Feb-Apr 2009
Local, Boston, and White Mountains

• Mt. Liberty, 2009 Mar 14, Celia, Jay, & Fred. We did Liberty Spring Trail, up to Mt. Liberty and back. The trail was packed (no snowshoes) but required traction. I had my Stablicers (which have lost a few screws ALREADY!) and Jay and Celia shared (right footed) the Microspikes that we borrowed from Doug (Thanks, Doug!) A few French Canadians passed us on the way up. They wore MSR Ascent snowshoes, which had a few nice features, including a raised heel that could be put in place for going up hill. Others had crampons. Two guys with bare boots had a tough time! A couple had come up Flume Slide Trail, which they said was a toughie. The day was completely clear. We spent 40 minutes on the peak with great 360deg views. Little wind and temperatures in the 30s. Going down included some butt sliding. I used my piece of sleeping pad in yet another way: as a sled. No crashes (Well, Celia blocked me successfully before I passed by slightly out of control; once only). The snow got softer as we descended; 45degF at the base. Total time 5:10, including lunch. 7.8 miles No published trip report; no movies; no cameras.
• Concord Woods, 2009 Mar 21, 4 hours
• Mt Lafayette via Skookumchuck Trail, 2009 Mar 28. Trail very nice but hard to follow in places. Wore Stabilicers. Postholing with soft snow on the downhill leg. Quite a chore. Lost the trail a number of times. Lafayette had fantastic views. Presidentials all snow covered. Email report: I soloed Skookumchuck Trail to Mt. Lafayette today. The views from the top were fantastic. The Presidentials were covered in white with blue sky around them. The trail is very nice, including Skookumchuck Brook for ~1 mile. I ate lunch at the top with just a fleece: sunny, little wind, and above freezing. The trip up was slow paced; I took 4 hours, slightly over book time. Coming down, which I thought would be easier, was quite a challenge as the crusty snow had melted enough so it failed to hold my weight many times. My best postholes were up my waist. There's still a lot of snow! Not sure, but I guess snowshoes would have helped. The Stabilicers worked fine on the way up. Stats: 10 miles, 1.25 mph, 3800' elevation gain, 8:30am start, 300 miles RT @66mph and 44mpg in the Prius, two hamburgers for lunch, aged graham cracker pie crust for snacks
• Mt. Eisenhower via Crawford Path, 2009 April 19. Gorgeous. Email report: Today's jaunt was superb: up the Crawford Path (est. 1819) to the top of Mt Eisenhower, then back, partly via Mt. Pierce and Mizpah Cutoff. Yes, superb. Views everywhere. From Mt Eisenhower, you can look up at Mt. Washington, down to the cog railway and Bretton Woods, west toward Lafayette, north along the other Presidentials, and east and south over the other parts of the White Mts. Hike was ~10 miles, 3700' elevation gain, 6:49. Stabilicers all the way on well-packed trails. People I met had bare boots (6), crampons (3), and microspikes (~6). No postholes but the snow was slick going down; temperature range 32-55 deg F. Met a youngster from Natick on Mt Eisenhower. He was continuing on to Mt Washington and then thought he'd find a place to sleep, like at the Madison Hut, another 7 miles at the north end of the Presidentials!. "I have food for 5 days. I have a headlamp. I'm set." Still lots of snow! Emily is 27 today!
• 2009 Apr 20, 19 miles on the AMC Hike led by Carol Leiter from Lincoln Town Center (at the train station), through Lincoln and Weston, lunch at canoe rental place at 128 and 30, then follow the marathon route through Newton. I finished at the Kenmore station and took the T to get to Ann at waiting at Alewife. However, the T was so slow due to the Marathon crowd that it would have been better to walk to Park St for the Red Line. Nice walk. I heard about Sub Sig.

Fred, 2009 Apr 27.