Catamount Trail, Pike's Peak National Forest

3/12/2012

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Another warm weekend in Colorado led to another hike snuck into the month of March. This time, a group of us headed towards Pike's Peak National Forest, to explore a hike out of Green Mt Falls, CO. The area around Colorado Springs has been warm this time of year, and the weather sure didn't disappoint during this hike.

Beautiful blue skies hung overhead as we set out along the steep dirt road toward Catamount Trail. The road met the trailhead high along the ridge, but there was still a good bit of work to go before reaching the ridge. Along the way, pockets of shade harbored treacherous ice along the trail. We had a nice walk, but quit before reaching the reservoirs and views of Pike's Peak at the top. A new burger joint was calling our name.

This area is amazing, considering its proximity to Colorado Springs. It would make a wonderful hike on a hot summer day, the trail being so shaded and the reservoirs along the ridge. It was great for wetting my appetite - Now I can't wait to climb Pike's Peak. 
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Mt. Hayes, White Mountain National Forest

3/6/2011

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On Saturday, Chelsey, Zoe and I headed towards Gorham, New Hampshire. Our goal was the Mahoosuc Range. We set out for the mountains with our snowshoes, not really sure what the conditions would be like. Temperatures were already in the 40's on the coast, and the forecast called for rain showers. The skies were grey the entire drive west, toward the mountains.      Cruising through exotic locals like Paris and Poland, we began to wonder just what kind of walk we were in for. Chelsey and I began to discuss clothing options, checking with each other to see what kind of waterproof gear we had brought between us.

Crossing the Androscoggin a couple of times, and entering some beautiful country, the sky began to clear. As we set out, snowshoes strapped to our feet, we even spotted a patch or two of blue sky. At that point it wasn't raining either, and our spirits were high. It looked like we would be catching a break on this dark and stormy, late-winter New England day. 

The snow underfoot was pretty wet, but we slogged on slapping the ice formations that collected constantly to the bottom of our crampons. This was a constant annoyance on the way up, but never made for a difficult walk. Zoe loved the conditions, sticking mostly to the easier path carved by our snowshoes along the trail. We were walking along the Appalachian Trail, just outside of the Presidential Range. The Presidential Range is a series of mountaintops named after past presidents, and it wasn't until we returned from our trip that I learned that Mt. Hayes does NOT refer to Rutherford B. It instead is named for  Mrs. Margaret Hayes, first owner of the Gorham hotel.

Mt. Hayes overlooks the town of Gorham, NH and from the top wonderful views of the Presidential Range. It made for a great three to four hour winter hike. Through beautiful birch stands and deep, dark Canadian hemlock forests. We only saw one other person, a cross-country skier and her two golden retrievers. Yet even at the top, this section of the Whites feels anything but remote. Dogs can be heard among the cruising snowmobiles, and the incessant drone of a generator went on the entire trip, though we hardly noticed this during the actual walk. We probably won't approach the Mahoosuc from the Centennial Trail, or Mt. Hayes in the future. More remote angles are difficult to access in the winter, due to road closures. IN the summer, we will probably come in from the north, maybe passing Gorham on the way toward Crawford Notch. 

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