Gannett 2010

 Gannett via the Glacier Trail (SummitPost link to Trail Description):  The hike starts outside of DuBois, Wyoming and bangs south to Gannett for 22 miles (to summit camp) and then another 3 to the summit for a round-trip total of 50 miles.  The elevation change is from about 7400' (trailhead) to 13804 (summit) for a net gain of about 6400' - however the total ascent is around 10000' due to several substantial climbs (Arrow Pass ascent, for example) and descents.

g-$$$'s Trip Report (pics here):

Quick thoughts and a short message courtesy of the scheduling genius of American Airlines.

Thanks fellas....for yet another trip of (tip of hat to muthaz on Gannett 08) unexpected consequenses.  I know the goal was getting me to the summit.  I am humbled and extremely greatful to have such an awesome group of peers/friends to share with,  lean on, listen to, talk to, and learn from.....oh yea....and to exploit. Despite the sores, blisters, and thoughts of replacing well worn gear, I still can't believe it's over and done.

Just a few highlights until I can assemble my random thoughts after such a huge high!

• Team Bare Bait adventure with the juvenile Griz in hunt for tmail
• Tmail is a terrible negotiator...all decisions are final when he is strongarmed and end of discussion isn't always so definitive.
• Carl is the man...we all need to send a message to the NFS to give him props.  If all civil servants shared the same passion, knowledge, and willingness to serve...imagine how much greater this country would be.
• No Atomic Burger but the Cowboy Cafe still is the classic post- expedition feed zone and a standalone highlight of Dubois.
• 50 plus miles with 50 plus packs.
• Muthaz...no shortage of thoughts, opinions, and good stories.
• Tmail...a born leader.  Strong like an ox, speed like a goat, and heart of a lion.
• Wildman...the silent warrior.  Your calm demeanor belies your wisdom and determination.  Thanks for defending the uphill afterguard with me!
• Supporting crew...you were missed but not forgotten:
• Pm...you couldn't make it but we were incredibly glad your gear did.   we were lucky to have it.  You were missed but your spirit was with us....every step.
• Maddog....the dried goodies were so awesome...every piece of granite talus evoked the though of having you there
• Dogman...many adventures to come.  We need a newbie to continue to pass the wisdom and frivolity to!
• Highpoint 48.....wow...Denali 2015?
• Free airline tickets are anything but free.

Lots of pictures and lucid thoughts after some quality time with EZ-E, the missus, and a backlog of work that is gonna cripple me to my knees.  Looking forward to Puppetmaster Challenge 2011. 
2 words PM....Grand Teton.

Incredibly great fun and great times with great peeps.  Memories to last 10 lifetimes.

Thanks so much guys!!!

tMail's Trip Report (pics here):

What I learned in the past and applied to the trip.  The success of the trip was not based on one but on all of us and what we have learned and applied to ourselves from each of our unique characteristics.

• PM – His leadership skills and ability to analyze and always think ahead for the better of the group.
• G$$$ - His patience, knowledge, thoughtfulness and determination.
• Wildman – His cool collective calmness that no matter what always gives the sense everything is ok.
• MadDog – His ability to always push forward and be the supportive voice we always need to hear to make things seem easier than they really are.
• Mutha – His ability to get that little bit more out of you when you think there isn’t anymore to give, his jovial attitude and ability to always get you to smile, laugh and know you have someone who is right there with you.
• DogMan - His free spirit and ability to enjoy the moment as much as possible.

As you will all hear, the summit almost didn’t happen for Tmail, but the encouraging words of one and the desire to do what others would do overcame the fears and anxiety.

“You can never conquer the mountain. You can only conquer yourself.”

Mutha's Trip Report (pics here):

I have only a few specific things to add that can't be gleaned from the astounding pictures we're posting:

• This trek was a huge achievement for me and I have to thank the greatest team.  This includes the ghost of DogMan, identified as "the guy who we had to drag out here next time"; the PuppetMaster whose enthusiasm and power filled us all in absentia; MadDog, whose tagline and Chinese Laborer photo became the mantra of the ascent; and our spouses and family who enthusiastically (if somewhat nervously) embrace our adventures.
• The sense of vertigo and vastness of the great ranges of Wyoming as viewed from the ridge trail are completely indescribable and not adequately communicated by the pictures.  I'm embedding an image of the final ascent along the ridge, shot last summer by hiker Redwic and found on SummitPost.org.  It gives a sense of the narrowness of the trail and the conditions to either side.  What is doesn't show is the 3000' drop to either side.
• The trek in was overlaid by the thoughts of the ridge traverse.  The trek out was overlaid by the distinct possibility that we'd come face-to-face with a 'sub-adult' grizzly reported to have encountered hikers and a horses in the days before out exit.  That's a lot of mulling over things like personal challenges, death & carnage.
• The Glacier Trail is not a straight shot.  There are interesting sections throughout, including brook crossings, rushing glacier melt, switchbacks, long-haul ascents, boulder fields and of course glacier/snow travel.

Wildman's Trip Report (pics here):

A long a dusty trial at times trail from DuBoys. Amazing how different this approach was compared to Pinedale. Steepness and at times dryness comes to mind. The glacier runoff was beautiful, but didn't provide many fishing opportunities, oh well. Day one over Arrow Pass was a gut check, I wasn't sure it was ever going to end. Thirt
y switchbacks, really, definitely possible. Our down day above the Tarns provided a day a rest and hours and hours of of summit route discusion.

Highlights

• Tmail remembering the tent poles
• Next time lets not start anything with "when Bob is getting mauled"
• Deciding who's tent we should pour Jelly on
• Mutha pumping water by the gallon
• 1 jar peanut butter 1 bottle jelly 4 people 3 lunches got it
• Instant Banana Pudding rules, sorry Tmail Chocolate is no match
• NOLS clearly delirious after 20 days, maybe they didn't know which way they went
• A so so day can make for a great summit day
• G$$$ you've got the dinners dialed in (as well as the route finding), I can't wait until next year
• Mountain Goats, rock hopping wonders
• Blasting out the last day 10.5 miles in 5.5 hours leaves it's mark on you feet
• Tmail remembering all of the details from 2008, despite the Altitude issues
• 57lbs without water I gotta leave more stuff behind or pack it in other packs

http://picasaweb.google.com/hikesintherain/GannettPeak2010#

Looking forward to doing if again next year. The possibilities are endless

The Great NEK Cyclo-Madness

Today, the day of the great event (start time 9am) I get an email from MadDog:  "What are we doing?  Do I need an ice axe or a bike?  A bike?  Okay, road or mtb.  Mtb?  Okay, I only have a road bike...".  MADDOG! 

Dogman is leading the pack (w/ MadDog, BH and myself in tow).  We'll decide the exact route on the ride, but it'll be sufferfest for sure.   The graph the elevation profile of the  route is shown here (the "Shark's Tooth").  MapMyRide route and profile is here.

Maddog's Trip Report:

    I guess I should have checked this route profile beforehand. Wait a minute, that's not a route. You can't fool me, that's the profile from the jaw of a tiger.

    And so the story starts...

    1. Brian couldn't make it, but his friend Howie does. So Howie and I share the ride to the tiger den.

    2. We're slightly early - 45mins to be exact. And DogMan is nowhere to be found. But Al is. So we hang and chat with Al while waiting for Mutha - tour the gardens, socialize with Trudy. Nice.

    3. My bike (the metal interconnected tubes and two tires is DOA. Both stems on the tube and tires non-functional. And my spare tube had been slashed. Howie threatens to kill me for not having a backup strategy. Somewhere there's a pic of my equipment only while my body is being searched for. Fortunately, I am grateful that Mutha's IT training has reinforced the concept of fully redundant (everything). He rolls in with a spare riding resource.

    4. After a 48 second comfortable descent, the teeth of the tiger began to bite, and hard. My mind (and biking) were wanting to climb, but the engine-room was maxed out (on the first hill) - I knew it would be long and painful day (I wouldn't have wanted it any other way).

    5. Apparently one of the design parameters for today was that we could not spend more than 3 minutes on the travel surface, if the road name did not have the word "Hill" in it.

    5. Cabot, Calais, Woodbury, and whereever we else were just gorgeous. Theatres, Sinister Brooks, hills that never end, sheep, and great landscapers.

    6. Sorry to admit it, but RedBull & Woodchuck Cider get an MD endorsement. Gatorade does not.

    7. Woodbury has much more interesting geology than Cabot, et al.

    8. Thanks for sharing the ride today for those who showed (Al, Howie, Mutha). Where DogMan, Steve, and Brian were, who knows.

    I will definitely be counting my sheep tonight.

Mutha's Trip Report:

Just a few elaborations on MadDog's report:

• Howie is the EverReady Bunny - UNSTOPPABLE!
• MadDog is a sandbagger - OUTSTANDING!
• Al is the Terminator - UNTIRING!
• The weather was gorgeous - INSPIRING!
• Minister Brook Rd. was heartwarming - OVERJOYED!

Thanks to all for financing the expedition and to the great job done on the last climb up Danville Hill.

DogMan's Trip Report:

    Return To Minister Brook

    This is why one lives in Vermont!

    Awesome weather, awesome venue, awesome company (sorry Mutha but I can still use awesome right?).

    Howie gets top kudos for never cracking, even after the up hill spill on Chartier and the whole drag back through Woodbury and up Danville Hill. It isn't always easy to crash going up hill, and even harder to then get back on your bike, tackle the "wall of chartier hill", "sears truck pathway", "wall of woodbury", "bothfield bonk" and then hit danville hill.

•     If MD had an appropriate bike and rode more than once a year, he would bury us all.
•     Mutha is nipping at my heels, and doesn't even look tired.
•     The sheep were good (not in that way).
•     The pizza was good, not sure why no one else had the sense to get some.
•     The garden tours were good.
•     The red bull was good.
•     The woodchuck was good. 

The Storm Before The Calm

The last hill has been climbed, the last mile run... sort of.  Friday, Saturday & Sunday of this weekend were awesome outstanding.  Highlights:

Mutha's Trip Reports:
Friday:  tMail, DogMan & I rode a 72 miler through the Northeast Kingdom, departing from my house (due to Dogman's strict rule that you don't drive to a ride).

• Mile 35:  Parker Pie at the top of the climb up Bean Road in West Glover
• Pizza and cokes and an hour of leisurely chit-chat
• Mile 37:  Bread & Puppet Theater Museum.  DogMan's head didn't explode.  tMail felt the pressure building.

Saturday:  g-$$$, MadDog, tMail, Spanky The Wonder Dog and I on a relatively casually-paced 12 miler from Lincoln to the App Gap along the spine of the Green Mountains.

• Got to see both sides of both gaps.
• Was astounded to discover that not all reasonable people consider the same side to be the 'hard' side.
• Encountered a couple doing the 6-Gaps ride.  They were on gap 4 (at 5pm).
• Topics covered:  love, life, death, bike components, 1-Acre intensive farming, jets, planes, gannett, sheep, goats, fencing, bikes, relationships, money, fuel, bikes, tires, bikes, troubleshooting bike problems, bikes, ... um, etc.

Sunday:  tMail and I cranked out the Burke Mtn Auto Road while DogMan cranked the 'Maple Corners' loop by bike.  Arrived at the top of Burke Mtn (2000' ascent) about a minute apart (w/ tMail running like a gazelle on a casual tour, and me tromping like a rhino in labor).  We did it in 33 and 34 min respectively, but tMail could easily hit 30 min if he pushed like I did.  We got back to Danville, loaded up the dogs, and took a 1:26 run through the Danville Town Forest, up and over Pumpkin Hill, up and over the next hill, took the LVRT for a mile, then Pumpkin Hill Road up a steep ascent, then back up the unnamed hill and back and over Pumpkin hill.  Huh?  Let's put it this way:  nothing but hills the whole time.  Mileage?  Unknown.  Maybe 6.

Final damage:

• Bodies everywhere
• Broke DogMan (joke)
• Broke Jake & Spanky
• Broke tMail's tent
• I thought I was going to crash hard on Sunday, but took a long shower to get the accumulated sweat/salt off.  Felt better.  Took care of some chores around the house and pounded in a few cedar posts.
• tMail is gentleman:  bought pizza for everyone (in Danville) and financed the food supply for treks.
• DogMan is a gentleman:  picked up the tab at Parker Pie.
• Mutha is a mooch:  accepted the favors graciously, ate his fill, and shook some hands.

Now to chill for a few days and prepare for Gannett.

tMail's Trip Reports:

I arrived in Danville on Thursday and was immediately transported to the CSA to pick the Mutha Share of food. I met Mimi who is a smoking chick who owns the farm and would probably beat all of us arm wrestling. She said I can come to the farm anytime and she would put me to "work". I accepted maybe fall time. 

I was then transported back to Mutha training facility and into a truck with Shirley the chicken, Sue and Jill for the next 2 hours.  I was taken to a farm and met Ann Mary who raises Jacobs sheep and has built a compound that David Koresh would be proud of. I then had a double date with Sue and Jill at Positive Pie.

Thursday night we planned a ride to ride (DogMan, Mutha and me) north to Glover and stop at Parker Pie and pick up chicks with the Glover edge! We also sat next to the band R.E.M.

Then my Jedi training really began as I had to use Jedi mind tricks at the Bread and Puppet Theater which is a walk back in time to the 60s and 70s or the land of Oz take your pick. My favorite puppet was the giant silver face looked like the Tin Man that represented an Atomic Bomb and a sign that said "Shoot them". Honey's everywhere and they invited the three of us dressed in spandex costume cycling outfits to a party at 8.30pm.

Mutha is a machine on a bike and DogMan is like Cancellera during Paris Roubouix I had to time trial for about 10k at 35mph to catch but he freaked out Sunday saying he needs to ride more and didn't come with us to Burke.  After the ride we went to the DogMan system and had some Sierra Nevada's, talked about farming. If the CIA, FBI, KGB or KKK is ever after you hide out at DogMans 100 acres of coolness!

Saturday was our Green Mountain assault from Lincoln to App Gap (G$$$, DogMan, Buttercup, Mutha and me). They took me via car after the hike on the Gaps and apparently MadDog aka Buttercup is going to do a 6 Gaps ride and be done with training for D2R2. Hike was great I could not name one peak except there was a hot blonde on one summit and teenager on another with pink shorts that were painted on her. Vermont Girls!

Sunday we tried talking DogMan into not doing his Maple Corners ride but coming with us to sacrifice ones self on the run up Burke Mtn, DogMan retreated and Mutha and I forged forward. Burke Mtn auto road is a beast but can be dissected and destroyed for under 30 minutes. Mutha is a machine!

When you thought it was over we ran for 1 hour 20 minutes through the Florida everglades in Danville it was awesome!

Things learned:

Molly the goat is an alien or yoda
DogMan does not drive to bike starts
Meth users work at Marty's
Parker Pie and Positive Pie are far out.
Mutha is a machine similar to energizer bunny but better.
DogMan can be brainwashed.
G$$$ nobody works and plays harder.
MadDog's training method train around your weaknesses in that case everyone sit on your couch and don't move!
Jake the Dog had his heart ripped out him.
Spanky the Wonder Dog was sacked like Napoleon's army.

If you want to get in shape in 72 hours go to the Mutha's Jedi Camp.
Sue is a saint and she gave me a Sue Zucker original painting that is VERY cool.

Close to 100 miles covered all weekend on bike and foot.

Mutha thanks for everything next stop Gannett!

July 4th

At some point that weekend (July 4th) tmail is coming for a fun-filled adventure-fest:  a road bike ride (40-70 miles) followed by a hike the next day.

We don't have a fixed schedule yet, but hopefully one or more of you can make one or more of those days.  at this point we're pretty flexible and don't have a specific route planned for bike or hike.  I understand that the weekend of the 4th is a big family holiday and it's not likely anyone can make it, but just in case you have one day free, consider joining forces.

It's also not clear how my ankle will hold up on a ride, let alone ride and hike.  The doc asked me not to stress it by 'clipping out' for another week yet.  I've also done one road bike ride this year:  35 miles.  so i'll be at the back watching the road for stuff you guys may have dropped.

Possible rides: 

• hardwick - craftsbury - irasburg - barton - greensboro - hardwick
• something involving burke and island pond.
• double gap ride going over - um - two gaps.  probably app gap is one (heading east toward waitsfield).
• single gap ride, starting in champlain valley, riding around, climbing the app gap, turning around and going back to car by a different route (i gotta get new brake pads)
• waterbury to stowe to cambridge via smuggler's notch.  return via pleasant valley.
• something involving woodbury, morrisville and hyde park
• danville - groton - groton state forest - danville
• something involving rte 5 south of st. j. through barnet, mcindoe falls, monroe, woodsville and other connecticut valley destinations.

Possible hikes:

• green mountain madness:  a long trek (spotting a car) from the top of smuggler's notch taking the Long Trail north to camel's hump, the bamforth ridge and river road in jonesville/bolton.
• green mountain madness:  a longer trek starting at the Lincoln Gap north on the LT to Camel's Hump and ending up descending the bamforth ridge in jonesville.
• something in the whites

Garfield-Galehead Loop

tMail, Jake & Spanky and I tackled Garfield & Galehead.  tMail and I carried 40lb packs (more or less) in anticipation of our Wyoming trek.  We parked at the trailhead for the Gale River Trail and walked the 1.6 miles along the loop road to the Garfield Trail.  Roughly 16 miles and some four thousands of feet later returned successfully to the car - about 8hrs.

Mutha's Trip Report (pics here):

• Jake really proved himself on this one.  Both dogs were outstanding performers of course but for a Jack Russell sprinter, this long mileage and elevation gain showed stamina that really was the payoff of two years of training.  When we got back to the house Travis noticed how pumped up his muscles were - he looked like a wrestler or body-builder.
• For meals, I packed 5 full soft tortillas w/ mackeral & mayo for the dogs.  This fueled much of the trek in addition to some home-made bicuits, trail-mix and water.
• Following tMail, the Iron-Man machine, was like paddling a canoe in the wake of a speedboat.  Incredible.
• About 4 hours in, dropped to the ground in flames as the right ankle completely exploded in a tendon-wrenching hyperextension.  It was pretty bad and currently am following the R.I.C.E. therapy w/ 800mg of Ibuprofen, a beer and a glass of bourbon.  This won't end well.
• Galehead Hut was calm, cool and collected.  The hut cougars were absent, as were the crazies, loons and freaks.  I think the mid-week timing had something to do with it.  We encountered about 4 groups on the trail - and a few solos - most of whom were out for at least two nights.  It was pretty impressive.  One young man was just poking around, heading up to the Twinway to find a spot anywhere and just have a great night out.
• We met a young woman on Garfield who works for the AMC taking school groups on hikes.  She was out for some time to herself and was taking an arbitrary number of days/nights out.  She seemed completely at ease with taking another day, two or three.  She was eating peanut-butter out of a jar with a knife and had a jar of Frito-Lay cheese sauce.  I got zits just watching her down this stuff with a knife, but it was clearly fueling her adventures.  Good for her.

tMail's Trip Report (pics here):
What a great day, we took one from the weather gods!

• Performance of the day goes to Jake, known for his short bursts of speed, princess like charm and now his ability to strap a set on and actually be a man and smash out Garfield and Galehole! I have been to Muthaville enough and spent countless hours with Jake in my lap to know he can be a total whimp, but I give the little SOB credit.
• Garfield Trail, I was thinking it was going to be some hard ass trail, not sure why, but it was pretty nice and I thought the ascent was gradual, I never felt like it got steep at all. I also thought we made very good time, 3 hours to the trail junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail.
• Gregory Palisades Pack was awesome, it was my first time using it and I thought it was awesome, I had no issues latching stuff or find places for things to go. It carried extremely well.
• Bear Gryls Pants from Craghoppers pants I thought were awesome, breath really well, fit well, served their purpose. I order them on the assumption lets see how this guy designed a pair of pants and the quality, the passed.
• La Sportiva Trango, no issues until the very end but that could have been because it was a 16 mile day with 40lbs, paws were a little sore but they were awesome.
• Food consumed, 3 power bars, 3 mojo bars, 2 PB&J, all Wyoming food and I did really good had good energy levels
• For those curious in the Pack, the only thing I really left off the pack was sleeping pad.

1. REI Sleeping Bag, Kilo
2. BD Mirage tent, with poles, fly and stakes
3. Wyoming Rope (Both)
4. Med Kit
5. MH Primaloft Jacket
6. Marmot Precip Orange Jacket
7. BD gloves
8. Ragged Mountain over mittens
9. Wyoming hat
10. Alpaca Winter hat
11. Glacier glasses
12. Jet boil
13. Crampons
14. Harness
15. Climbing Helmet
16. Compass
17. Headlamp

• Mutha you need to work on the war whoop, louder, higher pitch, pretend the goats just horned you in the nuts
• I learned a lot about Pumpkins, Asparagus, strawberries, beans, crab apples, blocking weeds, raspberries, rhubarb, goats and bees
• Two years from now we will probably be hiking with a male goat could be interesting, I think it would be great to bring the goat to Galehole Hut.
• Quebec smoke still lingered in the air.
• MadDog discovered a peach tree that grows in the Vermont environment.
• Mountain water tasted better than ever!
• Post hike recovery, normal nothing feels sore.
• Lincoln, NH is a ghost town at 5.45pm on a Wednesday

Norcross Pond Camping

Finally got a chance to try out the tent I got from the PM.  Took Jake & Spanky w/ me on their first backpack overnight.  We didn't hit the trail until 3pm yesterday, so we hiked in 2.5 hours to where Norcross Pond dumps over the cascades down toward Carrigain Notch.  We camped in a sweet spot in the fir trees.  It dropped to about 45° - easily manageable, but it meant packing up in the morning at 6am wearing fleece, wool tights under pants and a hat.  Then disrobing in stages - eventually in shorts in t-shirt by 8am.  Pictures Here.


Notes for the future Mutha:

1. The lid on the jetboil has a purpose.  It keeps all that sputtering of rapidly boiling water from shooting out all over the place.  Use it for that.
2. A little LED light hung from the dome destroys night-vision and in the middle of the night, is a mistake to suddenly turn on to figure out why the hell Spanky is sleeping on your head.  Put red taillight-repair tape over it before the next outing.
3. Only bring mess-kit gear that matches the menu.  A corollary to this rule is:  almost everything can be eaten out of a mug.
4. Okay, I see why my old sleeping bag (my first, from back in '81) sucks.  It's warm - that's fine - but it has never been washed.  It weighs about 5 lbs (maybe 4) and compressed down to the size of a motorcycle helmet (w/ visor).  If it weren't for my support of Leave-No-Trace I would've left the thing in the woods.
5. Do a gear check PRIOR to leaving.  Did you really need 500' of paracord?  Can't that med-kit be trimmed a little (50 ibuprofen?  really?  If MadDog's not along for the pain-train, skip all the extras)
6. Only bring strike-anywhere matches if you also bring the strike-strip from the box.  They suck really bad on rough stone.  Glad I had a flint stick AND a lighter.
7. The vaseline/cotton fire starter is THE BALLS!  One freaking spark and WHOOOOSH!
8. A nearly bald Jack Russell can be warmed in front of a campfire.  Consider camping only in places that allow campfires, like last night.  It made a little cold dog veeerrrrry happy.
9. Backpacker's Pantry brand dehydrated meals aren't bad, but eating Kung Pow Chicken 2 years after the expiration date wasn't smart.  Taste wise, I would've gotten the same thing by dumping a handful of peanuts in Ramen Noodles.
10. Consider Ramen when camping.  I wonder if it's possible to get some kind of dehydrated beans for flavor/interest.

Back In The White Mountains: The Semi-Pemi

Sunday's Big Adventure:  The Semi-Pemi.  16-ish miles, 5000-ish feet.  We haven't decided clockwise or counter-clockwise, but it looks like the route is (if counter-clockwise):

Hale Brook to Hale summit
Lend-A-Hand to Twinway to Zealand summit
Twinway to Zeacliff to AT (Ethan Pond) to car.

If done clockwise the time to beat is 5:06.  I don't have a PR for the counter-clockwise route.

Mutha's Trip Report:  Only a few comments (pics here),

• Don't try to keep up with a man who's training for an Iron-Man.
• Pain hurts
• Snow everywhere.  Running/trotting/walking on it required muscles that I forgot I had.
• On descent of Hale, encountered a family that were probably 5 minutes into their attempt to get through/over a massive windthrow consisting of at least 3 large trunks.  I just ran around it, noting that there wasn't really any reason not to.  Why they decided they had to get into that tangle is a mystery, but going around involved a detour of about 8 feet.  WTF?  Eventually caught up w/ tMail at the cars and he did the EXACT SAME THING.  What were these people doing ?!?!?!?  It was like watching the Stoopid Family from South Retard, Montana.

tMail's Trip Report (pics here):

1. I have finally learned to take what the trail gives you, this helped today as we both stayed fresh and still had a good overall time. I also drank all of my 3L of water I had a my 1/3 of Liter left. Food consumption was all Hammer Gel nothing else, it worked well, Montana Huckleberry.

2. Taking the Zealand Trail down off Ethan Pond was awesome the hollow down there is wild, lots of stuff, rugged, and peaceful.

3. Twinway blew ass, snow hard at times, and like mash potato at other times. It took total silence to concentrate to blast down off Zealand.

4. You had to keep all your muscles flexed in your legs at time to get up or down on the monorail.

5. Sorry to the couple coming down off of Hale while we were ascending, I ran right threw a massive mud puddle and splattered them.

6. Hale is a TOTAL piece of shit, we did officially work our way up the rock pile and the views are not that bad.

7. The analogy is like this put 15 Christmas trees in the middle lane of a three lane highway...for whatever reason Mom, Dad, Dog and Daughter who was all the way underneath were all stuck in the trees, I went around them in maybe 1 second as there was a trail cut to go around the tree. Their dog looked at me and had that look like why is my family retarded can I come with you.

8. Great day to be back on the trails, can't wait for the trails to be bone dry so we can turn and burn.

9. Happy Birthday Mutha!

The Great Mack Mtn Bushwack

Yesterday Dogman, Trudy, Spanky, Jake and I did a 12-13 mile (5:30) bushwack.  Estimate of total elevation gain is about 5,000'.  We hit:

Hooker Mtn
Mack Mtn
Morse Mtn
Devil's Hill

The route out was bushwacked because except for the trail up Devil's Hill, none of these summits have trails.  Technically Hooker Mtn does, to the first peak, but the trail rises on the other side and we didn't hit it until within a few minutes of the main summit.

The return trip was all on snowmobile trails, forest roads, and for the last 5 miles, town-maintained roads.

The pace was arduous, in spite of an average pace of over 24 min.

For scale, Mac Mtn is about 2,400'

All these are covered in hardwood below 1500' w/ stands of fir at all elevations.  We tackled this now while the woods are still open.  In another month this trek couldn't be done w/out x-ray vision.

The weather and scenery were beautiful.

Pics to come tonight.

-mutha

The Aviversary

Up the Cathedral.
Down Hillman's.

MadDog's Trip Report:

1. Tmail and Mutha confronting the demons head-on, nice fricken job.
2. Must sleep, must get up and pack, must be quiet, must check email. Palin arises, and I realize I must be late. AHHHHH!
3. In attempt to reduce the lateness, the barely civilized Civic (safely) bushwhacked its way to Mutha's setting new land speed records along the way.
4. Seeing the PM (in his 30s beach attire) and Tmail (looking like a bloke setting off for a Sahara adventure) at the VC - had me thinking I might be on a Hollywood movie set. Come to think of it.
5. The VC, the trail in, and Tucks, were a zoo. I thought I was headed into a Buffet concert.
6. Spandex.
7. I realized (again) what a monster DogMan is...he and I were hanging, chatting it up on Cathedral, I stopped turned down to see the boys coming and turned, and DM had quietly about 40 paces between us in a matter of seconds.
8. Mutha, Tmail, and PM are trail hounds...they have this innate ability to pick out good lines.
9. Mutha running on autopilot calling out traps, placements, debris, etc.
10. There's something more weirdly appealing about first seeing the casualness, mix and number of people at the shelter. Then how the mood changes when some of the same group are prepping for descent down Hillmans.
11. I found myself, at least a half dozen times, want to go down face first, or at least slide. But the steepness and prospect of being out of control and hitting others kept stopping me. I kept thinking about our slide down Bonnie Pass and if it was steeper.
12. The creative geniuses at work, brainstorming reasons as why I would be late for that evening's dinner date. Listening to it all, I imagined I was sitting in with a bunch of writers from Seinfeld while trying to construct the next week's episode.
13. Tmail and Mutha taking me down trying to induce injury.
14. I am not supposed to (at all) so I fell off the wagon...but as ugly as it looked, the downhill double-time to the VC was pure fun. I really really miss doing that.
15. It was just a nice day out.

Mutha's Trip Report (pics here):

• The vast sea of humanity was more than impressive.  That so many people could all want to be in that beautiful setting was not surprising.  That so many people would actually go there - some looking like they really shouldn't exert themselves that much was surprising.  
• If there were over 4,000 people on the mountain today, there were 500 above treeline and 5 on Cathedral Gully.
• Why the f**k would anyone ski down Dodge's?
• MadDog!  Axe in right hand, pole in left hand - or just leave the pole on your pack!
• The PM has awesome pecs, awesome farts, awesome Bushmill's, awesome soggy bread and meat and cheese thing that looked like it got squeezed out of a bottle purchased at the mini-mart, and awesome descending skills.  The guy actually slid backwards, downhill on crampons, on purpose!
• Somebody has to communicate to DogMan that accelerating up the gully isn't normal.  He was moving so fast it made me think I was moving backwards and threw myself onto the snow to self-arrest.
• MadDog tried to pull the "I don't think I want to go up that steep stuff" thing.  The next thing we knew he had everyone by the short-hairs, pulling us up the mountain.
• tMail is going to get his car towed.  Baaaad, tMail.
• tMail, congratulations on topping out on Cathedral.  The demons are in full retreat.

The Puppet Master's Trip Report (pics here):  Memories...

1. Looking for a parking spot along the road and thinking, "Was this a good idea?"
2. Blasting out the VC bathroom to the point of rushing out of the stall and only saying to the next guy, "That one is no good."
3. Trail traffic. We needed to paint lanes.
4. French girls with French stuff
5. MD saying "Dodges, no way." The next breath agreeing the the unkown Cathedral trail was perfect... MAD DOG!
6. Dog Man blasting up the steeps like he was born to a mountain goat mother.
7. MuthaZ appreciating a flask of whiskey, a good glissade, and he has shaken the demons of the fall.
8. TMail blasting up the hill, overthinking the last 20yds but then laughing about it - f-ing animal. Showing me the ropes of the Kearsage Cafe... and what kind of destruction it causes.
9. I'm of Scotch descent, I need to wear sunblock.
10. Great fun.
11. In the aftermath... Where the F was Nate G?!!!

DogMan's Trip Report (pics here):

tMail's Trip Report (pics here):Well Well Well….what is one to say!

1. The drive up was enjoyable….conversation centered on population and the ability for food sustainability…we are doomed.
2. Speaking of population PNVC was a mosh pit of people, vehicles, dogs and the highly educated and uneducated.
3. PM and I enjoyed some people watching as MD overslept at the dog kennel.  The most interesting thing I saw was a guy wearing those girl type shorts that look like a skirt
4. The DB who said there is no such thing as avalanches in Tux in April…….
5. Mutha “You couldn’t be so wrong”
6. The DB girlfriend “I don’t want to put my backpack in the snow”
7. The guy who witnessed the destruction the PM did in the bathroom when opening the door was quoted as saying “That baby is fried”
8. MD “I am not going up Dodge’s”
9. MD “Let’s go up Cathedral” completely unknown, never before trampled on, nobody had skied it or been on it.
10. Exercising the demons going up Cathedral, learning much more about snow stability and gaining more respect for the Snow Rangers
11. Topping out on Cathedral and having the PM open the bar, Whiskey from Granddaddy’s old liquor chest!
12. Mutha going down Hillmans, “self arresting isn’t that good” okay lets continue to proceed.
13. Giving DogMan his self arresting lesson in 4 seconds part of which was given by MadDog while he was glissading down.
14. Planning MDs story of why he was a no show for dinner with his friends
15. Taking PM to the mother of all burrito places in North Conway
16. PM and I consumed about 6 liters of liquid at the Irving station at the end of Rt. 16 (Gatorade, Chocolate Milk, SOBE, Ice Cream, Lemonade)
17. PM and I had our Easter Bunny trot on Sunday 5 miles through Frank-vegas
18. Mutha great job exercising the Dodge’s Demons!
19. Cathedral Gully Maximum Pitch 45 degrees, sustained 35 degrees and dominant aspect North.
20. Great day boyz thanks for the patience and support.

Vermonts Love Their Freedom

The Vermont Natural Resource Council (a private, secretive, non-profit representing a secret client list) does not believe that Vermonters should be free to simply enjoy the great outdoors.  While the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail Committee is struggling to convert an old, decrepit railbed into a 94-mile recreation trail, the VNRC is throwing up barriers because it believes that runners and cyclists will pose an environmental hazard.  But Vermonters are not standing for it.  We're gathering in Senator Bartlett's office on Thursday, April 1 (April Fool's Day) at 9am to debate the issue.  On one side, the VNRC is arguing that this should be a highly regulated project with the same strict controls that are imposted on waste-treatment facilities.  On the other, the Citizens of Vermont are pleading that this is just an existing railbed, that just needs a fresh surface.

Where do you stand on the issues?  Contact the VNRC and to see their position paper.  Contact Senator Bartlett or you local congressman and tell them you want to take back Vermont's Great Outdoors from the Zombie Obstructionists!