dirt_girl
New member
Date(s) Hiked: Tuesday Aug. 17 2004
Trails(s) Hiked: Piper–Nickerson-Carter Ledge-Middle Sister-Piper Loop
Total Distance: 9 miles
Difficulty: Moderate to Tough
Conditions: Trail erosion
Special Required Equipment: Bear repellent
Trip Report: When I left my house it was dark and raining. I put all my trust in the “forecasters” to have made a good call for the day, I remember hearing it would be sunny and warm.
I set out to climb, Mt. Chocorua, rain or shine. This mountain holds a beauty and mystery like none other. It is completely understandable why so many come to Mt. Chocorua to hike.
I got out of my car and into the first light of day. The sunrise had coloured some high clouds but the rest of the canvas was blue. My plan to leave out of the White Ledge Campground and travel up the Carter Ledge Trail changed at the last minute and I decided to park in the Piper Trail parking lot. This lot has undergone some extensive road work and now looks like a commuter lot, minus the pavement.
Normally it is very quiet this early but with the close proximity to the road and civilization, that pristine silence was lost. I could hear water on both sides of the trail as I ascended Piper and there was a good rustling of wind through the tree tops. The forest was open and spacious, the sweet smells brought on by a fresh rain and a new day caused me to breathe just a little deeper and walk a little slower.
I made the Nickerson Trail in no time at all and started up to the “rocks”. Now I understand, not everybody likes rocks but I simply adore them, in all sizes. Little did I know I was going to get my share of rocks today? The Nickerson “rocks” are a ledge, the trail walked along side and then across the top of them, where I chanced to see the cutest bunny in the world. From the top of this ledge it is a quick, flat walk to the next junction through a creepy, dark forest on a narrow, mud-hole of a trail. I was so happy to have reached the junction of Carter Ledge Trail. Let the games begin!
The ascent was gradual on gritty ground and quickly changed to hiking up ravines where the trail used to be! The storms here had taken all of the soil from the trail and replaced it with little rivers and waterfalls. As I climbed, scaled and scampered my way up, skirting the first group of ledges I got my first unobstructed view of the peak by stepping out on one of the ledges. The sun had just begun to warm the rock face of Chocorua while the rest of the mountain set cool in the shadows.
When I reached the first huge open ledge the immediate thought that came to mind was I had just entered the bear exhibit at any metro zoo. I half expected to find a little moat and fence somewhere. Maybe even a big steel door. What I didn’t expect to find was a real bear…
…I was walking from one side of this ledge to the other and it’s a good ways when I happened upon fresh, warm, stinky, bear scat. My heart stopped and I was immediately aware of the wind direction. This bear felt close! I backed up to the open area just behind me and started singing and walking!! There was more bear scat, of the same description, at the top of this ledge, just as you enter the woods again. I started adding a few short, toots from my whistle every now and again, just for harmony, ha!! I have never been so frightened!! My eyes were dry, probably because they were the size of plates!! I don’t think I blinked for a good mile! There was a low grade current of electricity just below the surface of my skin and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing at attention!! The trail narrowed through the dark forest and climbed to the next ledge. I estimate that I sang “BINGO” roughly six times before clearing the forest, complete with leg slapping and whistle tooting. I lost that uneasy, bear right behind me, feeling at the top of the third ledge when my concentration was diverted to scrambling across and up some endless, slick and tricky walls “O” rock. Not a good trail for anyone afraid of heights. Good upper body strength and a long reach are recommended as well. I found myself peeking over each rise to see if Mr. Bear was waiting for me until I made the summit of the Middle Sister. It was a tough climb and as I was making my way up the ledges to the summit I heard singing and whistle tooting from below and behind me.
It wasn’t completely clear and from the summit I could only see half way to forever because of the haze. I was amazed by 360 views and was taking it all in as I waited at the stone remains of a building, for the hiker behind me. I wanted to make sure he made it up and I wanted to hear his story. Sure enough, he had seen the scat too and thought it to be bear. Said he had caught scent of something rather foul and suggested it could have been “Yogi”. He was a bit winded and blamed the bear for quickening his pace. I was frightened all over again and couldn’t get off that summit fast enough. He tried to share all the reassuring stories about bears but he was talking to the back of my head. I felt better in the saddle between the two sisters and we took a slower pace but normal conversation soon turned back to bears. I’m guessing he was in his mid to late 50’s, from Colorado, visiting family in NH. He had actually seen bears before, real… in the wild… bears!! While he was telling bear stories, I had decided to make my descent on another trail.
The first sister was just a beautiful as the middle. I walked around on all the rocks, looking from every side with my new friend, there is safety in numbers. I could hear people from the summit of the first sister, long before I could see them coming up the Champney Falls Trail. When we got to the junction, it was a traffic jam! Several people were going down, three were going up and then there was us. Everyone exchanged pleasantries and we gained an older gentleman with his lively, engaging and quite cute grandsons. The granddad asked if we had heard whistles blowing, we looked at each other, sort of laughed and said “Yup”. It was then that he gave us a look and reminded us that he had two young boys with him, meaning we couldn’t say the “B” word.
We all climbed the summit together and went our own ways from there. I had a wonderful vantage point but wasn’t satisfied until I walked around the entire summit looking from all directions. I ate and apparently had a brief nap. Bear phobia is exhausting. When I leaned back on my pack and closed my eyes there were nine people on the summit… when I sat up, none of the nine were there and five new people had taken their place. I put my pillow on my back and made for home. I took the Piper Trail back to my car. It’s quite nice, loads of stairs (glad to be going down) paved with stone in places, lovely forest, creek crossings and absolutely no sign of bears!! Without question, I will visit this mountain many more times but perhaps not the same trail.
dirt_girl
Trails(s) Hiked: Piper–Nickerson-Carter Ledge-Middle Sister-Piper Loop
Total Distance: 9 miles
Difficulty: Moderate to Tough
Conditions: Trail erosion
Special Required Equipment: Bear repellent
Trip Report: When I left my house it was dark and raining. I put all my trust in the “forecasters” to have made a good call for the day, I remember hearing it would be sunny and warm.
I set out to climb, Mt. Chocorua, rain or shine. This mountain holds a beauty and mystery like none other. It is completely understandable why so many come to Mt. Chocorua to hike.
I got out of my car and into the first light of day. The sunrise had coloured some high clouds but the rest of the canvas was blue. My plan to leave out of the White Ledge Campground and travel up the Carter Ledge Trail changed at the last minute and I decided to park in the Piper Trail parking lot. This lot has undergone some extensive road work and now looks like a commuter lot, minus the pavement.
Normally it is very quiet this early but with the close proximity to the road and civilization, that pristine silence was lost. I could hear water on both sides of the trail as I ascended Piper and there was a good rustling of wind through the tree tops. The forest was open and spacious, the sweet smells brought on by a fresh rain and a new day caused me to breathe just a little deeper and walk a little slower.
I made the Nickerson Trail in no time at all and started up to the “rocks”. Now I understand, not everybody likes rocks but I simply adore them, in all sizes. Little did I know I was going to get my share of rocks today? The Nickerson “rocks” are a ledge, the trail walked along side and then across the top of them, where I chanced to see the cutest bunny in the world. From the top of this ledge it is a quick, flat walk to the next junction through a creepy, dark forest on a narrow, mud-hole of a trail. I was so happy to have reached the junction of Carter Ledge Trail. Let the games begin!
The ascent was gradual on gritty ground and quickly changed to hiking up ravines where the trail used to be! The storms here had taken all of the soil from the trail and replaced it with little rivers and waterfalls. As I climbed, scaled and scampered my way up, skirting the first group of ledges I got my first unobstructed view of the peak by stepping out on one of the ledges. The sun had just begun to warm the rock face of Chocorua while the rest of the mountain set cool in the shadows.
When I reached the first huge open ledge the immediate thought that came to mind was I had just entered the bear exhibit at any metro zoo. I half expected to find a little moat and fence somewhere. Maybe even a big steel door. What I didn’t expect to find was a real bear…
…I was walking from one side of this ledge to the other and it’s a good ways when I happened upon fresh, warm, stinky, bear scat. My heart stopped and I was immediately aware of the wind direction. This bear felt close! I backed up to the open area just behind me and started singing and walking!! There was more bear scat, of the same description, at the top of this ledge, just as you enter the woods again. I started adding a few short, toots from my whistle every now and again, just for harmony, ha!! I have never been so frightened!! My eyes were dry, probably because they were the size of plates!! I don’t think I blinked for a good mile! There was a low grade current of electricity just below the surface of my skin and the hairs on the back of my neck were standing at attention!! The trail narrowed through the dark forest and climbed to the next ledge. I estimate that I sang “BINGO” roughly six times before clearing the forest, complete with leg slapping and whistle tooting. I lost that uneasy, bear right behind me, feeling at the top of the third ledge when my concentration was diverted to scrambling across and up some endless, slick and tricky walls “O” rock. Not a good trail for anyone afraid of heights. Good upper body strength and a long reach are recommended as well. I found myself peeking over each rise to see if Mr. Bear was waiting for me until I made the summit of the Middle Sister. It was a tough climb and as I was making my way up the ledges to the summit I heard singing and whistle tooting from below and behind me.
It wasn’t completely clear and from the summit I could only see half way to forever because of the haze. I was amazed by 360 views and was taking it all in as I waited at the stone remains of a building, for the hiker behind me. I wanted to make sure he made it up and I wanted to hear his story. Sure enough, he had seen the scat too and thought it to be bear. Said he had caught scent of something rather foul and suggested it could have been “Yogi”. He was a bit winded and blamed the bear for quickening his pace. I was frightened all over again and couldn’t get off that summit fast enough. He tried to share all the reassuring stories about bears but he was talking to the back of my head. I felt better in the saddle between the two sisters and we took a slower pace but normal conversation soon turned back to bears. I’m guessing he was in his mid to late 50’s, from Colorado, visiting family in NH. He had actually seen bears before, real… in the wild… bears!! While he was telling bear stories, I had decided to make my descent on another trail.
The first sister was just a beautiful as the middle. I walked around on all the rocks, looking from every side with my new friend, there is safety in numbers. I could hear people from the summit of the first sister, long before I could see them coming up the Champney Falls Trail. When we got to the junction, it was a traffic jam! Several people were going down, three were going up and then there was us. Everyone exchanged pleasantries and we gained an older gentleman with his lively, engaging and quite cute grandsons. The granddad asked if we had heard whistles blowing, we looked at each other, sort of laughed and said “Yup”. It was then that he gave us a look and reminded us that he had two young boys with him, meaning we couldn’t say the “B” word.
We all climbed the summit together and went our own ways from there. I had a wonderful vantage point but wasn’t satisfied until I walked around the entire summit looking from all directions. I ate and apparently had a brief nap. Bear phobia is exhausting. When I leaned back on my pack and closed my eyes there were nine people on the summit… when I sat up, none of the nine were there and five new people had taken their place. I put my pillow on my back and made for home. I took the Piper Trail back to my car. It’s quite nice, loads of stairs (glad to be going down) paved with stone in places, lovely forest, creek crossings and absolutely no sign of bears!! Without question, I will visit this mountain many more times but perhaps not the same trail.
dirt_girl
