Long Traverse

Today began with an early morning to get out to the trail for our 12.7 mile hike over three “4000 footers.” First we began at Galehead trail and it was 4.6 miles to the hut. The terrain started out relatively flat and the first 3 miles and we crossed a few rivers along the way. Along the flat first few miles we came along a new path because the bridges that held the old trail together had been swept away by storms earlier in the year. It was very interesting to look at all the work that is put into a new trail! All the trees must first be cleared from the path and then the rocks must be made to harden the path. This path had just recently been opened as of August 11^th and so I also noticed that the soil was very soft. Despite being new you realize how much work it takes to maintain a trail as far as clearing a path and then laying down stones and even the wooden stairs and support you only get from a trail that is walked frequently. After that we carried on and caught up to Professor Zorn to learn about the trees and plants which is so interesting. We ended up reaching Galehead Mountain, South twin, and North twin in a very reasonable time to some absolutely stunning views of the mountain ranges that just go on for miles and miles. We had a few minutes at each of the summits to take it all in and relax to eat a granola bar and rehydrate. We headed down for the day and saw three amazing river crossings that I very much enjoyed. Crossing a river on just stones was something you read about in a book and it was very fun to cross the river. After finally making it to van we found out that the trail is going to be closed for the hurricane and had our last big climb. We headed to Professor Arion’s new property to take a look and it was awfully beautiful and even had its own pond built through a beaver’s hard work on some very nifty dam’s. Then back to the Highland lodge for a wonderful buffet dinner and a great night’s sleep.

Mt.Galehead, North Twin & South Twin

Today held a monumental success for our team, we managed to triple our total number of over 4000 foot mountain hikes. Today we also managed to double our total journey traveled by hiking roughly 12.7 miles. The trail was quite intense but only for a short while, and by that I mean only 8/10 of a mile. The amount of feet we climbed in that 8/10ths of a mile was roughly 1000 feet. Through most parts of this ascent we were forced to literally climb on top of rocks and boulders as just as a means to not fall backward due to the sheer steepness of the trail. This section of the trail of is incredibly exhilarating. Upon reaching the top my lungs were burning but my pride could not have been greater. We had just summit South Twin Mountain.

Before getting to South Twin we first had to summit Mt.Galehead. The most amazing feature of Mt.Galehead had to be the resourcefulness of the trained staff that maintained the hut. They managed to pack out all of their trash every day, which often totals to over 80lbs a day. There are no trashcans in the hut. You pack everything out that you take up the mountain. This is standard all along the White Mountains and helps to keep them pristine and beautiful for years to come. After reaching South Twin Mountain we made out way to North Twin Mountain which was a very relaxed hike to the top.

We ended the day by visiting the land that will also be the site of Dr.Arion’s future Estate upon completion. The land is nestled around by 3 sides of the White Mountains National Forest. There is also a lovely and serene pond which is very active with wildlife. We managed to spot several large beaver dams. Their craftsmanship is truly incredible; they live and store food inside the dams as a permanent shelter during the winter and all other seasons. I was truly in awe at the ingenuity that those beavers were capable of.

Day 9

Day 9- Today was the longest hike of the trip. It was a 12.7 mile traverse across three 4,000+ foot mountains. We started out on Galehead trail and hiked up to the Appalachian Trail. Along the way I learned what poison sumac looked like and saw a gigantic piece of slate in a stream. We knew it was slate because it was a dark black and smooth rock that was broken apart in flat slabs. We tried to find a small piece that had broken off but it was to no avail. Once we got to the Galehead Hut, I finally learned the difference between a Balsam Fir and a Red Spruce. The Balsam Fir has its cones actually on top of its branch and the branches make a V out from the trunk. The Red Spruce on the other hand has its cones on the bottom of the branch and the branches make more of a U shape out from the trunk. It was then a slow and steady path down the rest of the mountain and the 12.7 miles wasn’t as bad as we thought it was going to be.

Day 8

Day 8- We all decided that today would be laundry day. So we headed to a town that we hadn’t been to yet, Littleton. It was settled in 1784 right beside the Ammonoosuc River. The first settlers that came to the area had their first house burned to the grown by Indians and then their second washed away in the spring due to floods. Being resolute about settling the area, the third one was built on higher ground and Littleton’s first residents were now permanently stationed. It wasn’t until 1853 when the train came to town after making an agreement with a local business man that a hotel would be constructed to draw tourists. After that, Littleton became big in all areas of industry with the biggest being the Kilburn Brothers Steroscopic View company which pushed out over 3,000,000 views a year at its peak. An interesting fact about the town is that one house, The Carleton House, was one of the last houses in the United States that housed runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad. It was a nice town that had a very busy main street back then and even now. The best thing about Littleton for me was that it had a functioning laundry mat and my clothes were clean and dry!

After our laundry, we headed across the border in to Vermont to learn about their claim to fame, maple syrup. We learned all about how it was harvested and made through a relatively simple process. In the spring, farmers drill 7/16” holes or smaller into the sugar maple. A tin bucket is then hung beneath the hole and the sap drips into the bucket until it is full. The farmers then collect it and boil off all the water in the sap. What is left is a viscous liquid known as maple syrup.