My 35th (Wildcat A) and 36th (Wildcat D) 4,000 footers!

This is what I call "The Northeast Group" (the Presidential Range on the left/center, and the Carter-Moriah Range on the right). Today's peaks (Thursday, July 23, 2015) - Wildcat A and Wildcat D - are in the purple circle:

x's through Mounts Willey, Field and Tom means that I did them (last July); and I've done Jackson, Webster, Moriah, Adams, Madison and Jefferson earlier this summer.

The trailhead parking area is just south of AMC's Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on Rt. 16. Many people like going up 95, then 16 all the way north. I think I would rather stay off 16 as much as possible - another way is up 93, through Franconia Notch, right onto 3 North, south/east on 302, and then north on 16. A third route (the best?) is up 93 to the Kancamagus Highway (112), and then north on Bear Notch Rod to Bartlett on 302, then east to 16 North:

With its views of the mountains, and the rushing streams/brooks/rivers, "the Kanc" is my new favorite road! And the views from two turnouts on Bear Notch Road are wonderful:


Once you are in the parking lot, it is always nice to know Where You Are:


A quick little side trip is along Glen Ellis Falls Trail to see Glen Ellis Falls


Next time, I will have to back-up enough to take it all in, like Homer Dodge Martin did in 1862, with his painting of "Glen Ellis Falls" in the collection at Vassar College:


The MapMyWalk map does not really do the climb justice - it starts out nicely level, but the quickly becomes pretty vertical!!


so here is how it looks on Google Earth, looking south (the red trail starts on the far right and goes up along the ridge):


The views back down the valley are pretty cool:



I eventually made it all the way over to Wildcat A, with its little cairn in the woods, just back from the beautiful vista:


And speaking of the Vista - a little sign is always a good idea:


This is looking down into Carter Notch (and one of the Carter Lakes), and up to Carter Dome:


A closeup of the Lake and Carter Notch Hut:


The trail back "along the ridge" to Wildcat D:



A lookout tower is on top of Wildcat D:


Just west of the summit is the top of the chairlift:



The view across to Mount Washington is really impressive, but I'm glad I'm not hiking over there TODAY!


Many of the tree-roots are dark blue - I wonder what that is all about?


And I was able to put some scrap metal in my backpack and bring it down off the Mountain!:


Back down to the trailhead, and down the road by 6:30! Thank you God for a Great Day!

Thursday, July 23, 2015 (left Boston at 9 AM, home at 10 PM)
197 miles -- Boston to 93 North, then northeast on 3, then 302, then 16 (4 hours)
10.15 miles -- hiking (5 hours 37 minutes)
3 1/2 hours -- to get home

Continuing to listen to all my songs, in alphabetical order. I listened to 101 songs in the G's

starting with
Going To The Country 3:13 1970 The Steve Miller Band The Best Of 1968-1973
through
Good Work 4:39 1995 The BoDeans Joe Dirt Car (2 cds)


Going To The Country 3:13 1970 The Steve Miller Band The Best Of 1968-1973
Going Up the Country 3:35 1969 Canned Heat Woodstock One (2 cds)√ Gold And Silver [Instrumental] 6:44 1968 Quicksilver Messenger Service Quicksilver Messenger Service
Golden 4:39 2003 My Morning Jacket It Still Moves
Golden 4:51 2005 My Morning Jacket Okonokos [Live] (2 cds)
Golden Autumn Day 6:34 1999 Van Morrison Back On Top
The Golden Floor 3:20 2008 Snow Patrol A Hundred Million Suns
Golden Frames 3:46 2010 KT Tunstall Tiger Suit
Golden Porsche 2:48 2003 Mogwai Happy Songs For Happy People
Golden Skans 2:47 2006 Klaxons WM_Playground
Golden Slumbers 1:32 1969 The Beatles Abbey Road
Golden Years 3:30 1976 David Bowie Best Of Bowie
Goldeneye 3:31 1995 Tina Turner The Best Of Bond...James Bond
Goldfinger 2:50 1990 Shirley Bassey AM Gold 1965
Goldfinger 2:50 1964 Shirley Bassey The Best Of Bond...James Bond
Goldfinger 2:50 1964 Shirley Bassey Divas Exotica
Goliath 7:15 2008 The Mars Volta WM_ChildrenOfWinter
Gomper 5:09 1967 The Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request
Gone 2:01 2011 Jack Johnson Bridge School Concerts 25 (2 cds)
Gone 2:10 2003 Jack Johnson On & On
Gone 2:53 2008 Melody Gardot Worrisome Heart
Gone Home [Live] 3:53 2001 Stevie Ray Vaughan Live At Montreux 1982 & 1985 (2 cds)
Gone Troppo 4:24 1982 George Harrison Best Of Dark Horse 1976-1989
Gone With The Wind 6:56 2012 Bill Evans Live At Art D'Lugoff's: Top Of The Gate (2 cds)
Gone With The Wind 2:08 1956 Julie London The Best of Julie London: Time For Love
Gonna Fly Now (Theme From Rocky) 2:49 1976 Bill Conti Rocky
Gonna Get Ya 6:25 2006 Pete Townshend Empty Glass
Gonna Get Ya [Long Version] 11:23 2006 Pete Townshend Empty Glass
Gonna Hustle You 2:44 1973 The Legendary Masked Surfers feat. Dean Torrence 25 All-Time Greatest Summer Songs
Gonna Make You Sweat 5:04 Various Artists Shape Cardio One
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) 4:03 1990 C+C Music Factory (Presenting Freedom Williams) NOW That's What I Call Dance Classics
Gonna Move 4:31 2000 Paul Pena New Train
Good Advices 3:31 1985 R.E.M. Fables Of The Reconstruction
Good Bad Boy 3:18 2008 Joe Jackson Rain
Good Boys (Blow-Up Mix) 6:06 2003 Blondie Greatest Hits: Sound & Vision
Good Clean Fun 5:27 2000 The Allman Brothers Band WZLX - From The Vaults
Good Day In Hell 4:26 1974 The Eagles On The Border
Good Day Sunshine 2:10 1966 The Beatles Revolver (Capitol)
Good Enough 3:51 Vineyard Sound VII: Solstice
Good Eye 3:01 2009 Bruce Springsteen Working On A Dream
A Good Feelin' To Know 4:06 1973 Poco Ultimate Collection - Poco
Good For You 4:05 1992 Hothouse Flowers Songs From The Rain
Good Friends 2:59 2005 Livingston Taylor The Best Of Livingston Taylor: 20th Century Masters - The Millenium Collection
Good Friends 3:00 1970 Livingston Taylor Carolina Day: The Livingston Taylor Collection (1970-1980)
Good Girl Gone Bad [Soul Seekerz] 3:29 2009 Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes
Good Golly Miss Molly 2:10 1958 Little Richard Loud, Fast & Out Of Control: Wild 50's Rock [Disc 4]
Good Good Time 1:59 2011 Dave Matthews Band Live At Wrigley Field (2 cds)
Good Guys Win 3:00 2006 Jimmy Buffett Hoot (soundtrack)
Good Love Is On The Way 4:51 2005 John Mayer Trio Try! [Live]
Good Lovin (Jahnrhundert Halle, Frankfurt, West Germany 4/26/72) 12:09 2011 Grateful Dead Europe '72 Vol. 2 (2 cds)
Good Lovin' 18:30 1972 Grateful Dead Europe '72 (Live) (2 cds)
Good Lovin' 5:59 1972 Grateful Dead Europe '72 (Live) (2 cds)
Good Lovin' 4:50 1978 Grateful Dead Shakedown Street
Good Lovin' 18:44 1971 Grateful Dead Three From The Vault (Live) (2 cds)
Good Lovin' 2:30 1966 The Rascals The Big Chill
Good Lovin' 2:32 1966 The Rascals Time Peace
Good Lovin' 2:33 1966 The Young Rascals Millennium '60s Rock Party
Good Luck Charm 2:27 1962 Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits
Good Man 3:32 2002 india.arie Voyage to India
Good Man 4:09 2006 Josh Ritter The Animal Years
Good Man 4:09 2007 Josh Ritter House M.D.
A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh) 3:18 1998 Bruce Springsteen Tracks [Disc 2]
Good Morning Good Morning 2:41 1967 The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Good Morning Heartache 6:14 2005 Chris Botti To Love Again
Good Morning Little School Girl 4:17 1996 Jonny Lang New Millenium Blues Party
Good Morning Little School Girl 3:47 1969 Taj Mahal Giant Step
Good Morning Vietnam... 2:09 1988 Robin Williams Good Morning Vietnam
Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl (Live) 15:59 1992 Grateful Dead Two From The Vault (2 cds)
Good News Blues 3:27 1995 Billy Joe Shaver Shaver - Unshaven: Shaver Live At Smith's Olde Bar
Good Night 3:12 1968 The Beatles The Beatles (White Album) [2 cds]
Good Ol' A Cappella 3:01 Vineyard Sound VII: Solstice
Good Old Boys 4:57 2002 Old And In The Gray Old And In The Gray
Good People 3:29 2005 Jack Johnson In Between Dreams
Good Question 2:36 1993 Wayne Gratz 20 Years Of Narada Piano [Disc 1]
Good Religion 2:58 2001 The Blind Boys Of Alabama Spirit Of The Century
Good Rockin' Tonight 2:47 2007 Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen Live From The Capitol Centre 1975
Good Rockin' Tonite 2:53 1973 Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen Too Much Fun
Good Shepard 4:25 1969 Jefferson Airplane 2400 Fulton Street [Disc 2]
Good Shepherd 4:22 1969 Jefferson Airplane Volunteers
The Good Stuff 3:20 2002 Kenny Chesney No Shoes No Shirt No Problems
Good Thing 4:36 1993 Patty Larkin Angels Running
Good Thing 3:05 1966 Paul Revere & The Raiders Greatest Hits (Paul Revere & The Raiders)
Good Things 4:14 1991 The BoDeans The Best Of BoDeans: Slash And Burn
Good Things 8:59 1995 The BoDeans Joe Dirt Car (2 cds)
Good Time 4:24 2002 Counting Crows Hard Candy
Good Time 5:13 2006 Counting Crows New Amsterdam: Live At Heineken Music Hall
Good Time Boys 5:02 1989 Red Hot Chili Peppers WM_Impact
Good Times 2:43 1971 The Persuasions Street Corner Symphony
Good Times 2:02 1965 The Rolling Stones Out Of Our Heads [USA]
Good Times Bad Times 3:12 2012 Led Zeppelin Celebration Day [Live]
Good Times Bad Times 2:46 1969 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I
Good Times Roll 3:44 1978 The Cars The Cars Greatest Hits
Good Times Roll 3:47 1979 The Cars VH1: The Best Of Where Are They Now?
Good Times, Bad Times 2:33 1965 The Rolling Stones High Tide and Green Grass
Good Timin' 2:14 1979 The Beach Boys Sounds Of Summer
Good To My Baby 2:18 1965 The Beach Boys Today!
Good To See You 2:50 2000 Neil Young Silver & Gold
Good Vibrations 3:38 1966 The Beach Boys AM Gold 1966
Good Vibrations 3:37 1966 The Beach Boys Endless Summer
Good Vibrations 3:39 1966 The Beach Boys Sounds Of Summer
Good Work 4:39 1995 The BoDeans Joe Dirt Car (2 cds)

The list can be accessed here
It was a great drive into Boston, and up north in the morning, and the morning highlights include:
3 versions of "Goldfinger" 2:50 1964 Shirley Bassey:
AM Gold 1965
The Best Of Bond...James Bond
Divas Exotica

and then 4 versions of "Good Lovin'" by the Grateful Dead (3 from Europe '72 [including an 18 minute version], then the studio version from Shakedown Street)

Stopping with the studio version enabled me to have the song in my head for the hike, which was a lot of fun!

I have listed all the songs because the 48 evening songs sounded REALLY GREAT coming home, although between the 18:44 version of Good Lovin' and the 15:59 version of Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl, maybe I have heard enough Grateful Dead for a while ...

Other highlights include
Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen doing two versions of Good Rockin' Tonight/Tonite

Good Things by The BoDeans (live and studio)

Good Times Bad Times by Led Zeppelin (live and studio)

3 versions of "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys:
AM Gold 1966
Endless Summer
Sounds of Summer

I find it interesting how the same (studio) song can sound on different cds, and on different collections. I guess some master the song for more vocals, some for more drums, et cetera

My 34th (Owl's Head Mountain) 4,000 footer!

This is my first trip this year back in the Pemigewasset Wilderness (the area between the Franconia Range on the west and the Presidential Range on the east. left/center, and the Carter-Moriah Range on the right). Today's hike (Monday, July 13, 2015) - Owl's Head Mountain - is in the red square:


Owl's Head is one of the most isolated peaks in the White Mountains. Just going straight in (north from the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center on the Kancamagus Highway) and then back out again would be 18.2 miles (my longest so far has been 17 miles to Mount Garfield/Galehead Mountain in 7 1/2 hours):


I have been thinking about this hike for a while, and I figure the best way is to go up the day before and spend the night in a motel. That way I can get up bright-and-early (or, well, regular for me), have a stick-to-the-ribs breakfast, and hit the trail at 8 AM. There is a nice Days Inn in Campton, NH (exit 27, 17 miles south of exit 32 - Lincoln, NH), and I had a lovely dinner-by-the-Pemigewasset-River at The Country Cow


The view from my table was pretty nice.

Up the next morning, and up 93 to exit 33, then south a little to the Sunny Day Diner ("Best Breakfast in Lincoln, NH") for black coffee, roast beef hash, eggs, toast and home fries - WOW!! Then 6 miles out Route 112 (the Kancamagus Highway - past Loon Ski Area) to get to the Lincoln Woods Visitor Center. After picking up some trash, and remembering bug spray, I crossed over the East Branch Pemigewasset River around 8:15


Wow - the whole first 3 miles are an old logging road - flat, wide and fast (59 minutes!):



Now, this "18.2 miles" does not account for any side-trips, etc, but when I see a sign for Franconia Falls Trail (and the Falls are only 0.4 miles away), what's a guy to do??


The Falls are beautiful:


and there is no mistaking where the trail ends:


The Lincoln Brook Trail is a very nice "regular" trail, at least the southern section:


and you cross over beautiful Lincoln Brook a couple of times:




Sometimes the trail gets a little "rough", but I'm sure it is nothing a weed-wacker couldn't take care of:


Because Owl's Head Path is an unofficial, unmaintained path, there is no sign, but only a cairn. I walked right past it at 10.3 miles (and I was looking for it!) But - God Bless - 0.3 miles further I encountered James coming down the other way!! We compared maps, I turned around, and we found the Path:


The "Path" is actually (mostly) loose rock rubble, almost all of which moves if you step on it. Be Very Careful - both going up and going down. Having said that, coming down I was able to "rock slide" (like "boot skating") for a foot or two at a time. This is looking up the "Path":


There were some great views of the backside of the Franconia Ridge (Mt. Lincoln is left of the slide, and Lafayette is to the right)


and I got my selfie:


It was a beautiful day in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, so after I descended the "Path", I headed north up Lincoln Brook Trail, which "receives much less use ... becoming rough at times". Even with a battery-extender, my iPhone died at 18 miles (about 8 hours):


It is about another 8 miles down Franconia Brook Trail and back to the parking area, and it took me another 3 hours - I finished with 26 miles in 11 hours 15 minutes! (Wait, if I fudge it and add only another 1%, I hiked 26.2 miles - can I get one of those oval stickers for my back window??)
Thank you God for a Great Day!

Monday, July 13, 2015
26 miles -- hiking (11 hours 15 minutes)

Only listened to a couple of random albums today.

My 33rd (Mount Jefferson) 4,000 footer!

This is what I call "The Northeast Group" (the Presidential Range on the left/center, and the Carter-Moriah Range on the right). Today's hike (Tuesday, July 7, 2015) - Mount Jefferson - is in the purple circle:

x's through Mounts Willey, Field and Tom means that I did them (last July); and I've done Jackson, Webster, Moriah, Adams, and Madison earlier this summer.

It is easy to get to the trailhead - up 93, through Franconia Notch, right onto 3 North, south/east on 302, and just before the AMC Highland Center at Crawford Notch, take a left on Mount Clinton Rd (3.6 miles), then Jefferson Notch Road for 3.2 miles to the Mount Jefferson Parking Lot:


Mount Clinton Road:


then Jefferson Notch Road goes up right next to beautiful Jefferson Brook!


Unlike last week, there is only one path leading up from the Mount Jefferson Parking Lot - the Caps Ridge Trail - and Mount Jefferson is "only" 2.4 miles from the trailhead


To quote the AMC White Mountain Guide, "This is the highest trailhead on a public through-road in the White Mountains, making it possible to ascend Mt. Jefferson with much less elevation gain than on any trail to a Presidentail peak over 5,000 feet"

However, it also says, "Caps Ridge Trail is steep and rough with numerous ledges that require rock scrambling and are slippery when wet, and the upper part is very exposed to weather."

SOUNDS GREAT!!

The first mile is a good hike in the woods:


At one mile there is a really nice granite outcrop, with great views:






Shortly thereafter, the trail got a little steep and rough:


You can just see the red dots (shirts) on the trail ahead:


and then my view back down at them after I climbed past them (they were having lunch)

Looks beautiful - can't wait to get to the top!

The top is in the clouds!

but I got my selfie:

The wind was HOWLING, but it was really cool being up there!

view down the backside


Because it was only 1 o'clock, I decided to follow the white-rock cairns down Castle Trail, and then take The Link to get back to the Caps Ridge Trail:

to quote Sting and The Police
"Giant Steps are what you take
Walking on the Moon"

I wound up on the most beautiful ridge/hike that I have been on - the Castellated Ridge, with its two "Castles" (rock upcropings [if that is a word?]), plus the beautiful Castle Ravine just to the north:




And my last big view before heading back down below the treeline:


It is pretty cool down where I meet The Link:

but The Link is a trail that is kind-of-unfinished:


There are a couple of clearings with wonderful views:

I'm straddling a stream that got my head all wet.


Back down to the trailhead, and down the road by 4! Oh, then I had to stop for a swim in the Jefferson Brook - it was GREAT!! Thank you God for a Great Day!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015 (left Manchester-by-the-Sea at 7:00 AM, home at 9:30 PM)
179 miles -- Boston to 93 North, then northeast on 3, then 115, then 2 (3 hours)
7.23 miles -- hiking (4 hours 26 minutes)
5 1/2 hours -- to get home (via libraries in Mass. and dinner from Jimmy's in Reading)

Continuing to listen to all my songs, in alphabetical order. I listened to 100 songs in the G's

starting with
Gloria's Step-take 3 1961 Bill Evans The Complete Live at the Village Vanguard 1961 [Disc 3]
through
The Golden Floor 2008 Snow Patrol A Hundred Million Suns


(don't worry, I won't give you the WHOLE LIST
but it can be accessed here
highlights include

20 songs starting with the word "Go"

29 songs starting with "God"
highlights include:
4 versions of "God Bless The Child" (Blood, Sweat & Tears [1969]; Chris Botti & Paula Cole [2007]; Richie Havens [1993]; and Stanley Turrentine [1963])
"God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys [Sounds of Summer, 1966]
2 versions of "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" by Coldplay [studio from "A Rush Of Blood To The Head"; and live "Coldplay Live 2003")]

16 minutes of Pat Metheny Group live playing "Goin' Ahead/As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" (Travels (live)(2 cds) 1983)

3 versions of "Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad" by the Grateful Dead:
Europe '72 Vol. 2 (2 cds) [1972]
Dozin' At The Knick [Live] (3 cds) [1990]
Hundred Year Hall (Live) (2 cds) [1972]

The Rolling Stones doing their longest song - 11:15 - "Going Home" from Aftermath [1966]

3 versions of "Going To California" by the Grateful Dead:
Led Zeppelin - How The West Was Won (Disc 1) [1972]
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV [1971]
London Philharmonic Orchestra - Kashmir: The Symphonic Led Zepplin [1997]

2 versions of "Golden" by My Morning Jacket [studio from "It Still Moves"; and live "Okonokos [Live] (2 cds)")]