4,267 Hours

I knew

the trap would fail.

Leg pinned,
probably broken,

for hours

before i shuddered,

found you;

barely breathing, you'd dragged the trap.

Not dead.

I killed another mouse when I was seven with

a rock.

Now, twenty years later, 

again.

Assuming an average worldwide human life expectancy of 67.2 years (source) and an average mouse life expectancy of about 2 years (source), one human hour could be considered about 33.6 mouse hours.

september

a hummingbird makes rounds
checking the deep colored late summer blooms;
and so do i, fishing in my oats for blackberries.

Mount Whiteface (4020') and Mount Passaconaway (4043')

Overview:

Amy, Leela, and I climbed Mount Whiteface and Mount Passaconaway via the Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, and Dicey's Mill Trail.  

• TIME: 7 hours, 40 minutes (including breaks)
• DISTANCE: 11.9 miles
• ELEVATION GAIN: 3,800 feet
• DATE: 9/11/2011

I've decided to skip the effort of creating a map from now on for these hikes.  It became a minor obsession, and the fact that they just aren't guaranteed to be accurate in any way makes it basically pointless.  If you need trailmaps, get the AMC Guide to the White Mountains, which is what we use now, or see if you can locate the trails on the old (possibly outdated) maps on the topographical views at msrmaps.com

Trail Conditions

Blueberry Ledge Trail: Varied terrain, mostly dry.  Lots of blowdowns from storms, but most were cleared.  There were some wet spots along the way with all the rain we've been getting, but never in spots that caused any safety concern.  There were several spots that were just plain difficult, earning it the description in the AMC guide as one of the more challenging trails in the Whites.  The most difficult spot for me was where there were once steps, but now only holes remain in the very steep rock face.  We used these as holds for our fingers and scrambled up.  There are also some sturdy branches and roots to aid here.  Our dog never needed assistance, though this came as a surprise.  I'm guessing more normal dogs would need at least a boost in a few spots.  

Rollins Trail: Surprisingly steep descent from the summit of Whiteface, but generally a regular old mountain trail.  Some spots were wet and muddy, but never an obstacle.

Dicey's Mill Trail: A few spots to scramble on the rocks, but again, nothing surprising.  Got wetter near the bottom, but as with the other trails, never a cause of concern.

Comments and Photos

The approach to the summit of Whiteface was the best part of this hike for me.  Not to say the rest of the hike was awful, but the difficult climbing on the open rock and fantastic wide views to the south, east, and north along the way made it a mountain worth revisiting.  Passaconaway served us well in giving us decent views to the west, rounding out the views for the hike.  I think we could've seen the presidentials from Whiteface, but they were lost in the clouds.

View of Whiteface (peak further in distance, lit by sun) from the road from the Ferncroft Rd parking area

Early on the Blueberry Ledge Trail

Amy in the first of many stretches of open rock

About 1/3 of the way up, a false summit of sorts

This part of the trail could be awful in wet conditions.  To the left is a big dropoff.

Did not capture the toughest part of the trail (for me) very well.  But you can see it's very steep here!

Another somewhat difficult spot.  Leela hopped right up.

Late blueberries on the Blueberry Ledge Trail as we neared the summit.

View from the summit of Whiteface was great!  But it was also cold up there.

At the summit of Whiteface, Lake Winnepesauke in the distance.

Marker for what is probably the true summit of Whiteface, along the Rollins Trail.

View to the west from the viewpoint near the summit of Passaconaway.  Both true summits on this hike were viewless, but the viewpoints were decent.

Enjoying some apples at the summit of Passaconaway.

Final Thoughts

Whiteface and Passaconaway is a rugged hike at times, but I will remember this hike as 8 hours well spent.  Great to do with a friend to get some quality time in or to do alone for some excellent mountain meditation.  I appreciated the time to catch up with Amy on some deeper conversation than we usually get in at home.  I will say that if you want to try alternatives, take the steepness of the Blueberry Ledge Trail into consideration if you consider going DOWN it.  I'm sure it's possible, but I would never choose to do it.

tree rings

Sometimes
I oil our rings.
A day off the hand,
rain in the forest.

We watch:
the scuffs being sealed,
the color turning deep.

Poison Ivy Walk

Walked the dog further today,
watching for patches of those
perfect green leaves
nodding their invitations in the morning showers.
Without experience, lettuce
would be more menacing,
while these leaves could easily shine as a houseplant, stepping
from the windowsill above the sink
vying for the delight of a simple forgettable brush
with the back of your hand.