A few weeks ago my cousin sent me a message asking if she could go on a hike with my aunt and I, which of course I immediately said yes to. It had been a few weeks since my last trip up North and I was itching to get back to the mountains, so her timing was perfect. Though the three of us spent an evening scouring over our maps, we ultimately knew Mt. Osceola was going to be the winner for this trip. Standing at an awesome 4,314 feet, it’s part of the New Hampshire 4,000 footer club and promised a breathtaking view at the top. It had caught my eye last winter, but when I went to explore the trail head, the gate was locked and a sign read ‘Closed November to May’. A week into May I went back again and the gate remained locked, but now that it was halfway through June, I knew it was truly time to tackle it. Continue reading “Hiking Mt. Osceola”
Tag: White Mountains
What Happens When You’re Not Prepared For a Hike: Franconian Ridge Loop
After doing some research based on a friend’s recommendation, I found that there are a few lodges throughout the White Mountains that provide shelter for hikers. You have to pay and reserve bunks ahead of time, but it’s great if you don’t want to carry a tent or large amounts of food with you on your overnight hike. It’s a great space for Appalachian Trail hikers as well. My Dad and I wanted to do an overnight hiking trip together, but didn’t have the right gear for us both to camp out on the trail. So this was the perfect solution. We chose the greenleaf hut because it seemed to be tucked away in a beautiful location and the cabin seemed to retain a rustic charm. This is a great article to read if you’re thinking about choosing a hut to stay at.
Continue reading “What Happens When You’re Not Prepared For a Hike: Franconian Ridge Loop”
Hiking Mt. Willard
At the beginning of the summer my friend and I decided to drive about three hours north of Boston to make a day out of hiking Mount Willard. It had been a few months since we had seen each other and hiking is such a great way to catch up with friends while doing something different and exciting. The drive was smooth and easy, but when we got to the mountain we had the hardest time finding the trail head. We drove up and down the main road inspecting every little pathway that led into the woods. We even followed a pair of hikers who were walking along the road just in case they were headed to the trail. Apparently they weren’t so we just looked like stalkers tailing them. At least we weren’t in a big white van. Finally my friend spotted a small sign right past an old railroad station that marked the beginning of our ascent. That sign was the definition of a needle in a haystack so if you choose to hike this trail remember that it begins behind the train station off of Rt 302 in the Crawford Notch National Park. That way you can save yourself the embarrassment of looking like an ill-equipped villain from Austin Powers. Continue reading “Hiking Mt. Willard”
Hiking Arethusa Falls To Frankenstein Cliffs
In the summer of 2015, I went to visit my aunt in New Hampshire so that we could go on a hike together. We were in the market for something that was moderate with a great view. After doing a little bit of research, some of which included a painfully outdated, not to mention faded, guidebook, we chose the 6 mile loop that led to the Arethusa Falls, connected to the Frankenstein Cliff trail, and eventually led us back to the parking lot. I was excited to break in my new hiking shoes and finally get back to the trails after being sidelined for a few weeks. It took a couple hours drive to get there, but the traffic was minimal and the parking lot was surprisingly easy to find. I can’t tell you how many trails I’ve been to where it’s more likely that you’ll find Bigfoot than the parking entrance, but thankfully, this was not the case there. After we parked the car, we hoisted our backpacks onto our backs and began our hike.
Continue reading “Hiking Arethusa Falls To Frankenstein Cliffs”
Memoirs From The Trails 