My birthday adventure. (pic heavy)

dresnor

dresnor

Joined
Feb 1, 2011
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Every year on or around my birthday I like to challenge myself with a little adventure. So this past weekend I did the Grafton loop trail in Grafton Notch Maine. This 38.6 mile trail includes 8 summits, and 8 designated campsites. About 10 miles of this loop is on the Appalachian trail, the rest is on private land so no campfires and designated campsites is a small price to get to enjoy this trail. 3 days, 2 nights and a great time all around. Here are some pictures.


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!4.8 miles, time to camp. This is my Warbonnet Blackbird setup for night one.

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Time to eat!


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First view the next morning.


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Showing my planned route for the day. Up and over the first peak and up and over the high peak to the right.


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Some of the morning decent.


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Cool bridges protecting the plants.


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Cool lookout tower on Old Speck.


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Looking back on were I started that morning.


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Hammock setup for night #2.


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Showing yesterdays route. From right to left.


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Cool ladder going up Sunday river whitecap.


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Bk 11 on the summit of Sunday river whitecap. Old Speck in the background. Thrird highest Mountain in Maine.


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Me with someone I met up top. The view was great, 360 degrees.


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What a great birthday weekend!

Thanks for looking.

Jeremy
 
Very nice. Looks like a great adventure. Glad you had a nice time my friend, keep adventuring.
 
One little knife? :eek: Blasphemy!


JK, Great pictures of such a beautiful place. Thanks for posting them.:thumbup:
 
Wait..there are "summits" in Maine? ;) j/k man that is some beautiful country you got there....thanks for sharing. Hey do you feel the trekking poles help? I have one pole I just recently found and have been thinking about trying it out...or is using just one defeat the purpose......or am I going to be walking in circles :)
 
Idaho Guy said:
Wait..there are "summits" in Maine? ;) j/k man that is some beautiful country you got there....thanks for sharing. Hey do you feel the trekking poles help? I have one pole I just recently found and have been thinking about trying it out...or is using just one defeat the purpose......or am I going to be walking in circles :)
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Yes, I do feel the trekking poles help quite a bit. It is all about stability. They help you climb rough sections because you have more balance. Decending is easier on the knees. You can use them to test for tracton, firmness, and stability of what your going to put your weight on. They help your footing while fording brooks and rivers. They can also be used for setting up camp. I have one tent that has no poles so you use your trekking pole instead.

I do think they are overkill at smaller pack weights and shorter hikes.

Thanks

Jeremy
 
dresnor said:
Yes, I do feel the trekking poles help quite a bit. It is all about stability. They help you climb rough sections because you have more balance. Decending is easier on the knees. You can use them to test for tracton, firmness, and stability of what your going to put your weight on. They help your footing while fording brooks and rivers. They can also be used for setting up camp. I have one tent that has no poles so you use your trekking pole instead.

I do think they are overkill at smaller pack weights and shorter hikes.

Thanks

Jeremy
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They can also save your life, by poking around under logs and boulders for snakes before you pass over them. Not a big deal to have your sticks bitten by a poisonous snake, your ankle on the other hand. The Mykel Hawke survival stick is good for people who need just one stick, it's basically a sturdy stick about 6" taller than you, with a fork at one end and a sharpened point at the other.
 
Happy belated birthday! I am slightly jealous of this thread, I haven't been out all year. I fully agree on trekking poles. I never used them on our "humps" in SoCal, but it was mandatory during cold weather training in Bridgeport to use our ski poles. Ginormous difference!
 
whereismyclock said:
Honestly just the bk11? I gotta stop going alone into the woods dressed for combat!
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Honestly I thought about bringing some bigger knives with me, and then I asked myself why? On this hike I couldn't have a campfire, I didn't have to make a shelter or have any other large task. I hate packing things that never get used, especially if they are heavy and unused. When I first saw the BK 11 I knew it would be my backpacking knife of choice.

Now a quick overnighter with a campfire and plenty of wood to hack up, hell yeah I'm bringing more tools!

Thanks

Jeremy
 
I'm the same way, unfortunately the sheeple I hike with don't like fixed blades. They aren't illegal or anything where I go, just the sheeple in my group don't like it. I still sneak along a bk11 for the ride though :D
All they see is the leatherman or whatever, but when one of em breaks a leg, I stay behind with em cause I'm the only one who actually thought about the possibility of having to survive... :grumpy:
 
That looks like one heck of a good time Dres.

Oh and I remember you asking me recently about the tube vault I had used for my kit. I recently found something pretty similar but slightly larger, and I think much more useful. At my local Kroger grocery store they had Body Fortress Energy shots in the aisle with all the protein muscle builder stuff, and they were 2 for $3.00. The stuff inside tastes terrible, but they are about 30% bigger than the regular tube vaults, and at that price cheaper than ordering the plain tube vaults from County Comm.
 
7th picture creeped me out, reminds me of pet cemetery.

Some cool lookin places....nice pics also
 
Beautiful. Maine is one of the prettiest places I've ever been. I did have trouble with the language though:)
 
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