Zealand > Twinway > Bondcliff > Sleep > Boncliff > Twinway >North Twin

It was another amazing weekend in the WMNF. For this journey, my first backpacking adventure, 20 + miles were hoofed starting from the Zealand Trail just north of Crawford Notch. With my new tent, stove and cookware securely attached to my back we entered the woods.

The trail progressed rather easily through bogs surrounded by beaver dams. After about 3 miles in, we started tackling the Twinway following a brief rest at AMC's Zealand Hut. At this point, we witnessed sharper spikes in elevation and as is typical, the sweat was escaping my pores at a steady clip.

By mid-afternoon, Sarah and I were atop Mt Guyot enjoying the 360 degrees vistas of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. In little time, we made the campground, but to find each tent platform occupied and even doubled up. Clearly, and we discerned this earlier based on the volume of passerbys, it was a busy weekend in Whites. Luckily, this backcountry respite offered a 12-person shelter in addition to the tent spots. After claiming our area in the lean-to and ligthening our packs by ridding of the non-essentials, it was off to the Bonds (Boncliff, Mt Bond, West Bond).

These peaks are noted on many websites and various AMC publications for offering some of the best views in New Hampshire. Surely, they lived up to this honor! The pictures below are seriously lacking the justice deserved. It's impossible to capture the space and perception that one witnesses being engulfed in this section of forest. Bondcliff featured dramatic crags- jagged and magestic while West Bond's sunset was even more sublime. These two mountains alone made the trip a success. The sun fell over the horizon, we munched onfreeze-dried pad thai noodles before finally following the wide beam of light emanating from our headlamps back to the camp site.

Sunday brought an easier trail experience that led us to both South and North Twin (5 & 6 official 4000 ftrs bagged on the trip) before exiting the woods via the North Twin Trail.

Man, when hiking, life is fantastic!



Bondcliff and the spine-like ridge trail



The wind whipping at my pant legs was pretty intense during this shot



Bondcliff spine as seen from West Bond



Sunset from West Bond




Again...



Rustic Shelter at Guyot Campground

On Mt. Guyot- 4500 + ft up

Zeacliff Outlook

Lost Sox? Where are they now?

So, I must admit, MLB does not spark the same fire in my heart as it did when I was say....10 yrs old. Today, I'll visit Fenway, effortlessly watch an inning or two on TV, show more concern during playoffs and obviously the World Series, but that is the extent of my dedication. Don't ask me the current incarnation of the BoSox. I'd likely pull off a .400 avg in naming the starting 9, which in contrast to T. Williams' batting, is not an accolade.

In the early 90s, HGH was unheard of, a net topped the Green Monster instead of overpriced seats and Jack Clark was wearing a Red Sox Jersey. Each 3-game series, league ranking and inconsequential statistic (team and player) was duly noted and stored in my memory bank. I had diamond idols and enemies, and even built a paper model of Fenway Park when I was an aspiring grounds crew member. To sum it up, back then I cared. Today, Red Sox Nation doesn't hold much clout on the priority list.

So to relive some of those summer nights, to pay hommage to my heroes long since gone, to briefly re-ignite that passion of long balls and rosin bags, I did a little Wiki research to see what my 'ol faves are doing now. And without further adieu...

Tom Brunanski- Finished his 6th year of coaching high school ball in CA. Accepted a position as hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins Rookie Team. ZZZZZZZZZZZ (boring)

Jack Clark- After his love luxary cars went sour (court papers ref 18 cars!!!), Clark went bancrupt in 1992, but pulled himself out of financial turmoil by the end of the decade. In 2008 he was named manager of the Springfield Sliders. Hmmmmmmm (interesting) / ZZZZZZZ (boring)
The Three Amigos: Tona pena, Louis Rivera, Carlos Quintana

Louis Rivera- Holy shit! He's managing the Fishercats in Manchester! Wow, all the more reason to get to Merchantsauto.com stadium.

Tony Pena- Managed the Royals 2002-2005, but alas, as of 2009, he has fallen to a mere bench coach for the bronx Bombers. Poor ply TP.

Carlos Quintana (The Q)- Evidently, he's now a specter. Nothing found online regarding post Sox days. Hope you're doing well Carl.

Wade Boggs- Our first Hall of Famer! The ass-shaking man of superstitions. He ate chicken before every game and supposedly took exactly 100 ground balls in practice. Not to mention his liking to Miller Lite. He allegedly drank a plethora of Millers on a cross-country flight, to the point of people closely observing the high octane guzzling. Some now refer to Miller as "Boggs" or "Boggs Lite". Since his induction to the HAF in 2005, there's not make shaking. Hope you're enjoying retirement Chicken Man! Yes!!!!!!!!!

Mo Vaughn- The old Foxy Lady regular now owns and operates OMNI New York LLC- a company dedicated to refurbishing Gov't subsidized housing. In 2009, he even purchased some fixeruppers in Lawrence, MA. Nice work Hit Dog!!!!

Phil Plantier- The NH slugger is another boring Double-A Mgr for Seattle. C'mon buddy! Move onto something a bit more exciting!

Jeff Reardon- Once a feared closer, got into trouble in 2005 after robbing a jewelry store. Evidently depression and distress from his son's death were tied to the incident. Sad.

Troy O'Leary- A more recent sox star, has experienced road blocks in his attempt to launch a reality TV show. Other players seeking credit for the program has caused legal disputes and has delayed production. We'll see if this ever surfaces.

Alright, there you have it. Ten characters- all of whom instilled ardor into my heart and money into the pockets of the BoSox owners. Some have experienced tribulations while others have prospered in life. But, let it be known....

I'm most pleased at Mo's success. He made a big impression on me when he crashed the scene in the 90s. I remember watching many of his HR balls sail over the bullpens in right. Lets be real, he didn't get to participate in a victory lap aroung the warning track for nothing. On a horse, to boot!!! So, Mr. Vaughn, I salute you for all you've accomplished in your housing endeavor. This Boggs is for you.

Nature in New Hampshire

Moon rising above Campton Campground


White Mountain National Forest


Atop Moosilauke with Jamie, Mike and Sarah

Ross and the gang crossing Drake's Brook















View from the top of Sandwich Dome















Pete at Jennings Peak














Noon Peak


The moderate adventurer in me definitely reared his genial little head last weekend. It was a wonderful couple days of climbing and camaraderie in the White Mountains. With more than 16 miles hoofed between two hikes, many beautiful vistas were admired. Thinking about the peacefulness and transcendent quality of the woods makes it difficult to stare at this Samsung monitor. Reliving the weekend via this blog at least provides an ethereal retreat to the setting I'd prefer to be surrounded by.

Now onto the trip details...

On Friday night I drove to the Campton Campground, arriving shortly before 8pm. By then, a half dozen fellow AMCers were already setting up shop. Pleasantries were exchanged and introductions followed. The only person I knew among the group was Ross, our trip leader, but I felt welcomed and quickly acquainted myself with the group. The Quick Pitch was assembled, well...quickly, and in no time we were all seated around an impressive campfire exchanging stories and sipping beer. The embers gave way to conversations about education and music. Gradually, people started disappearing into their tents after the park ranger called for quiet. I followed suit. After tossing and turning for what seemed like eternity ( not used to sleeping on a pitiful rubber mat), the light and moon of day (see pic above) fell on our campsite.



Sandwich Dome and Jennings Peak Loop

I hitched a ride with Ross to the trail head, which was a few miles from the campground. The lot was crowded upon arriving, with many enthusiasts making the most out of the cool, favorable summer weather. In no time, wheels were put in motion.
We took the Sandwich Trail over a manageable Drakes Brook crossing and continued to climb, steeply at times, to Noon Peak. After resting, we pushed on to the junction of Drakes Brook Trail and took a short spur path to Jennings Peak. Impressive views of the Tripyramids and broad stretches of green were captured from this vantage point. We all fueled on lunch, while some attempted to identify a few of the many cones pointing skyward. I noticed that Mike, a trip leader from the MA Chapter, was especially interested in peak identification. And, from what I could gather, was a knowledgeable resource. Cheers to Mike!

Moving on...

We backtracked to the main trail and set forth for Sandwich Dome. At 3993 ', just 7 feet shy of the much revered 4000 mark that 48 other NH peaks satisfy, Sandwich's summit was slightly anticlimactic after the dramatic vistas left behind at Jennings. The viewing area was more obstructed by overgrown vegetation and space around the outlook couldn't accommodate our group of ten. Nonetheless, snapshots were taken and another extended break was had. The descent along Drakes Brook was more of an amble in comparison to the grunt-laden climb that the morning witnessed. It served as a nice cool down. Round trip distance: Approx 8.7 mi.

Back at the campsite, after a brief dip in the adjacent river, many got busy preparing there potluck contributions. Jill and Jason scored huge with their Ah So-rubbed kielbasa and chocolate caramel bars. They definitely blew my chicken and sausages out of the water. There was so much food!
The group grew to 20 + people, which once again attracted the park ranger. This time he was totting a po po man who had no qualms about arresting people for breaking the post 10pm quiet hour rule. The guy's sternness was the subject of conversation and tomfoolery for the rest of the evening.

Day 2: Moosilauke

With only hangover type hikes officially planned for Sunday, a small group of us decided to tackle Mt. Moosilauke in Warren. I was especially excited to climb it, as numerous attempts to hike the Gorge Brook Trail in June were trumped by lousy weather. Finally, mother nature cooperated and the mountain was within reach.
After quickly circling the DnD drive-thru, Jamie, Mike, Sarah and I were northbound on 93. A twisty drive along rt. 118 led us to the Ravine Lodge- a beautiful rustic respite subtly positioned below the 4800' hill. The operation is managed by Dartmouth College and upon exploring the different rooms, I surmised that the school know what they're doing. A need is being catered to, efficiently and effectively. We walked the building's perimeter and approached the trail head. The route we decided on, advocated and executed by a fellow AMCer the day before, entailed ascending Gorge Brook and coming down the Carriage Rd and Snapper Trail with a brief detour to South Peak.
The grade up Gorge Brook wasn't too imposing, and we moved quicker than the day prior. Seemingly, the smaller sized group was a contributing factor of this change in pace. The terrain was rockier than the Sandwich Trail. After a couple hours, the trail opened a bit and plots of green and brown grass came into view. Soon enough the rocky summit consisting of hotel ruins dotted the horizon.
Jamie pointed out the spot where an AMC couple wed last year. The "alter", slightly below the summit, was a trail junction sign. Evidently, a handful of onlookers cheered the groom and bride on as vows were accepted. Such a cool spot to tie the knot.
From this sign we progressed to the summit and spent about an hour taking in the surrounding forest and fields of autumn-like dry grass. Mountains sprouted up in every direction. The 360 deg. panorama was more appealing than Sandwich and Jennings, and I was pretty awestruck by the landscape. After some needed downtime, we embarked on the Carriage Rd (also the AT) and followed that to the more peaceful, less crowded South Peak. This stretch of the trail was full of fragrant pines. It was as if we were looking for an ideal Christmas tree to chop down. Apparently South Peaked is commonly overlooked by other hikers. Views from here were more guarded by the looming main peak behind us, however, there was still much to admire- lakes, interesting cloud formations and outlines of nearby villages. Back on the trail- Old Carriage Rd merged with the Snapper Trail, and we eventually met back up with the Gorge Brook
Trail. The journey ended with a couple cups of coffee and trivia pursuit. Round trip: 8.4 mi.

It felt sooo good to be out on the mountain! Looking forward to the next excursion.