Monday, June 23 - Mt. Morgan

Was it after 2 o'clock when we started our climb up Mt. Morgan?!? Hunter and I are both morning people but we thought perhaps we might have company on the more popular trails, so we had held out until quite late before we set out - just the rangers 3 again. It was a warm start to the hike, and also buggy. We were armed with bug spray, but these were gnats, the kind that get right in your eye. The start to the hike was not propitious, but somehow the details fell away and it seemed quite effortless before we had covered the gentle gradual ascent to the stream which I remember as marking the start to the steeper section. The stream was almost dry and the steepness itself had to prove to me that that was, in fact, the stream that we had hiked to so often when Hunter and her siblings were much younger. We climbed to the ridge and then up the gully at the top which was also dryer than I remember from my past excursions. Because we had Rumi, the pup, we did not take the fun trail up the ladders. At the top, the breeze was cool and the wide-angle view, so rewarding. There were only 3 other people up at that time; in the past, we have encountered many more on the summit. The views in so many directions make it very rewarding, and the parking lot at the base helps with its accessibility. We scooted back down - 2 hours on Mt. Morgan. We were hot and ready for a swim in still cool Squam Lake.

Saturday, June 21 Cotton Mt. to Prescott Tr.

It was one of those breathtaking days in early summer where the air is crisp and the meadows are brimful of wildflowers and - well - how can anyone NOT want to be outside celebrating? As we climbed up Cotton Mountain, Hunter recalled how, just a few months ago, she had slogged through over-knee-deep heavy snow on that same trail. We spotted a snake slithering across the warm path at its start, before the open area- which is beautifully recovering from its past as a gravel pit - gave way to beech shaded woods. Cotton Mountain is short and steep but offers a view towards Little Squam before the tree leaves cover it, and then another along the length of big Squam which is always open. From the top of the mountain, we followed the Ridge Trail as it descended through pine woods and crossed a stream and headed up Livermore. There was a tree that had fallen right down the middle of the path which must have been very recent since we have noticed that SLA does a remarkable job of keeping the trails clear. Mostly, we are over and over again appreciative of the stone work across streams and mud and in steep areas that would surely erode without the thought and dedication of some hard working volunteers. As we took the Prescott Trail for the descent, we were aware of how much we preferred that trail in the other direction - climbing up it we tended to look up and to our right at the beautiful old forest. On the way down, sadly, we noticed more the other side of the trail and the prevalence of logging alongside. Again, we chanced on a tree that had not yet been pruned by SLA - note the look of upset on Hunter's face.

Wed., June 18 Rattlesnake: Pasture- Ridge-Col(part)

Unexpectedly, Hunter and I were both free to hike on a Wednesday. The weather looked a bit ominous, so we opted for another short loop on the Rattlesnake trails. We predicted they might be busier later in the summer, but at this point, we felt it was okay to take Rumi with us. The leash was precautionary. We did see another dog just as we were starting out. After that, we only saw one other person (on popular West Rattlesnake!!!) - a gentleman with a foreign accent who was as thrilled to reach the top of the almost entirely vertical Pasture Trail as we were in the humid heat. The view was rewarding, although we stopped only for a brief moment before traversing the Ridge Trail and descending the Col Trail where we had been so plagued by bugs on the ascent a few weeks ago. Even with bug spray, Hunter felt a mosquito bite. After that, she took off on a run down the steep trail and we were back at the car within 45 minutes of departure. We decided that the loop we took today was ideal for anyone looking for a steep, short hike with fewer people than the very busy trail on the other side of West Rattlesnake.

June 15 - East Rattlesnake: Butterworth - Ridge- Col (part)

Okay, we wanted to hike again. Again it was a weekend. The weather was superb: high 60's and windy. Hunter was getting over her cold, not yet completely mended. We decided to tackle another set of Rattlesnake trails. This time we would get dropped off my Nika and Scott at the start of Butterworth where there is NO public parking (that is an issue for an SLA trail, in my mind). We left our car at the end of the Col Trail. We also put on plenty of bug spray and carried more with us, which wafted back to me when Hunter sprayed on more, mid walk. The walk up Butterworth skirted some logging and was pine forest. I found it less attractive than the other side of the mountain in spite of the gorgeous trail work - see Hunter perched on the lovely stone work. The view from the top was breathtaking - looking south and east and somewhat west. We then descended along the Ridge Trail to the East end of Col. There were more sign of logging before skirting a swamp where Hunter spotted a large toad which was well disguised in the greenery (see photo).

June 7, 2014 -Rattlesnake: up from Pinehurst Rd

Hunter and I did not realize how busy our summer would be. We had hoped to have lots of time during the weekdays when we were sure the trails would be less crowded. We were surprised to find ourselves planning a hike for a Saturday morning. Because Hunter was coming down with a cold, we decided to do a close, shorter hike on Rattlesnake. We expected that surely we would meet many people and resent them : we decided not to take along Ranger #3, dear Rumi, since he can be unfriendly to stranger dogs. We drove to the trailhead on Pinehurst Road where Fiver Finger Points and various Rattlesnake Trails originate at a gate that specifies private property beyond. A lone hiker warned us at the outset that the mosquitoes were bad. We immediately realized I had forgotten my hat and the reppelant we would so badly need. The bugs were TERRIBLE. Even though I lent Hunter my sun prevention coat, they were relentless. It's too bad that the bugs were so insistent since the trail was quite beautiful - huge old, old maples and a sweet stream alongside the beginning stretch. And... other than the one woman, we met no one: as we hiked up the first part of Col Trail, across Ridge Trail and down the west end of Butterworth.