Summer 2000 Hikes

• Stratton Mountain/Pond Loop 6/10/00-6/11/00
• Baker Peak 8/4/00-8/6/00 I ended up doing this one as a longer, 3-day trip from Kelly Stand Rd at Stratton, northbound to USFS 10. By coincidence, it was 1 year to the day after the dates where I went through the same places on the Long Trail. Except, this time I didn't hit rain on Baker!

Some potential hikes for 2001

• Pine Cobble - easy trip in northwest MA, just north of Greylock. 3.2 miles RT, easy up-and-down with good views at summit.
• Monument Mountain - southwestern MA, 1.6 miles RT, easy up-and-down with the highest reward/effort ratio I've ever seen. Then again, this is the easiest mountain to climb that I've ever seen. Still worthwhile.
• Greylock Loop - a very challenging day-hike for the novice. I've done it as a day's walk, but it's by no means effortless. It's a nice way to sample the Greylock area, though.
• Split Rock - on LT just north of VT 9, about a mile up the hill. Hard work, minor geological feature, few views. Good way to show someone the challenging part, but if you want a challenge and you'll drive out here, why not go south and climb up Harmon Hill instead??
• Grand Monadnock - a reasonably easy mountain with spectacular views in southern NH. VERY popular, too crowded for my taste. Numerous ascent routes. Can be very challenging for the novice.
• Camel's Hump - northern VT, a great "real" mountain for beginners in good shape or those who are past the rank beginner stage. The views are simply unparalleled. The ascent is a challenge.
• Mt. Washington - serious mountain, but Tuck's makes an easy route.
• Taconic Crest Trail - simply the easiest outing I know. No summits, but some nice views out from the Taconics. The Snow Hole makes a nice destination, too.
• Northville-Placid Trail - I still haven't gotten around to doing this trek, and I also haven't gotten around to hiking some of the sections, either. I want to actually see the West Canada Lakes, not read about them!

Scheduled trips for summer 2001

• Glastenbury Traverse 5/18/02-5/19/01. Start at the Arlington-West Wardsboro road crossing and head south to VT 9. As usual, I'll spend the night at Goddard, but since black fly season may or may not have begun, I'll be tenting - just in case. Nice and easy 25-mile traverse.
• Grand Monadnock 6/16/01. White Arrow trail to summit, unless I/we have cars available with a high ground clearance to drive down Shaker "Road" to the Marlboro Trail. Arriving at Trailhead around 10AM, heading up with a number of other people. Summit around lunchtime and snarf food then. Back down, enjoy a nice day on the mountain. Simple, easy. 2.2 miles one-way.
• Mt. Washington 6/23/01. I'll finally be hitting Huntingdon Ravine! Up the Tuckerman Ravine trail from Pinkham Notch, then cut over to and up Huntingdon to the summit. I've been wanting to tackle that bastard ever since I had to turn back from an impossible crossing of the Cutler River the day after the hurricaine came through. (Rest of the weather was perfect, I went up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and had the clearest, most perfect views I've ever even heard of from Mt. Washington.)
• Camel's Hump Postponed. Beane trail to Birch Glen and the Long Trail, LT to Camel's Hump summit, then down the Burrow's Trail and out. This takes in Burnt Rock Mountain as well as Ethan and Ira Allen Mtns. Spending the night at Montclair Glen is an option, as is the Hump Brook tenting area. Rough plan - head up to the summit of Camel's Hump the night before, enjoy the view, then down to Hump Brook. Back up in the morning via the Monroe Trail to the Alpine Trail, out on the Burrows Trail. I want to either get a sunset up top and hike down by flashlight or hike up by flashlight in the morning and enjoy a sunrise, either one.
• Spruce Peak 8/11/2001. It's the cutest, most adorable little mountain you'll ever see! This is a mountain that really belongs in someone's back yard. And at a one-way mileage of 2.4 miles, it won't kill you to get there.