Showing posts with label NH 52 with a view. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NH 52 with a view. Show all posts

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Mount Monadnock - Solo Hiking

white cross trail, solo hiking, NH 52 with a view, summit selfie



Elevation: 3,165ft
Trail: White Cross
Elevation Gain: 1,765ft
Distance: 4 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Took a short drive west to hike up Monadnock and it was so refreshing! Originally I wanted to head north but with some overnight snow fall and ice, I didn't feel like driving in the stuff. So Monadnock was a good call for me. At the Poole Road entrance, park rangers said that there were 50 mph winds with reports of ice and snow at the summit. Felt good to get back out and hike the last of Autumn season.....winter will be here soon! 



Summit selfie Video
Along the White Cross Trail
white cross trail, solo hiking, NH 52 with a view,
Snow along the trail

mt. monadnock, white cross trail, solo hiking, NH 52 with a view


mt. monadnock, white cross trail, solo hiking, NH 52 with a view


mt. monadnock, white cross trail, solo hiking, NH 52 with a view


Monday, August 17, 2015

Kearsarge North - Solo Hike

Shaka from the summit of Kearsarge North!

Kearsarge North (3,268 ft)
Trail: Kearsarge
Elevation Gain: 2,600 ft
Miles: 6.2 roundtrip
Duration: 4 hrs, 15 min (includes stops along the trail and at the summit for 30 minutes)
NH 52 With A View
Difficulty: Easy to moderately strenuous

I checked the weather report and today was the best out of the weekend for hiking. But I totally didn’t check the humidity levels! :( Having EIA (exercise-induced asthma) I really should pay close attention to the air quality index. But I was all gung-ho to get out and hike something short and easy (or so I thought) after last Saturday’s epic hike to the summit of Mt.Katahdin.

It started off easy enough but after about 35 minutes into the hike, I realized that it was more humid than I was thought it would be. I stopped to get a quick drink and thought about turning back….maybe head over to Mt. Stanton for shorter hike? But I was already here and figured so long as I kept pace, kept *nasal breathing and kept hydrated, I should be fine. On the other hand, if the humidity worsened, then I’d definitely turn back.

*I started "nasal-breathing-only" during exercise while on my Colorado trip and it does help. For starters it helps me relax and when I'm relaxed, I can keep a better breathing pace. I also find that I don't feel like I'm gasping for air or hyperventilating when nasal breathing. 1995 Study.

A couple came up behind me and we chatted for a bit. Found out we both have asthma but he forgot to bring his inhaler. I prodded along at my pace and the both of them would run past me, then stop and sit so he could catch his breath. I would walk past them as they sat resting and then they’d catch up and run past me again…then stop and sit so he could catch his breath. I passed them once more and quickened my pace and breathing as fast as I could comfortably endure. I wanted to get higher as fast as I could for cooler air. I finally made the summit in just under 2 hours and it was so much easier to breath! There were 3 other people there and tons of dragonflies! The air was still, not even a tiny breeze. But thanks to all those dragonflies, not one mosquito! Another hiker checked the temps for me…..80 degrees at the summit, it was 95 at the parking lot. I quickly took some photos, signed the log book and ate my lunch and chocolate zucchini bread. Only spent 30 minutes at the summit.

There were more folks coming up, but that couple never showed. After asking around, a couple of guys said they saw the couple headed back down to the trailhead. I hope he’s alright. Overheard the other 6 hikers that had come up behind me - it took them to 2 hours to ascend due to the humidity as well.

I’m calling this “easy to moderately strenuous” because I had a tough time breathing in this humidity.

Enjoy some photos I took on my hike!

My favorite parts of trails are slabs of granite!

More photos along the trail



Fire tower & log book

Chocolate Zucchini Bread









Sunday, June 21, 2015

South Moat & North Doublehead - Solo Hike


South Moat Mountain (2,760ft)
Trail: Moat Mountain Trail
Elevation Gain: 2,200ft
Miles:  5.4 miles roundtrip
Duration: 3.5 hrs (includes stop along trail at the summit for 30 min)
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

North Doublehead (3,053ft)
Trail: New Path
Elevation Gain: 1,600ft
Miles:  3.0 miles roundtrip
Duration: 2 hrs, 15 min (includes stop along trail at the summit for 15 min)
Difficulty: Easy to moderately strenuous

Checked off numbers 16 & 17 of my NH 52 With A View list! I wasn’t planning on bagging 2 peaks from the list today, but after 2,200 feet of elevation gain to the summit of South Moat, I still felt good (my knee wasn't bothering me). So I hiked to the summit of North Doublehead for another 1,600 feet of elevation gain, and that did the trick for me today. Enjoy some photos I took of my hike to the South Moat Mountain.

Along the Moat Mountain Trail

At the summit


After I got down from South Moat I felt good. My knees weren’t hurting and I wanted more cardio workout. So I headed over to the trailhead of North Doublehead. The parking lot is really small and can fit up to 5 vehicles parked closely to one another. The trail actually starts up the dirt road a bit and to the right. There is a large white sign with an arrow on it pointing in the direction of the trail. If you continue on the dirt road, there is a “private property” sign near a small bridge. There is a “No Parking” sign along the one-lane dirt road as well.

Just before the junction I met a family of 3…looked like grandparents with their grandson. They told me that it was their 2nd attempt to summit via the steep, “Old Path” trail and they turned around because it was too steep and strenuous. I asked if it was rocky and the guy said that it was all rocky ….which was bullshit. Some parts of the trail were a bit rocky but not as much as South Moat. The woman told me that I should ascend using the Doublehead Ski Trail as it would be “easier on me.” I quickly looked them over and realized that they didn’t even have a backpack or so much as a water bottle between them. Yup, I really want their advice. Not!  I quickly told them bye and headed to the junction where I took a right onto the steeper trail.  I met two more hikers descending and we chatting for a bit, and then I continued upwards. And the trail stayed steep. And I pushed on. Pacing my breathing. Staying hydrated. Until I spotted the Doublehead Cabin through the woods. Enjoy some photos of my hike to North Doublehead Mountain.

Along the trail

Not much views from the North Doublehead summit. I did get
a shot of Mount Washington through the tops of the trees.

YouTube Channel - Hawaii Girl Adventures

Check out my YouTube channel at:  Hawaii Girl Adventures I will eventually be phasing out blog posts and be posting videos of my climbing, h...