November 10, 2007
As I was working on one of my bike-hikes, I met another section hiker with his camera gear, and offered him a ride back to his car. We teamed up and car-pooled for a couple more days and were both pleased with the extra miles we were able to cover.
Here at Laurel Creek, a bridge has been removed leaving only the sturdy piers, and the Trail is rerouted over a road bridge. Will this AT bridge ever be replaced?
Bridge Out
Burke's Garden
November 8-10, 2007
Burke's Garden, nicknamed "God's Thumbprint" caught my attention because of its dramatic appearance on the topo map - a high oval valley surrounded on all sides by a high ridge. The AT travels the ridge along one side of the Garden - the best view is from Chestnut Knob, but it's glimpsed for several miles through the trees during the ridge walk. With the leaves off, I had good views on several days' hikes.
Virginia Ridge & Valley
November 8, 2007
Unable to settle into home life, I'm off to southwestern Virginia for one last fling before winter. Here is Chestnut Knob - after climbing through oak forests for a thousand feet, you emerge into this high meadow where old pastures are kept mown and open. Behind are expansive views of ridge and valley including Big Walker Mountain, a former route of the AT, and Mt. Rogers looming over it way off to the south.
Is She Making it All Up?
October 17, 2007
In case you'd like evidence that I'm really doing it, here's a snap taken by hiker Dave.
Earlier in the day I had met John, who told me he got separated from his two buddies the previous night and was trying really hard to find them.
Here on Baldpate, I found Dave and Ed, the missing pair. Dave revealed that he and John are brothers (!), and Dave hinted that his brother had actually "lost" them and opted to go on ahead by himself.
The view from the top of Baldpate extends north to Lake Umbagog - a place I plan to go canoeing some day when I've had enough of the ups and downs of hiking.
High Altitude Weather
October 16, 2007
Here I am at the top of Mt. Carlo in the Mahoosucs. It's "only" at 3600 feet but just going up a couple of thousand from the valley floor, the weather is completely different. Yesterday freezing rain fell here (though not down below) and this morning as the sky clears, the frosted tips of the spruces give me a preview of winter.
Luckily the ground did not freeze yet, so the path is drying quickly.
I love these ridge-top bog habitats!
The Working Forest
October 16, 2007
A reminder that the Northern Forest is a working landscape ... On this day the first couple of miles of the Notch Trail, an access trail to the AT from the north-west, picks its way through a logging corridor. A cloudy morning is clearing, so while up ahead the ridge line is in clouds, behind me the sun shines on the valley in all its orange glory. Nearby, big trucks are working, so my hike is accompanied by the sound effects of heavy machinery all the way to the Carlo Col shelter.
Maine Fall Foliage
October 16, 2007
Aiming to catch peak fall foliage several times, - here on the Maine-New Hampshire border I'm about to tackle my last missing section of the Mahoosuc Range.
I head out Success Pond Road from Berlin, NH for the Notch Trail to stash my bike and here, maybe 12 miles up a dirt logging road from the nearest pavement, I meet this guy (waiting for a ride?). At the end of the day he's still there.
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