It’s getting to be that time of year again! The days are getting cooler, pumpkin spice is everywhere, and the trees are painting the Earth with their auburn, red, yellow, and orange foliage.  One way to take in all of the changing colors of the season is to take a hike! You can see miles and miles of tree covered land from the top of a mountain, especially in rural areas near Plymouth, NH. Last year at this time, friends of mine climbed Mt.Willard in Franconia, NH to “peep” the leaves and the pictures were stunning as you can see below.

Under the alpine zone the mountains are abundant in foliage too, so being able to get a glimpse of them from afar can provide stunning views. A few ways you can do this include finding higher ground in an area with surrounding mountains, taking a ride on the Ferris Wheel at many of the town fairs that go on at this time of year, and if you have the chance, hop in a helicopter. At the Sandwich fair in Center Sandwich, NH, the past few years they have provided attendees with an opportunity to take a cruise in a helicopter around the town for a peek at all of the foliage. The cost of the ride has remained at $35 as long as I have been going, but I guess on October 7-9 when it is back in session this year I will know for sure. I have gone the past two years because it is something I really enjoy doing and feel that it is worth the money. Below is one of the pictures I took from the helicopter last year and is one of my favorite fall landscape pictures I have ever taken.

I hope this post inspires you to get outside and enjoy the changing of the seasons. Colors like this only happen once a year, so go on and leaf peep while you can!

Anyone can hike. I have seen all ages make ascends up the mountains; from babies on their parents back, to adventure seekers in their 80s . I mean, even dogs can hike, so you can too! For anyone who is new to hiking or is looking for some helpful tips, here they are:

1. It is more than OK to start small

I think a lot of people underestimate the small hikes and feel like they can do bigger and better to start. What if you find out you don’t like hiking? (not that I really think anyone would) What if you haven’t built up enough stamina to complete the more strenuous hikes?

You need to be able to access your fitness level and see how you do/feel with the small stuff before you make the leap to 4000 footers and beyond.

If you are from the Plymouth, NH area, some great ideas for smaller hikes include Rainbow Falls (0.75mi) , West Rattlesnake (3.1mi), and Whitten Woods(2.5mi).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Hike with a friend!

Hiking is so much more enjoyable and safe when you have a buddy. Switching off carrying supplies, having someone to talk to, and having someone to share the view with is always nice. As a plus, if any emergency situation occurs you know you will have someone to help you through.

3. Hydration

Water is your number one supply. Before going on a hike the first time, it is important to drink lots of water. Be sure to bring it along with you on your travels to keep your body hydrated enough to maintain your temperature and keep your joints lubricated the duration of the hike. I’ve included a link below from the American Hiking Society for more information about prevention and dangers of dehydration.

https://americanhiking.org/resources/dehydration/

4. Preparation 

Here is what you will need on ANY hike- no matter how big or small:

• Water! (cannot stress this enough)
• Extra Clothes (weather changes at higher elevations, so be prepared!)
• Flashlight (incase you don’t make it back before dark)
• Sunscreen (burns are bad)
• Bugspray (bug bites are bad)
• First-aid kit (falling/getting hurt happens… it definitely happens)
• Snacks (Fuel!)
• Navigation (compass or trail map)
• Camera (if it’s not on insta, did it even happen?)

5. Have FUN!!!

Don’t be afraid to take it slow and take breaks when you need to. Hikes aren’t meant to be a race (unless you are a trail runner) and you are allowed to take all the time you need. Relax, listen to all the life that surrounds you, be one with nature, and just enjoy it!

 

 

Over the summer I usually spend a decent amount of time thinking about all the mountains I could possibly hike before the summer is out.  This past summer I had to deal with taking a required course at a community college nearby and working ten hour shifts on the days I didn’t have class. What I am trying to say is that my leisure time was limited. Even so, I google searched “best hikes in New England” and “Day Hikes in the Whites” trying to get ideas for when I finally had the time. I ended up hiking Red hill, Mount Major, Bald Knob, Rattlesnake, and Uncanoonuc; all of which are located in various regions of New Hampshire. Although these smaller 1-2 hour hikes were enjoyable, I was looking to challenge myself.

I did a lot of research during the final weeks of summer about the Franconia Notch Trail. I found out that is a part of the Appalachian Trail (AT) and consists of a 8.9 mile loop that crosses Little Haystack, Mt Lincoln, and Mt. Lafayette (all at elevations over 4000ft) . The average amount of time to complete the hike was 7 hours long; that is TRIPLE the amount of time than hikes I had been doing all summer. I visited the AMC website and other hiker-oriented sites and all across the board people were raving about how amazing the views are as you traverse across the presidential range. I had to see for myself.

It was an early morning waking up at 6am in Plymouth the first weekend back at school. I packed a bag with my Nalgene bottle filled with water, food, camera, first aid kit, and sunglasses. The weather looked good with the highest temp at 75 degrees around noon. Me and my boyfriend arrived at the Franconia Notch State Park by 6:30am and began the treck shortly thereafter. The temp was only about 38 degrees when we started so I had worn a fleece jacket, a hat, and gloves. The loop begins with taking the Falling Waters trail. The trial takes you up to 4080ft in just over 3 miles. It seemed pretty easy at first but as the miles racked up it became very rocky and the last mile was an UPHILL battle. Finally seeing the light peeking out from the alpine zone at around 9:20am and getting our first glimpse of views made the “stair” climbing all worth it.

We had arrived at the top of Little Haystack! The 360 view of mountains and dirt trails nuzzled in the shrubbery along the ridge was absolutely breath taking.  At this point we stayed at the peak to eat some food to regain our strength and to take lots of pictures. At 10am we decided to keep moving toward Mt. Lincoln via the Franconia Ridge Trail. It was roughly a mile between each peak and the temperature got warmer as the day went along and sunglasses became a necessity.

The highest of all three mountains was Mt. Lafayette and it was the last hoorah of the trail. The mountain was particularly crowded, as you do not need to hike the Ridge in order to reach the peak, so we decided not to stay too long. Old Bridle path was the means of making our way down.

The entire loop took just under 8 hours to complete and by the time it was over my knees were aching, my feet throbbing, my body physically exhausted, but I was happier than ever. That hike was the most beautiful I had ever seen and there is a sense of pride knowing you can accomplish such a feat.

I had planned on going on a hike today since it’s one of the few days that classes don’t eat up all my time, but the forecast is showing possible thunderstorms so it looks like I’ll be spending the day indoors. As you can see from the picture above, mountains sometimes act like lightning rods as they are the highest points from the ground. Getting caught up there in a storm could be deadly, so it’s important to check the weather before embarking on a trip.

Hi all mountain enthusiasts! This blog will document my adventures in the White Mountains as I prepare for a backpacking trip upon graduation. It will highlight the best trails in the New England region and include tips, fun facts, and other things related to mountain sports and activities. Exploring the mountains has always been the way I unwind, exercise, and connect with nature and I want to share that with all of you!