The Pemigewasset Slog

Summary
OwnerMITOC Gallery Administrator
Creation Date2004-10-14 10:42:29 UTC-0400
Description







At 3:50 we headed into the mist

















The Pemigewasset Slog

33 miles, 9300 feet elevation gain, 21 hours 45
minutes

 

Anne Lightbody, Karen Robinson, and Bilal Zia

Monday October 11, 2004

 

Trip Report:

 

At 3:50 we headed into the mist

With
multiple peaks on our list.

We jumped railroad ties

With a gleam in our eyes,

And Calcu-Bilal
checking his wrist.

 

The first trail junction we
passed;

No doubt we were going too
fast.

We reached Black Pond Trail

And had to turn tail;

Good thing we found Osseo at
last.

 

Leaves crinkled as we began
our ascent

Up Flume,
stepping around mid-trail tent.

Conversation turned political,

Primarily critical:

Night hiking is a great time
to vent.

 

“Its light;
lamps off!” Bilal cried,

As the first wooden ladder we
spied.

We stopped very near

For above-treeline gear;

Fig Newtons for breakfast Anne supplied.

 

On Franconia, covered with hoar,

We took pictures: one, two,
three, four.

Chinese was our count

For the top
of each mount.

Tad icy,
but traversing still not a chore.

 

The steep descent down Garfield was a real pain,

And Karen’s knee began to
complain.

The sunshine was nigh:

Cold hands, but spirits high,

After stretching we headed
off again.

 

Two marathon runners were
wise

To knee injuries, and quick
to advise.

Karen put us off with aplomb:

She didn't need to run!

"She'll make it
fine," we began to realize.

 

From Galehead ‘neath clouds
was a view.

The mountains were red: who
knew?!

We stopped at the hut:

Free food? What luck!

Swallowing snacks, we hit
trail anew.

 

The trail led us back into
the clouds:

Once again,
away from any crowds.

We
did the South-Twin climb

In record time,

Then back among trees through
wind loud.

 

Night came, but picking trail
went well.

Though, "Is this Bond's
peak?" "Hard to tell."

We
found the right direction,

After minor
correction.

Good that off Bond Cliff no
one fell!

 

The next several hours are
blurry,

As we
headed out of there in a hurry.

Finally below trees,

We sang show tunes with ease.

Finding the car 'ere collapse
was a worry.

 

When we saw the bridge, oh,
we were glad.

After 21:45, a little mad.

Thirty-three miles

Does take a while,

But 10 peaks in a day? Not
bad!



 



 

Trip Stats:

 

33
miles, 9300 feet elevation gain, 21:45

 

Parking
lot – Black Pond Trail – Osseo Trail:           1:09
(Off to a “flying” start)

Osseo
Trail – Mt. Flume:                                             2:17
(Nice warm-up in the dark)

Mt. Flume – Mt. Liberty:                                             0:51 (Singing and dancing, we trudge
along)

Mt. Liberty – Mt. Lincoln:                                           1:02
(First signs of snow and ice)

Mt. Lincoln – Mt. Lafayette:                                       0:59 (Up up
& up, we curse at all the fake summits)

Mt. Lafayette – Mt. Garfield:                                       2:56
(Includes lunch break + 1st human contact)

Mt. Garfield – Galehead Hut:                                      2:45
(Karen’s knee injury kicks in)

Galehead
Stopover:                                                      0:23 (Ace Bandage and
Vitamin I to the rescue)

Galehead
Hut – Mt. South Twin:                                0:39 (Reluctantly we forgo side trip
to North Twin)

Mt. South Twin – Mt. Guyot:                                      1:24
(Zealand’s summit sucks!)

Mt. Guyot – Mt. Bond:                                                0:55 (We search for Bond’s secret spy
entrance)

Mt. Bond – Mt. Bond Cliff:                                        1:30 (Darkness engulfs us)

Mt. Bond Cliff – Wilderness Trail:                             3:08
(Auto-pilot engaged)

Wilderness
Trail – Parking Lot:                                  1:34
(Will this f***ing trail ever end!)

Total:                                                                             21:45 (All in a day’s work!)