copyright © 2006 - 2014 Dennis Paul Himes


2006 Hiking Trip Logs

These are trail logs for my hikes in 2006. Here's the main trail log page.

Legend

Text in italics is trail names.
Text in bold italics is trail names for trails which are part of the Appalachian Trail.
Underlined text is mountain peak names.
Bold underlined text is mountain peak names for mountains which are on the Northeast 111 list.
Underlined blue text is mountain peak names for mountains which are on the New England Fifty Finest list.
Underlined green text is mountain peak names for mountains which are on the Catskill 35 list.
A bold U means a turnaround point.


Trips


Zealand - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 11-12 February 2006

Saturday 11 February 2006
Zealand Road trailhead - Zealand Road - Zealand Trail - Twinway Trail - Zealand Falls Hut - Twinway Trail - Zeacliff U - Twinway Trail - Zealand Falls Hut

Sunday 12 February 2006
Zealand Falls Hut - Twinway Trail - Lend-A-Hand Trail - Mt. Hale - Hale Brook Trail - Zealand Road - Zealand Road trailhead

It was cold, but not windy, on this trip. It was clear on Saturday and cloudy with light to moderate snow on Sunday. The only real trouble was breaking a crampon while ascending Hale. I switched to snowshoes, but crampons would have been a lot better on the way down. Still, a nice trip.


The Taconic Range, Connecticut and Massachusetts - 20-21 May 2006

Saturday 20 May 2006
Undermountain Trailhead - Undermountain Trail - Appalachian Trail - Bear Mountain - Appalachian Trail - Sages Ravine - Appalachian Trail - Race Mountain - Appalachian Trail - Race Brook Falls Trail - Race Brook Falls Campsite

Sunday 21 May 2006
Race Brook Falls Campsite Appalachian Trail - Mt. Everett U - Appalachian Trail - Race Mountain - Appalachian Trail - Sages Ravine - Appalachian Trail - Paradise Lane Trail - Undermountain Trail - Undermountain Trailhead

This trip was a little closer to home.

Sages Ravine is a beautiful section of trail. I recommend Bear Mtn. / Sages Ravine for anyone in the area looking for a good dayhike.

I had good weather for Saturday, and while I was in camp, but late Sunday it started raining, followed by a thunder and hail storm.


Franconia - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 10-11 June 2006

Saturday 10 June 2006
Flume Trailhead - Pemi Trail - Whitehouse Trail - Cascade Brook Trail - Pemi Trail - The Basin - Pemi Trail - Old Bridal Path - Greenleaf Hut

Sunday 11 June 2006
Greenleaf Hut - Greenleaf Trail - Mt. Lafayette U - Greenleaf Trail - Greenleaf Hut - Old Bridal Path - Pemi Trail - The Basin - Bike Path - Whitehouse Trail - Pemi Trail - Flume Trailhead

This was a wet trip. It rained all day Saturday and most of Sunday. My original plan had been to hike down Franconia Ridge to Liberty and then go down the Liberty Springs Trail, but I changed it when I summited Lafayette because it was windy and raining and had been completely socked in the whole weekend.

On Saturday I had to step in a couple feet of water in order to cross Cascade Brook on the Pemi Trail, which is why I altered my return route.

All in all, though, it was a much better trip than the preceeding makes it sound. I was only a little cold near the end of Saturday and I enjoy being in the woods, even without views.


Zealand / Willey Range - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 1-3 July 2006

Saturday 1 July 2006
Zealand trailhead - Zealand Trail - Twinway Trail - Zealand Falls Hut - Twinway Trail - Zeacliff U - Twinway Trail - Zealand Falls Hut

Sunday 2 July 2006
Zealand Falls Hut - Twinway Trail - Zealand Trail - A-Z Trail - Mt. Tom Spur - Mt. Tom U - Mt. Tom Spur - A-Z Trail - Willey Range Trail - Mt. Field U - Willey Range Trail - A-Z Trail - Zealand Trail - Twinway Trail - Zealand Falls Hut

Monday 3 July 2006
Zealand Falls Hut - Twinway Trail - Zealand Trail - Zealand trailhead

This was another hike to Zealand with my wife. It rained off and on during the hike to the Willey Range, but never too hard.. I didn't go all the way to Mt. Willey because I was running late. The A-Z Trail was very muddy and wet.


The Osceolas - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 4 July 2006

Tuesday 4 July 2006
Greeley Pond trailhead - Greeley Pond Trail - Mt. Osceola Trail - East Osceola - Mt. Osceola Trail - Mt. Osceola U - Mt. Osceola Trail - East Osceola - Mt. Osceola Trail - Greeley Pond Trail - Greeley Pond trailhead

This was part of the same trip as the Zealand/Willey hike. After two days in the hut my wife and I spent two days in a fancy inn, courtesy of a silver anniversary present from my brother Peter.

The weather was good, if hazy, for this hike. The climb up East Osceola was tough, but well within my capabilities. I was later getting down than I had predicted, which got Laura a bit worried, but all's well that end's well.


Presidential Range - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 4-6 August 2006

Friday 4 August 2006
Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead - Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail - Lakes of the Clouds Hut - Crawford Path - Mt. Monroe Loop - Mt. Monroe U- Mt. Monroe Loop - Crawford Path - Lakes of the Clouds Hut

Saturday 5 August 2006
Lakes of the Clouds Hut - Crawford Path - Mt. Washington - Trinity Heights Connector - Gulfside Trail - Mt. Clay Loop - Mt. Clay - Mt. Clay Loop - Gulfside Trail - Mt. Jefferson Loop - Mt. Jefferson - Mt. Jefferson Loop - Gulfside Trail - Israel Ridge Path - Lowe's Path - Mt. Adams - Star Lake Trail - Madison Spring Hut

Sunday 6 August 2006
Madison Spring Hut - Osgood Trail - Mt. Madison - Osgood Trail - Howker Ridge Trail - Sylvan Way - Falls Way - Appalachia

This is the trip I had originally planned for last year.

It was an excellent trip. The weather was beautiful, not too cold on the mountains, and not too hot in the valleys. There were clouds, but also great views. I felt exactly two raindrops the whole trip. Saturday was probably the best hiking day of my life, so far.


Kinsman Ridge - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 30 September - 1 October 2006

Saturday 30 September 2006
The Basin - Basin-Cascade Trail - Cascade Brook Trail - Kinsman Pond Trail - Kinsman Pond Campsite - Kinsman Pond Trail - Kinsman Ridge Trail - North Kinsman Mountain - Kinsman Ridge Trail - South Kinsman Mountain U - Kinsman Ridge Trail - North Kinsman Mountain - Kinsman Ridge Trail - Kinsman Pond Trail - Kinsman Pond Campsite

Sunday 1 October 2006
Kinsman Pond Campsite - Kinsman Pond Trail - Kinsman Ridge Trail - Cannon Mountain U - Kinsman Ridge Trail - Lonesome Lake Trail - Around Lonesome Lake Trail - Lonesome Lake Hut - Fishin' Jimmy Trail - Cascade Brook Trail - Basin-Cascade Trail - The Basin

Saturday and Sunday were very different hiking days. Saturday had no rain, broken clouds, no wind, and some of the best visibility I've every seen in the mountains. Sunday had high winds (at least early), intermittent rain all day, and only occasional hints of views.

The Cannonballs (Kinsman Ridge Trail between N. Kinsman and Cannon) are tougher than they look on the map, especially carrying a full pack, with a tent. OTOH, I think that a couple years ago that hike would have completely wiped me out. This year it just left me sorer than usual for a couple days.


Garfield Ridge and the Bonds - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 13-15 October 2006

Friday 13 October 2006
Gale River Trailhead - Gale River Trail - Garfield Ridge Trail - Galehead Hut

Saturday 14 October 2006
Galehead Hut - Twinway Trail - South Twin Mountain - Twinway Trail - Bondcliff Trail - possibly Mt. Guyot - Bondcliff Trail - West Bond Trail - West Bond Mountain U - West Bond Trail - Bondcliff Trail - Bond Mountain - Bondcliff Trail - Bondcliff Mountain U - Bondcliff Trail - Bond Mountain - Bondcliff Trail - possibly Mt. Guyot - Bondcliff Trail - Twinway Trail - South Twin Mountain - Twinway Trail - Galehead Hut

Sunday 15 October 2006
Galehead Hut - Garfield Ridge Trail - Mt. Garfield U - Garfield Ridge Trail - Garfield Trail - Garfield Trailhead

Saturday was a glorious day. I'd heard that the Bonds were a great place to hike, and I'd heard right. There was some snow on Sunday, and a little ice, but, except for being very cold on top of Garfield, it was pleasant hiking.

There were eight guests at the hut Friday night, and a full house on Saturday, the final night of the year.


Kinsman Ridge - White Mountains, New Hampshire - 28-30 December 2006

Thursday 28 December 2006
The Basin - Basin-Cascade Trail - Cascade Brook Trail - Fishin' Jimmy Trail - Lonesome Lake Hut

Friday 29 December 2006
Lonesome Lake Hut - Fishin' Jimmy Trail - Kinsman Ridge Trail - North Kinsman Mountain - Kinsman Ridge Trail - South Kinsman Mountain U - Kinsman Ridge Trail - North Kinsman Mountain - Kinsman Ridge Trail - Fishin' Jimmy Trail - Lonesome Lake Hut

Saturday 30 December 2006
Lonesome Lake Hut - Around Lonesome Lake Trail - Lonesome Lake Trail - Kinsman Ridge Trail - Cannon Mountain - unnamed trail - Cannon Ski Resort cafeteria U - unnamed trail - Cannon Mountain - Kinsman Ridge Trail - Lonesome Lake Trail - Around Lonesome Lake Trail - Lonesome Lake Hut - Fishin' Jimmy Trail - Cascade Brook Trail - Basin-Cascade Trail - The Basin

Once again, I had very different weather for hiking the Kinsmans and for hiking Cannon. Once again, I had excellent views on the former and no views on the latter.

On Thursday I just hiked up to the hut. There was much less snow than last year, and I barebooted.

On Friday the day was cloudless and crystal clear. I summitted the Kinsmans. It was cold on South Kinsman, where it was more exposed, but the views and the snow and rime on the trees were excellent. I was on crampons all day.

On Saturday it snowed all day, accumulating about six inches of powdery snow. I was essentially breaking trail when I retraced my path coming down the mountain. I had some hot chocolate at the ski resort cafeteria on Cannon. Other than at the ski resort, though, I saw no one else until I got back to the hut. I was on crampons until about half way down, when I switched to snowshoes.


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