FALL FOLIAGE HIKING SERIES #3 - MT. CHOCORUA

AMC SEM Post-Hike Trip Report

TRIP DATE: October 25, 2014

TRIP LOCATION: Mt. Chocorua, NH

MEETING TIME:  9:15 AM, Sat. 10/25

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 9

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS): 7 hrs.

LENGTH IN MILES: 7.4 miles RT

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET): 2750 ft.

DIFFICULTY:    B (strenuous)                          (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S): Leslie Carson

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Anne Duggan

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION: Paugus Rd. parking area

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:   No                      TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  Yes

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:

We all arrived at the Paugus Rd. parking area where the Brook and Liberty trailheads are located and began the hike on time. We ascended the Liberty trail which was a moderate trail heading up to the summit. We stopped briefly at the Jim Liberty cabin and took a look around. There were great views along the way. We encountered some steep ledges near the summit, but we had fantastic 360 degree views on top of Chocorua. Since it was such a nice day, several people were out on the trails and summit. Foliage was past peak, but there was still some color. After eating lunch on the top, we descended via the Brook trail. Although the day we hiked was dry, it had rained several days before and we encountered wet, steep ledge for part of the way on the Brook trail, necessitating holding onto trees and bushwhacking. All in all, it was a fabulous fall day hike.

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE: 

The weather was perfect for the hike.  Sunny and dry with some clouds; temps in the 60’s. 

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.)

No problems. 

IMPORTANT: Contact Hike Committee Chair ASAP with any medical emergencies or other serious incidents.

Fall Foliage Hiking Series - Morgan-Percival Loop

TRIP DATE:      October 11, 2014                               

TRIP LOCATION:    Mounts Morgan and Percival, Holderness, NH              

MEETING TIME:   8:45 am                 

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 8         

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):  5  

LENGTH IN MILES:      app. 5.5 miles

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):   app. 1,575       

DIFFICULTY:   C (moderate)              (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):       Paul Miller, Len Ulbricht, Anne Duggan

CO-LEADER NAME(S):

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    Mt. Morgan trailhead parking area off Rte. 113.   Note: Good thing that we arrived early, since this was prime “leaf-peeping” season and two local police officers were on hand to make sure any cars that might overflow from the small Mt. Morgan parking area and the slightly larger Rattlesnake Mountain parking area across the road did not park on the road.

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:     No            TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

WAS TRIP WITHING WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?   No   

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:   Hiked Mt. Morgan Trail up to Crawford-Ridgepole to the summit of Mt. Morgan and then across to summit of Mt. Percival.  Then down the Mt. Percival Trail to the connecting trail that took us back to the Mt. Morgan Trail just above the trailhead.

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE: Partly cloudy with temps in the high 50s to low 60s with a light breeze.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.) – We appeared to have timed this “Fall Foliage Hike” just right, since the foliage conditions were near peak in central NH at this date.  Wonderful views over nearby Squam Lake from both summits, with some views into the Pemi Wilderness from the summit of Percival.

Skyline Trail End to End, Oct 4, 2014

AMC SEM POST-HIKE TRIP REPORT

TRIP DATE:         October 4, 2014   

TRIP LOCATION:    Blue Hills Reservation   

WAS TRIP CANCELLED? (y/n):  No

MEETING TIME:     9:00 AM   

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS):    22

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):    6 Hr.

LENGTH IN MILES:     8.03

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):     2,500 feet

DIFFICULTY:        C                           (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S): Cathy MacCurtain, Joe Keogh, Maureen Kelly, Michael Swartz

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Bill Doherty

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    Royal St. Cul de Sac

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:     yes                    TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS: 15m

WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?      No

IF YES TO ABOVE, DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Foggy to start, light drizzle occasionally, overcast all day temps in the 60's.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.)  IMPORTANT: Contact Hike Committee Chair ASAP with any medical emergencies or other serious incidents.

The ledges were extremely slippery, a couple of people slipped and fell. One woman had to be helped out with a dislocated elbow. Medical report will be filed.

Email to: hikingchair@amcsem.org and Cc hikingvicechair@amcsem.org

Mt. Pierce via Mizpah Hut - a Chapter Hut Weekend Hike

TRIP DATE:      September 20, 2014            
             

TRIP LOCATION:  Mt. Pierce in Crawford Notch, NH
            

MEETING TIME:  8:45 am
                  

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 13
        

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS): app. 6 hours
          

LENGTH IN MILES: app. 8.2 miles

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):  app. 2,500 ft.

DIFFICULTY:  moderately strenious     (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):  Paul Miller, Leslie Carson
          

CO-LEADER NAME(S):

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    Parked at the Highland Center as part of annual Chapter Hut Weekend and crossed Rte. 302 to Crawford Path trailhead. (Typically, we would park at the large hikers parking lot off Mt. Clinton Rd. and use the Crawford Connector to get to the Crawford Path...)
. 

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:       No                TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  Yes
      

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED: Hiked Crawford Path from its true trailhead (opposite Highland Center) up to Mizpah Connector to Mizpah Hut, then took Webster Cliff Trail up to summit of Pierce and then back down to Highland Center via Crawford Path.  All trails were in fine condition.

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Breezy and cloudy with temps in the 50s and 60s

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.):  No views on that particular day.  “In the clouds” on higher summits, including Mt. Pierce