Well, I set the alarm clock for 0200 hrs friday morning so that I could drive approx 4.5 hrs to New Hampshire and cross 4 more 4000 footers off my list. The plan was to run a loop hike using the Pine Bend Brook trail to cross over the Tripyramids and then the Kate Sleeper Trail and others to connect to Mt Whiteface and Mt Passaconaway. I figure I'd do it over 2 days- with approximately 10 miles each day.
Sandwich Range topo
Larger image here (red indicates trail head):
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3390/3628490417_873deb67b7_o.jpg
I get to the trail head at approx. 0630 hrs in the pouring rain and get on the trail at approx 0645. Other than the rain and the fact that the trail requires a number of brook crossings - things were going well and I make very good time to the North peak- its now about 0900-0930 hrs and has finally stopped raining although my boots are pretty wet - you see, I was lazy and didnt put on my gators- and the rain soaked my socks and this made its way down my feet...another lazy, avoidable mistake.
Anyhow, I'm feeling really good and I decide I am going to try and hump it- making the 20 mile trip in one day. This is partly due to the fact that I don't like where I parked my car on the side of the road and partly because I need to up my per day/mileage in order to prepare for an upcoming trip. Did I mention I had 35 lbs, includ. food and water, in my pack? Again for training purposes but also because I wasn't worried about weight originally when I was doing it as a overnighter. As they say, this fact becomes 'relevant' later.
I cross over the middle and south peaks and begin my descent off the south peak - where I should be picking up the Kate Sleeper trail to the east.
(Note none of the trail photos are mine.. lets say that taking photos soon became of little concern during the trip).
The descent off the south peak is essentially down a rock slide
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/139117.JPG
Some how, I miss the junction with the Kate Sleeper Trail and by the time I am certain I have missed it (around 1200 hrs?), Ive traveled a good distance down the south side .. distance I don't have much desire to ascend. (*this proved the first mistake*)
So, I make a decision to reroute my trip. Instead of doing the 4 peaks as planned, I was just going to do a loop over and back the way I came. I figured it was still a good workout and I could then decide if I wanted to camp that night..and then drive to another trailhead to bag the other peaks the next day.
Revised trip route Yellow/orange intersection is where I should have picked up the Kate Sleeper trail - orange is my revised route and red is where I made another wonderful error - more below.
Larger image:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2479/3629303016_d18f20c21d_o.jpg
I continue down, what I think is Mt Tripyramid trail, hoping to find the junction with the Livermore trail- its around 1300 hrs.
Around 1400 hrs I'm at the point of no return (the point I can no longer scratch the new route and simply retrace my path back to the car) and decide that I will keep on the new route.
Studying my maps, I hope to take the Livermore trail to the Scaur Ridge Trail back to the Pine Bend Brook Trail- thereby avoiding much of the elevation gain if I had simply reversed my route. I figure I can get some mileage in, but wont have to ascend that rock slide that was not only difficult terrain but wet from the rains (but drying rapidly).
I reach a junction that has all trails (including the Livermore) bearing right, which I now think was poor signage and in fact wrong. Instead of remaining on the Livermore trail, it seems I switched back over onto the Mt Tripyramid Trail, which, while would ultimately lead me back to the top of the North Peak of Tripyramids - does so via a trecherous ascent up the North Slide of the peak.
http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/357682.jpg
I should have went with my instincts to follow the access road I was on (livermore tr.) up further just to recon whether there was a trail head further on.. but I didn't. So I soldier on.. and reach the base of the north slide.. and begin my ascent- its around 1400 hrs now.
The black flies are out in full force after the rain... but the north slide has my full attention as I'm now getting tired... and know I still have approx 3.2 miles once I get to the peak.
I don't know if it was a general lack of attention, tiredness, laziness or what, but at points I must have seriously deviated from the trail up the slide. Instead of a trail, I would have called what I did "a possible way up".
I did not reach the peak until 1700 hrs.
Pissed off that I had to ascend the north slide when everything I've read and know has said to stay off when wet, I'm mildly elated that the only obstacle between me and my car is a 3.2 mile hike that retraces my steps back down the Pine Bend Brook Trail; its downhill and I know the terrain.
So, off I go to hit the jct with the Pine Bend Brook Trail.
Well.. I hit a jct sign that has the Pine Bend Brook Trail pointed one way, and another arrow pointed the opposite direction but with no label. Since I am on the loop trail that, if followed would take me back across the middle and south peaks, I figure that the arrow pointing to the Pine Bend Brook Trail would be in the direction back to the trailhead.
I say to myself " surely they wouldnt leave the way back to the trailhead a blank, unlabeled, arrow but instead label the 'Pine Bend Brook Trail' in the direction away from the trailhead and back over the peaks"? Well now I know the answer is, yes, yes they would.
I realize this when I reach the jct for the Sabbaday Brook Trail. Deflated - I decide not to backtrack but instead to just take the Sabbaday Trail down to the trail head and then walk the 1 mile on the highway back to my car- the terrain looks to be much more even and appealing even if it seems a bit longer. *Another mistake- I should have backtracked yet again- I knew the terrain on the Pine bend trail.. and knew how long it took me to ascend- I didn't know anything about this trail*
There are numerous, numerous brook crossings on this trail which, are almost entirely impossible to cross without getting wet. That is, you leverage safety for keeping dry. However, the brook was a bit violent in places- especially after the night of rain.
Nonetheless, I decide that, given my current state: tired, wet, blisters and 35 lbs on my back - I am not in a position to risk safety - so I just ford the brook crossings .. stomp stomp stomp.
Of course - this slows me down.. and that pisses me off.. because now I am worried about making it back to the trailhead by dark.
It's 1900 hrs and Im still fording brooks.
Finally, I reach Sabbaday Falls- a popular spot for day trips - and I know that the terrain will be people friendly from here on in... which is good, because it is around 1930 hrs.
I hit Rt 112- the "Kanc" and now its just a road hike back to my car- Im relieved that Im off trails before it got dark.
At 2015 hrs I make it back to my car... I've been hiking for 13.5 hours.
Remember those black flies I told you about? They had some fun on my legs especially.
And I had a nice pair of blisters courtesy mainly of soggy feet:
Finally, at 0045 - I make it back to CT. Almost 24 hours later, I'm back in my bed...
edit: the trip ended up being only around 15 miles- but those 3 hours I spent ascending the north slide really taxed every muscle
Sandwich Range topo
Larger image here (red indicates trail head):
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3390/3628490417_873deb67b7_o.jpg
I get to the trail head at approx. 0630 hrs in the pouring rain and get on the trail at approx 0645. Other than the rain and the fact that the trail requires a number of brook crossings - things were going well and I make very good time to the North peak- its now about 0900-0930 hrs and has finally stopped raining although my boots are pretty wet - you see, I was lazy and didnt put on my gators- and the rain soaked my socks and this made its way down my feet...another lazy, avoidable mistake.
Anyhow, I'm feeling really good and I decide I am going to try and hump it- making the 20 mile trip in one day. This is partly due to the fact that I don't like where I parked my car on the side of the road and partly because I need to up my per day/mileage in order to prepare for an upcoming trip. Did I mention I had 35 lbs, includ. food and water, in my pack? Again for training purposes but also because I wasn't worried about weight originally when I was doing it as a overnighter. As they say, this fact becomes 'relevant' later.
I cross over the middle and south peaks and begin my descent off the south peak - where I should be picking up the Kate Sleeper trail to the east.
(Note none of the trail photos are mine.. lets say that taking photos soon became of little concern during the trip).
The descent off the south peak is essentially down a rock slide
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/139117.JPG
Some how, I miss the junction with the Kate Sleeper Trail and by the time I am certain I have missed it (around 1200 hrs?), Ive traveled a good distance down the south side .. distance I don't have much desire to ascend. (*this proved the first mistake*)
So, I make a decision to reroute my trip. Instead of doing the 4 peaks as planned, I was just going to do a loop over and back the way I came. I figured it was still a good workout and I could then decide if I wanted to camp that night..and then drive to another trailhead to bag the other peaks the next day.
Revised trip route Yellow/orange intersection is where I should have picked up the Kate Sleeper trail - orange is my revised route and red is where I made another wonderful error - more below.
Larger image:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2479/3629303016_d18f20c21d_o.jpg
I continue down, what I think is Mt Tripyramid trail, hoping to find the junction with the Livermore trail- its around 1300 hrs.
Around 1400 hrs I'm at the point of no return (the point I can no longer scratch the new route and simply retrace my path back to the car) and decide that I will keep on the new route.
Studying my maps, I hope to take the Livermore trail to the Scaur Ridge Trail back to the Pine Bend Brook Trail- thereby avoiding much of the elevation gain if I had simply reversed my route. I figure I can get some mileage in, but wont have to ascend that rock slide that was not only difficult terrain but wet from the rains (but drying rapidly).
I reach a junction that has all trails (including the Livermore) bearing right, which I now think was poor signage and in fact wrong. Instead of remaining on the Livermore trail, it seems I switched back over onto the Mt Tripyramid Trail, which, while would ultimately lead me back to the top of the North Peak of Tripyramids - does so via a trecherous ascent up the North Slide of the peak.
http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/357682.jpg
I should have went with my instincts to follow the access road I was on (livermore tr.) up further just to recon whether there was a trail head further on.. but I didn't. So I soldier on.. and reach the base of the north slide.. and begin my ascent- its around 1400 hrs now.
The black flies are out in full force after the rain... but the north slide has my full attention as I'm now getting tired... and know I still have approx 3.2 miles once I get to the peak.
I don't know if it was a general lack of attention, tiredness, laziness or what, but at points I must have seriously deviated from the trail up the slide. Instead of a trail, I would have called what I did "a possible way up".
I did not reach the peak until 1700 hrs.
Pissed off that I had to ascend the north slide when everything I've read and know has said to stay off when wet, I'm mildly elated that the only obstacle between me and my car is a 3.2 mile hike that retraces my steps back down the Pine Bend Brook Trail; its downhill and I know the terrain.
So, off I go to hit the jct with the Pine Bend Brook Trail.
Well.. I hit a jct sign that has the Pine Bend Brook Trail pointed one way, and another arrow pointed the opposite direction but with no label. Since I am on the loop trail that, if followed would take me back across the middle and south peaks, I figure that the arrow pointing to the Pine Bend Brook Trail would be in the direction back to the trailhead.
I say to myself " surely they wouldnt leave the way back to the trailhead a blank, unlabeled, arrow but instead label the 'Pine Bend Brook Trail' in the direction away from the trailhead and back over the peaks"? Well now I know the answer is, yes, yes they would.
I realize this when I reach the jct for the Sabbaday Brook Trail. Deflated - I decide not to backtrack but instead to just take the Sabbaday Trail down to the trail head and then walk the 1 mile on the highway back to my car- the terrain looks to be much more even and appealing even if it seems a bit longer. *Another mistake- I should have backtracked yet again- I knew the terrain on the Pine bend trail.. and knew how long it took me to ascend- I didn't know anything about this trail*
There are numerous, numerous brook crossings on this trail which, are almost entirely impossible to cross without getting wet. That is, you leverage safety for keeping dry. However, the brook was a bit violent in places- especially after the night of rain.
Nonetheless, I decide that, given my current state: tired, wet, blisters and 35 lbs on my back - I am not in a position to risk safety - so I just ford the brook crossings .. stomp stomp stomp.
Of course - this slows me down.. and that pisses me off.. because now I am worried about making it back to the trailhead by dark.
It's 1900 hrs and Im still fording brooks.
Finally, I reach Sabbaday Falls- a popular spot for day trips - and I know that the terrain will be people friendly from here on in... which is good, because it is around 1930 hrs.
I hit Rt 112- the "Kanc" and now its just a road hike back to my car- Im relieved that Im off trails before it got dark.
At 2015 hrs I make it back to my car... I've been hiking for 13.5 hours.
Remember those black flies I told you about? They had some fun on my legs especially.
And I had a nice pair of blisters courtesy mainly of soggy feet:
Finally, at 0045 - I make it back to CT. Almost 24 hours later, I'm back in my bed...
edit: the trip ended up being only around 15 miles- but those 3 hours I spent ascending the north slide really taxed every muscle
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At least you made it back safely, especially with the late game water crossings, thanks for sharing.
But to answer your question, yes I did have DEET in my pack. 
