Osceola and East Osceola. May 26, 2015

We were happy to get in another hike two days after we did Moosilauke.  Again, we're in the process of moving, so I am crunched for time -- we may not be able to hike again until next week.  We will, however, make sure we take a break in order to give back...National Trails Day is June 6 -- we will help with trail maintenance on that day.  Looking forward to it.

Here's our trip of the Osceolas, mostly in photos.  I had forgotten how many boulders and slabs are all over this particular trail.  We like that sort of thing, though -- it was a great hike.

Mt. Osceola Trail.  8.4 miles with 2950 feet of elevation gain (out-and-back from Tripoli Road).

Many of the photos are too bright...don't know why...sorry about that.

Starting out.

Entrance to popular bushwhack for the other two, trail-less Osceolas -
this is on a corner of the main trail, just a tenth of a mile
from the summit of Osceola's main peak,
it'll be on your left as you make a sharp right.

View from actual summit of main peak

Me on the summit of the main peak

The girls on the summit of the main peak

At the outlook

East Osceola from Osceola's main peak

Heading to East Osceola from Osceola

Steep!

East Osceola, straight ahead!

Entering the bypass, which is a steep alternative to
the extra-steep rock scramble known as the chimney.
The rocks were too wet for us to do the chimney,
which is why we opted for the bypass.

Max going down the bypass

Max went down the bypass like it was no big deal.
Our retractable leash extended just enough for him to make it down
without me having to be right there next to him.

Alex on her way down, checking out
possibilities for hand and foot placement

At the bottom of the bypass, looking up at the chimney

View from small outlook not far from East Osceola's summit

East Osceola's summit

On our way back to Osceola's main peak,
just before climbing the bypass

Here's a short video of the girls climbing back up the bypass --

'Twas another great walk in the woods.

Next time I type, it'll be from our new home (just a few miles away from our old home, and even closer to the mountains).

Happy hiking, everyone!

Moosilauke, Main Peak and South Peak (TW72). May 24, 2015

Gorge Brook Trail, Moosilauke Carriage Road, South Peak spur trail, Snapper Trail

We are in the process of moving and my maps are in the new home (I'm typing in the old one)!  Therefore, from memory, I believe this was around 7.5 miles (loop hike) and perhaps 2700 feet of elevation gain.

We are moving this week and next, but we are still getting out there to hike!  I don't have much time to post the trip reports, though.  Funny, that seems to have been my running theme for a while...my life has been and continues to be busy busy busy.  Homeschooling two kids who are academically ambitious, plus running them around to their zillion activities, plus getting in those weekly hikes....well, that doesn't leave much time to put together verbose trip reports.  I'll have some down time in early July, so I'll probably write a few calm and relatively more coherent posts then.  None of this is meant as a complaint -- I am fortunate my life is so full and interesting, and that I get to spend so many hours with the people I love.

The trip report -- mostly in captioned pictures because I have to go put a bunch of stuff in boxes. (So excited! We love our new place! -- More on that later!).

*****
Sage has done so many Trailwrights peaks with Alex and me that she decided she may as well finish the list.  We therefore got nearby South Peak when we hiked the main peak of Moosilauke last Sunday.

It's official hiking season for all those folks who do not hike year-round.  Therefore, the trails were full of people on our way down (we usually start too early for most hikers, so we have the trails to ourselves on the way up and we share them with a million people on the way down).  There were also quite a few dogs -- some were well-behaved, and one in particular was...well, not so well behaved (and off leash).  Remember, folks, you must keep your dog under strict physical (leash) or verbal control in the Whites.  See this link for some great tips about dogs and hiking.

Starting off on Gorge Brook Trail

This trail is 3.8 miles long and is usually fairly gentle.
There are only a few steep and rocky stretches.

A view on the way up.

Reaching the scrub, almost at treeline.

Summit, straight ahead.

Summit!

View north

View toward South Peak

It was windy up there!

Heading toward South Peak

On spur trail to South Peak

Sage on the summit of South Peak

Alex and Sage on the summit of South Peak --
the main peak of Moosilauke is in the background.

View from South Peak

Me on the summit of South Peak

 We ate, we drank, we soaked in the views, and we descended.

I'll have another trip report up tomorrow -- we did the Osceolas two days after we hiked Moosilauke.