It was my first winter hike of the year, and my first hike since September. Winter hiking takes special preparations and sometimes, it takes a few hikes to get everything sorted out.
Despite the abnormally cold temperatures, I knew that within just a few minutes of hiking, I'd get toasty warm. So the key is to not get too bundled up before you begin your trek. Although I was tempted to start out in my down jacket, I knew I'd soon have to stop and strip it off.
So, I settled on fleece tights underneath my Gore-Tex bibs, a polypropylene crew-neck shirt underneath a heavy-weight polypro zippered top, and a Gore-Tex jacket. I have also invested in some plastic mountaineering boots that come with booties that fit inside the shell. I placed my balaclava -- a type of hood with an opening that fits over your mouth and eyes -- around my neck, figuring I could easily put it all the way up if things became unbearably cold.
T.D. and I headed up the Crawford Path _ the oldest continuously used trail in the White Mountains _ by 9:30 a.m. I expected we'd see very few people out on this frigid day. But we must've run into at least a dozen folks, most of them heading up toward the Mizpah Hut and Nauman Tentsite to set up camp for the night.
The trail was nicely packed down by hikers who had gone before us. And except for a few minor blowdowns of trees that required a simple step over, the trail was easy to follow and easy to hike. It twists and winds its way upward past trees with branches weighted down by pristine white snow. It's been a very snowy winter, and I knew that venturing off to the side of the trail would mean I'd end up in snow up to my neck! So I followed the tracks and stayed within the narrow path.
About halfway up, we spied nearby mountains through the trees and reveled in their sight. Mts. Field and Tom glistened from snow and ice, and I fantasized about what awaited us atop Mt. Pierce, our target for the day.
Pierce stands at 4,310 feet, the second of the mountains in the chain of southern Presidentials in New Hampshire's White Mountains. It was named for Franklin Pierce, the only president to have hailed from New Hampshire. Some prefer to call it by its former name, Mt. Clinton.
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Lisa Marie Pane's Mountain Backpacking topic, please visit the Discussions page.