MarcHowes
New member
Date(s) Hiked: 2-24-07
Trails(s) Hiked: Sawyer River Rd, Signal Ridge, Carrigan Notch, Bushwhack
Total Distance: 13 mi
Difficulty: Very Difficult
Conditions: Nice Packed trail, Cold!
Special Required Equipment: Snowshoes
Trip Report:
VOSE SPUR REMATCH
It was one week ago this day that I missed the mark on reaching the summit of Vose spur. This hike was my revenge hike!
My friend Pamola(VFTT) and I stayed in North Conway Friday and got a nice early 7:15 start. As we started two other cars pulled in at the same time. Apparently their goal was Anderson and Lowell, but as we later learned that turned out to be an abortive mission.
At the junction of Sawyer River Rd and Signal Ridge Trail I had to make an adjustment to my snow shoes. Lacking a screw driver we had to find some sort of alternative. But what? Turned out Pamola had a UFO beer bottle opened which was the perfect size! We proceeded up Signal ridge trail to the junction. Near the junction Pamola's Snowshoe decided to break. At this point we decided that since the trail was very well packed we would proceed using the barebooter in front, groomer/snowshoer in back method and leave his snowshoes behind. We proceeded up Carrigan notch trail to the rock. Yawn flat and unexciting as ever, it took about as long as it did last weekend. After the rock the excitement began.
It took 20 minutes to go to the rocks where we abandoned snowshoes last week. It took 1.25 hours to get that far last week! The bushwhack path was VERY well packed thanks to several hikers who had passed through since Saturday. Things proceeded at a pretty good pace despite Kyle having to bareboot the trail. At least post holing was not an issue except at one spot where it was an easy task to clean them up.
We reached the talus/scree field and took a break to soak up the view. We could hear the wind ripping through the notch and making a horrible roar. Luckily for us we were on the side of the mountain completely protected from the wind. Carrigan meanwhile seemed to be perpetually socked in by clouds.
Finally the evil steep grind came directly after the scree field. It was a slow difficult climb. I noticed the other hikers did a few bypasses of some of the insane spots which I was more than happy to follow. Honestly I don't know how we climbed up one spot last week. Finally we reached the spot where we turned back last week. I snapped some pictures and started counting steps. It took exactly 200 Marc steps to get to the real summit (that is.. pathetic short Marc in snowshoe steps) So We missed the summit by about 400 horizontal feet! Arrr!
We snagged a few shots on the summit, appeasing the VFTT gods
grabbed some food and started the epic descent! We butt slid down the diabolic steep nightmare at a nice speed. It took almost no time to got to the talus field. Less than one hour was all it took to get back to the rock.
At this point we switched bareboot/ groomer duty and zipped back to the junction of Signal Ridge and Carrigan Notch Trail. We got closer and closer to where Kyle had left his broken snowshoes. We reached the spot, but where were the showshoes? They were gone! We zipped down the trail to Sawyer river road where we caught up to two other hikers preparing their skis for the descent to the car. We queried them about the snowshoes. Apparently someone found them ran back to the other hikers (on their way in) and asked them if they were theirs (which they were not of course) The person said they would return the snowshoes where they found them. This however obviously was not the case. We proceeded back to the parking hoping to see the snowshoes somewhere, but they were not to be found! Apparently someone decided to walk off with them!
This was a VERY EASY HIKE. but please remember EASY IS RELATIVE! I am comparing the hike to last week. The whack was so much quicker with the trail broken out (who would have guessed?) I am glad to get this done. It was my final New Hampshire peak on the NEHH list!
Click here for Pictures and same http://www.hoosactunnel.net/nonhoosac/NH/Vose070224/
Spruce Borat Makes Vose Spur summit!
Trails(s) Hiked: Sawyer River Rd, Signal Ridge, Carrigan Notch, Bushwhack
Total Distance: 13 mi
Difficulty: Very Difficult
Conditions: Nice Packed trail, Cold!
Special Required Equipment: Snowshoes
Trip Report:
VOSE SPUR REMATCH
It was one week ago this day that I missed the mark on reaching the summit of Vose spur. This hike was my revenge hike!
My friend Pamola(VFTT) and I stayed in North Conway Friday and got a nice early 7:15 start. As we started two other cars pulled in at the same time. Apparently their goal was Anderson and Lowell, but as we later learned that turned out to be an abortive mission.
At the junction of Sawyer River Rd and Signal Ridge Trail I had to make an adjustment to my snow shoes. Lacking a screw driver we had to find some sort of alternative. But what? Turned out Pamola had a UFO beer bottle opened which was the perfect size! We proceeded up Signal ridge trail to the junction. Near the junction Pamola's Snowshoe decided to break. At this point we decided that since the trail was very well packed we would proceed using the barebooter in front, groomer/snowshoer in back method and leave his snowshoes behind. We proceeded up Carrigan notch trail to the rock. Yawn flat and unexciting as ever, it took about as long as it did last weekend. After the rock the excitement began.
It took 20 minutes to go to the rocks where we abandoned snowshoes last week. It took 1.25 hours to get that far last week! The bushwhack path was VERY well packed thanks to several hikers who had passed through since Saturday. Things proceeded at a pretty good pace despite Kyle having to bareboot the trail. At least post holing was not an issue except at one spot where it was an easy task to clean them up.
We reached the talus/scree field and took a break to soak up the view. We could hear the wind ripping through the notch and making a horrible roar. Luckily for us we were on the side of the mountain completely protected from the wind. Carrigan meanwhile seemed to be perpetually socked in by clouds.
Finally the evil steep grind came directly after the scree field. It was a slow difficult climb. I noticed the other hikers did a few bypasses of some of the insane spots which I was more than happy to follow. Honestly I don't know how we climbed up one spot last week. Finally we reached the spot where we turned back last week. I snapped some pictures and started counting steps. It took exactly 200 Marc steps to get to the real summit (that is.. pathetic short Marc in snowshoe steps) So We missed the summit by about 400 horizontal feet! Arrr!
We snagged a few shots on the summit, appeasing the VFTT gods
grabbed some food and started the epic descent! We butt slid down the diabolic steep nightmare at a nice speed. It took almost no time to got to the talus field. Less than one hour was all it took to get back to the rock. At this point we switched bareboot/ groomer duty and zipped back to the junction of Signal Ridge and Carrigan Notch Trail. We got closer and closer to where Kyle had left his broken snowshoes. We reached the spot, but where were the showshoes? They were gone! We zipped down the trail to Sawyer river road where we caught up to two other hikers preparing their skis for the descent to the car. We queried them about the snowshoes. Apparently someone found them ran back to the other hikers (on their way in) and asked them if they were theirs (which they were not of course) The person said they would return the snowshoes where they found them. This however obviously was not the case. We proceeded back to the parking hoping to see the snowshoes somewhere, but they were not to be found! Apparently someone decided to walk off with them!
This was a VERY EASY HIKE. but please remember EASY IS RELATIVE! I am comparing the hike to last week. The whack was so much quicker with the trail broken out (who would have guessed?) I am glad to get this done. It was my final New Hampshire peak on the NEHH list!
Click here for Pictures and same http://www.hoosactunnel.net/nonhoosac/NH/Vose070224/
Spruce Borat Makes Vose Spur summit!
