Dennis Dixon is heading North!: July 2023

Friday, July 28, 2023

Terrifying 25: North Slide and South Slide

Friday, July 28, 2023 - I had a lot of "local stuff" to do yesterday (Thursday is usually my "hiking day"), so I postponed THE HIKE to today. One of the lists I am currently doing is the Terrifying 25. The "Terrfiying 25" is a list of trails in New Hampshire that have what may seem to be some type of "dangerous activity" associated with them (rock slides, multiple ladders, etc). There are 20 "Required" Trails, plus you select 5-of-14 "Optional" trails.

On the map:
Yellow = "Required", have not climbed
Orange = "Optional", have not climbed
Black = "Have Climbed"

I have climbed 11 of them, and today's are two Rock Slides just east of Waterville Valley:

From the Parking Lot, I'll be going east on Livermore Trail, then make a clockwise loop (up to North Tripyramid, over and across Middle Tripyramid to South Peak, and then back down Tripyramid Trail to connect with Livermore Trail. The blogs say 11 miles in 7 hours:

I was on the Livermore Trail by noon:

I was up at the intersection with "Mt Tripyramid Trail" at 1:13

It crosses a very pretty brook:

and makes it's way through the forest:

By 2 PM I was making my way up "North Slide":

I was on "North Slide" for Mile 5 of the day. That mile took 1 hour 40 minutes:

The side-trail off to "North Tripyramid":

From there it is a cool hike over to "Middle Tripyramid". I really like hiking these trails-between-peaks:

I hit the "Middle Tripyramid" summit area at 3:33 - there was no sign (none at "North Tripyramid" either):

From there it was over to "South Peak" at 3:54

Then I started DOWN - the "Terrifying 25" "South Slide", the sunshine and the views:

GOING DOWN IS A LOT EASIER! "South Slide" took 25 minutes to cover 0.27 mile. I like the way Google Earth displays these "Terrfiying 25" hikes:

When all was said and done, I did 10.59 miles in 6 Hours. The Mad River in Waterville Valley was a bit too cold for a swim, so I headed home:

I got home at 8 for a late dinner with Wendy. Thank You God for this wonderful COMBO DAY (2 "Terrifying 25" hikes)!

For my listening pleasure today - all from a cd I burned 20 years ago, in wma format:

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Boston - August 27, 1999, bootleg (3 cds)

Yes - of course, I was at that show! [3rd show I saw - final night of his 5-night-run in Boston]. And now I'm warming up to see him and The E Street Band at Gillette Stadium on Thursday August 24 with my Beautiful Bride!!

The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks, 1971 double-album, greatest hits

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about visiting Art Museums and National Parks (and hiking in the Rockies)
hyperlink: dixonheadingwest
http://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/

Thursday, July 13, 2023

52 With A View: North Percy Peak (plus a Terrifying 25: Percy Peak Trail)

Thursday, July 13, 2023 - This is a zoomed-in map of the New Hampshire "52 With A View" - I have climbed 21 of them so far. I'll be doing North Percy Peak today:

As a BONUS, the Trail is also on the Terrifying 25 list:

The "Terrfiying 25" is a list of trails in New Hampshire that have what may seem to be some type of "dangerous activity" associated with them. There are 20 "Required" Trails, plus you select 5-of-14 "Optional" trails. On the map:
Yellow = "Required", have not climbed
Orange = "Optional", have not climbed
Black = "Have Climbed"

I started at my Breakfast-in-Boston - Shakespeare-on-the-Common is doing "Macbeth" this year. Pretty Cool set:

North Percy Peak (and South Percy Peak) are WAY UP THERE. It was after Noon when I took this picture of the mountains I was going to climb:

I crossed Nash Stream, with my mountains in the background:

I parked and headed up the trail at 12:36

The trail is less than 7 miles, and should take under 4 hours:

I reached the turnoff for South Percy Peak at 1:50. Going up, there was a nice view back over my shoulder:

I hit South Percy Peak at 2:12, and it has its own nice views:

Then it was down-and-up to North Percy Peak:

I think this is why this trail is on the "Terrifying 25":

A nice view of "Christine Lake":

I hit the summit at 2:52

Back down and around The Mountain to get back to my car:

I wound up doing 6.57 miles in 3 hours 41 minutes:

I was hot, so I was glad to be able to cool off in Nash Stream:

I had a roast beef sandwich in North Conway. Wendy was seeing a play at The Gloucester Stage Company with a friend, so we both got home in the dark. Thank You God for this wonderful COMBO DAY ("52 With A View" plus a "Terrifying 25")!

For my listening pleasure today - all from a cd I burned 20 years ago, in wma format:

Gloria Estefan - Cuts Both Ways, 1989 debut solo album

Scott Hamilton - With Strings, 1993

Bob Marley - Exodus, 1977

Branford Marsalis Quartet - Footsteps of Our Fathers, 2002

Yo-Yo Ma - Bach: Sonatas for Viola da gamba & Harpsichord, 1984