Hike-NH.com

[New Hampshire]

Earlier in the week Joe (JustJoe), Mike (Salty) and I (aka me, aka dumb ass, aka the dude who never shuts up) started talking about what trouble we could get into for the coming weekend. Ideas were thrown in, then out, and in the process we managed to loose Mike to sickness. So Joe and I talked through options and eventually settled on Moriah both for simplicity, effort (Joe had done Whiteface and Passaconaway the day before and was not looking forward to a very strenuous hike) and the fact neither of us had done it in winter. So we set a meet time of 8:45 on Bangor Road in Gorham intending to take the Carter-Moriah trail up. I arrived to find the little parking area filling up fast with Joe not far behind me at around 8:30. We got ourselves ready and struck off for the day’s adventure.

After the brief steep beginning Joe and I set into a nice slow stride covering the flat parts through the lovely hardwoods. The high cloud ceiling was working hard to dissipate, and the further we went the nicer it was getting. We has started out at 3 degrees above, but it felt a bit warmer down in that sheltered area without so much as a hint of breeze. Joe let me set the pace, and I made every effort to keep us at a nice and slow one, but I think Joe was just humoring me. We went up over the first PUD and then the next, which we came to assume was Mt. Surprise, or as McRat likes to say “SURPRISE it’s a named mountain!” The views were obstructed a bit by trees, but the range was long and clear, so we knew we were going to be lucky when we got up higher.

It had been about 4 or 5 years since I was last on this trail, and while I like it for the most part I did not remember all those damn PUD’s of which there was plenty of them. Eventually it was getting annoying, but by now we were so close we could taste victory. A few people passed us on the way down and told us it was breezy and chilly up top, so we figured it would be a quick summit stay and then out of there. We came to the spur junction to find two ladies we had met in the parking lot enjoying lunch, so we passed them by and went up to the high point. The views were perhaps the best I have ever seen from there, with the pure blue sky now greeting us, crystal clear views as far as our eyes could see, and hardly any wind that we were told was there. But they were right that it was cold. Joe was snapping away with the camera, and in the short period he was doing so his fingers went numb…it was COLD. We dropped back off the summit to have lunch, and Joe had to wait a good 10 minutes with his hands back in his mitts just to get them warm again before he could even think about taking his pack off to dig for lunch. Even I had my troubles. I was digging around for my food and in that short period with the mitts off I had to replace them before I could open up the bag just to eat. So you can imagine we stayed only as long as it was necessary.

After downing a quick lunch we got ready for a quick descent to get our blood flowing, so Joe took the lead as we flew down the trail. We were going so well that I had to stop and take my mitts off because now my hands were sweating, and when I did so you could see the steam evaporating off them. The PUD’s were just as miserable on the way down as they were up, but we made the best of it and just pushed on through. At one point we managed to spot the contrail of an F-15 that had been buzzing around all day, but to this point had remained invisible. A few last pictures were taken from the best of the view ledges before we plunged back into the hardwoods again and thus ended the sightseeing part of the day. With a last push we clicked off the last of the mileage and returned back to the parking lot a little short of 6 ½ hours after leaving it.

We stopped off at Mr. Pizza for some dinner (thanks for the treat Joe!) and then parted ways. I hit Rt. 115 at the best time of the day, right before sunset. This road is one of my favorite drives at this time because the lovely colors play across all the summits and make for a visual treat. I was onto Rt. 3 around 5 so I decided to stop off at Beaver Brook to see if the crew doing the Twins/Galehead may have made it down yet. It was a long shot, but at least I would leave a not saying hello. So I pulled in about 5:15 next to Happhiker’s car and started writing a note. As I was doing so another car pulled up next to mine, and it turned out to be Paradox who had been out with that group today but had already finished and was waiting. I stuck around until about 6:10 before deciding I had waited long enough (a liter and a half of Mt. Dew will only keep you awake so long.) Long story short, this turned out to be a decent day with some great weather. Joe was as always perfect company, and except for the chilly temps on the summit it was a wonderful day to be in the woods.

Brian
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"I would not follow us if I were you!" -Bumbling Bushwhackers

[Salty]

Sorry I missed the good company, sorry I missed the views, sorry I missed another peak to tick off my list, NOT sorry I missed the PUD's!

Joe, you may be excused from the Obligatory Kearsarge Shot on this hike. Carter Ridge, Carter Notch, Montalban Ridge, Parker and Tremont are all in the way.
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Hello, this is Salty. How may I annoy you today?

My site: http://www.saltyhikes.com
My Photos: http://saltynh.smugmug.com

[JustJoe]

Great report Brian. This was the perfect hike for the day’s conditions and how I was feeling from the previous days hike. I had never heard the term PUDS before. Mike had to explain that in a PM last night. Annoying, oh yeah. Those were some beautiful woods and gorgeous views.

Brian, as always, a pleasure.

Pictures:


Slideshow
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Joe
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Indecision is the key to flexibility.

52 WAV 29/52

[woods dweller]

Nice report. Moriah's one I plan to return to, for sure.
An underrated peak.

[Excape]

I thought I sensed a disturbance in the force while looking towards Moriah from Eagle Craig, then again it could have been the smell...turns out it was Brian, now it all makes sense!

Man Joe, you must have some sore legs and one sore camera trigger finger! I enjoyed this trail when we did it back in Novemberish. I do remeber the PUDS but thought they were of the smaller variety.
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Jason "Mushroom Man has Returned!!"
NH4ks 26/48
NH4KW 2/48
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my picks http://www.flickr.com/photos/excape1/
my blog http://hikethesummits.blogspot.com/
*New! http://kitchentoss.blogspot.com/

[BobC]

Once again, I see all these nice views from Moriah, and I think, my memory is really bad. I had remembered this is a mostly viewless peak, but it's been a long time. Moriah is the 4K I've been away from the longest, I only did it once, in November 2006. We went up Stony Brook and down Carter-Moriah, maybe I missed the views by not going up Carter-Moriah. I think on the way down that trail I was too tired to think of looking for views, it was only my 3rd 4K trip.
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Pics: http://community.webshots.com/user/rcusolito

[JustJoe]

[Pucknuts61]

and where are the pictures? I can't live vicariously through TR's....I need photos!

Bob, maybe you're thinking of Stony Brook. I don't recall too many views on that one. But along the CM you do get some great ones to the Presidentials at some outcrops.
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"My feet is my only carriage..." BM

Don't worry about today being the end of the world, it's already tomorrow in Australlia

http://pucknuts61.spaces.live.com/

[JustJoe]

[Pucknuts61]

Cool...thanks!

I like #11 and 30!
_________________
"My feet is my only carriage..." BM

Don't worry about today being the end of the world, it's already tomorrow in Australlia

http://pucknuts61.spaces.live.com/

[scooter]

[Peesalot.]

Nice report Brian and great pictures Joe! I like the slideshow layout MUCH better!! Webshots can be hard to view, but this made it extremely easy and I found you can click on the photo and arrow your way through as well. I really like pic 13 and the whoville tree in pic 22. Number 26 is also nice. Great job guys!
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My Recent Hiking Trip: The Carter-Moriah Range 7.3.10 to 7.5.10

~Laurie~
"Three leaves and shiny not for the hiney"

[HardcoreIdiot]

Good job Joe carrying Brian on this hike!!! Seriously, good job and great pics. Chalking this hike on my to-do-list soon.

Greg

[JustJoe]