Mountain via the Zeacliff trail.  The weather was perfect and we enjoyed fantastic views along the way.  We met many people along the way including quite a few Appalachian trail hikers.  We stopped for refreshments at the Zealand Hut where we had spent a chilly weekend in February.  In fact, the temperature was over 100-degrees warmer than the last time we were there!

Zealand Falls

Mike on the trail

View south from Zeacliff view point

A bright sunny day.....

Sheri checks out the route

Lunch stop at the summit of Zealand Mountain

Denise and Mike enjoying the views

Looking east towards the Presidential Range

We could almost see the sea..

Lots of granite everywhere...

Progress on the new deck

Since our last update work has started on the new expanded front deck at the chalet.   We are hoping that it will be completed before the snow starts to fall.....

North & South Kinsman (4000 footers)

Friday was a beautiful day in the White Mountains, and we had arranged to meet up with our friends Mike and Denise to spend the weekend camping and hiking.  

Denise has almost reached the top of all forty-eight 4000-ft peaks in New Hampshire, so she had a few remaining summits in mind.  Under Denise's guidance we opted to hike to the Kinsman ridge and to "bag" the north and south summits.

We ascended via the Basin-Cascade trail (perhaps better known as the 'rooty-and-rocky' trail?), hiked past the idyllic Kinsman pond (with its splendid lean-to), and then zig-zagged our way up the ridge.  It was such a fine day we stopped for lunch three times (twice on the way up, once on the way down).

We descended via the very steep Fishin' Jimmy trail to Lonesome Lake hut where we stopped for tea and a snack.  We then dashed the last two miles down to reach the car just before darkness.

 

The trail starts at a rock formation known as "the basin"

 

On the trail before it is too hot

 The Cascade-Basin trail (or is it the Basin-Cascade trail?) 

 

Kinsman pond

 

At the Kinsman lean-to for elevenses

Reaching tree-line

 At the summit of North Kinsman (lunch #1)

 

The summit cairn on South Kinsman is shaped like a chair.  Peak #41 for Denise, and lunch #2 for everyone.

The steep descent along the Fishin' Jimmy trail

 Lonesome Lake in the late afternoon sun

Afternoon tea at the Lonesome Lake hut

Mount Washington on Labor Day

On Labor Day we decided to hike up Mount Washington via the Ammonoosuc ravine trail.

The day started warm and still, with a lovely forecast.

However, soon enough we rose up into the clouds that came out of nowhere on the summit of New England's highest peak.

The "Lake of the Clouds" is very aptly named.

 

At the summit we paused briefly for a photo and to see the steam train depart.

 

By this time the temperature had dropped thirty degrees and the wind was gusting at over 50mph!

Fortunately we were able to find the trail down (the Jewel trail), and we soon emerged from the clouds.

In fact, we were quickly back into balmy conditions on the trail.

 

And by the time we got home, it was still hot enough for pre-dinner cocktails outside on the deck.

Mt Jefferson via Castle Ravine (ascent) and Castle Ridge (descent)

On Saturday we had a spectatacular day in the White Mountains and hiked to the summit of Mt Jefferson.  On the way up we took the scenic but strenuous Castle Ravine trail with its many waterfalls and rock formations.  For the descent we followed the castellated ridge that forms one side of the ravine.  We were a little over guidebook time on the way out, but made up for it on the way home and we were home in time for tea.  It was a very quiet trail and we saw fewer than 10 people on the path all day (the summit which intersects with other paths was a different story however).

 

The trail markers were very clear on this route.

 

A glimpse of the ridge on our way up the ravine

 

Sheri working hard on the trail

 

The Castle Ridge

 

Summit of Mt Jefferson (with bugs and lots of people!)

 

The way down

The view from the trail-head of Castel Ravine (center) and Castle Ridge (right skyline)

The Deck Project at Dundee

The next project on the chalet is to replace the front deck with one that bridges to the driveway.  This is good news as the conditions in the winter usually require crampons to get from the car into the front door.  The bad news is that Kokees's favorite spot happens to be under the deck, or so we thought.  It seems to be a favorite spot without the deck!  With any luck Chris, who has helped us with our projects, can design in a retreat for Kokee under the deck.

Mount Eisenhower via the Edmand trail

We left Kokee behind for our ascent of Mount Eisenhower via the Edmand trail.  We enjoyed blue skies, sunshine and dry trails for most of the day (except at the  summit).  Bruno got sore feet (because he forgot to cut his toe-nails), but other than that we had a great hike in the high peaks.