Date: 2003-12-20
To: Chocorua and Sandwich Dome
Miles today: 0.0

[In accordance with my recent practice, this entry is lifted in its entirety from an e-mail. That e-mail was to my oldest friend, whom I have known since early elementary school, who accompanied me on my most notable previous outdoor adventure, and who was my best man.]Jim,I know I have been quite remiss about keeping up my journal, as you have reminded me several times. So I have decided to kill two birds with one stone, and to write you what I have been intending to put into my journal, then copy this e-mail in its entirety onto the trailjournals website.I believe that my last journal entry back in October reported on my completion of original training program of climbing all of the 25 off-AT peaks in NH of the 48 that are taller than 4000¢. So when I had a couple of weekends in November when I could go hiking, I no longer had that goal to guide me.The reason I had 2 weekends is that I own a time-share week in Laconia, NH, which Yohko and I had bought in the early 80s. It is a flex week, meaning that I can schedule it for any time (except during the peak summer season). I had it reserved for a week in June when all 3 kids were with me. But when they decided they didn¢t want to make use of it, I rescheduled to the only times available, the 2nd and 4th weekends in November.The advantage of Laconia is that it is just south of the White Mtns, less than an hour¢s drive from the nearest tall peak. For the first of these weekends, I decided to climb Mt Chocorua, a very interesting looking peak that overlooks the tourist town of N Conway. Chocorua is shorter than the other mountains I have been climbing recently, only 3500¢, but the trailhead is also quite low, so the elevation change was to be about the same as what I have been doing all along.On the morning I was to climb Chocorua, I got up before 5 AM, as usual these days. I left the timeshare before first light, and the sun was just coming up when I parked at the trailhead. I should have anticipated trouble, because I passed a sign on the way telling me that the temperature was just 15*. I had enough clothing to handle that sort of temperature, so set off full of anticipation.The trail ascended fairly steeply, and I was enjoying myself until I stopped to relieve myself about 30 minutes into the walk. Afterwards, as is my habit, I sucked on the mouthpiece of my Camelback (a water bladder in my pack, with a plastic tube ending near my mouth) in order to get some water to rinse off my hands. Much to my surprise, nothing came out. THEN I remember that Jan Liteshoe (I think I have sent you the link to her 2003 journal on trailjournals.com) had warned me about Camelback valves freezing up in very cold weather. (Since I had probably climbed 500¢ by this time, the temperature had probably fallen to around 10*.)Now having no water to drink on a mountain can be a serious thing. So my immediate problem was to get the valve thawed out. My first impulse was to warm the valve with my hands, so I took off my gloves. Big mistake! After a few tens of seconds I realized I wasn¢t getting anywhere, and what is more, my hands were beginning to get cold. So I put back on my gloves and stopped to think, which is what I should have done in the first place. After examining the tube and the valve, I could tell that it was only the valve that was frozen, and that hot air would probably thaw it enough to get water moving again. And sure enough, after another 30 seconds of flooding the valve with hot breath, it thawed enough so that water began to flow. Since the bladder was inside my pack, the water inside was warm enough that once it started flowing, all the ice in the valve melted. I was able to keep the valve free for the rest of the walk by consciously taking a drink through it every 10 minutes or so.After that, I resumed my hike up the mountain, and made steady progress. But since I was ascending at more than 1000¢ per hour, and since I was on the North side of the mountain where the sun didn¢t reach, the temperature was steadily falling. And my hands had never warmed up after I had tried to use them as a heater.By the time I was 500¢ below the summit, the temperature was probably in the single digits, or lower. The trail leveled out into a series of gentle switchbacks at that point, which brought on another problem, ice. All of those level stretches were covered by patches of ice, extending the width of the trail and stretching for 20, 50, 100¢ at a time. By hanging on to trees, etc, I was able to negotiate the first 3 or 4 switchbacks. But then I came to a stretch where I couldn¢t rely on trees to keep me from slipping off the mountain, with just my hiking boots on. I had crampons in my pack, but to put them on would have required me to take off at least one pair of gloves (I wear two pairs at a time, as part of my layering technique for body temperature control). By that time my hands were as cold as I wanted them to be. So after sitting there agonizing over my decision for 15 minutes (I had at that point never turned around once I was heading for a peak) I decided to turn around and head home.On the way down, I immediately became warm again, and immensely enjoyed my walk down. I felt bad about having to turn around, particularly when I realized that if I had started 2 or 3 hours later I would not have had the thermal problems, even without the foolishness with the gloves. But all-in-all I thought that the decision to turn around was the right one, and I was satisfied with my walk.Two weeks later temperatures were not quite as low, and I didn¢t get quite as early a start (but it was still dark when I left Laconia). This time I was headed for Sandwich Dome, 3950¢. It is about 10 miles west of Chocorua, and is further south than any of the 4000 footers. The weather was perfect for hiking, with perfectly clear skies, and temperatures rising from about freezing at the beginning of the hike and rising into the high 40s by the end.The trail was also easy, steadily rising, with only about a half mile of really steep trail. The only problem was lots of ¢false summits¢. That is where you come to a local high point and think you have reached the summit, only to look through the trees and see another peak 12 to 1 mile away. That is farther than you thought you had still to walk, but close enough so that you know that is the real summit, not where you are.When I finally got to the top (I say ¢finally¢ as if it took forever, but it actually took about 10 minutes less than I had estimated when I left the trailhead) I was treated to a visual feast. Even though the peak is not above the tree line, the rocks on top afford a 180* view to the north. In my field of vision, I could see almost all of the 48 NH 4000¢ peaks. I could look at each of the peaks I had climbed over the last 2 years and remember the climb up each one. I could also see the 4000¢ peaks I had not climbed, those on the AT, marching across the horizon. Starting from Moosilauke (the first peak above tree-line as you hike the AT north) on my far left, through the Franconia range with 5000 footers Lincoln and Lafayette, on through the Presidentials with Mt Washington, the highest mountain in the northeast, all the way to the Wildcats on my right, just barely visible, I had my future before me.I stayed at the top for 20 minutes or so, drinking in the view, thinking of what I had done and what lies ahead. As I was preparing to start down, a young couple arrived, and were just as impressed with the view as I. And I was impressed with them as they recounted all of the White Mountains they had climbed, including all of the 4000 footers in wintertime (I have only really climbed one 4000 footer in winter, Mt Waumbek in a rather friendly snowstorm last December.).The walk down was enjoyable, as always. In fact, going down I always muse about the fact that going up the mountain there are almost always trepidations about running out of steam and not making it to the top. But on the way down there is always an internal celebration and feeling of satisfaction about what I have done, even if I don¢t make my goal, as in the case of Chocorua.Right now I don¢t anticipate climbing any more mountains before retiring at the end of January, even though winter mountain climbing has always been part of my training plan for this winter. I just won¢t have the time. Maybe during the month of February, while doing final preparations for the Trail, I will be able to do a few more training climbs. Right now I am concentrating on doing strength training in the fitness center at work (particularly to strengthen my knees) on some days, alternating with long snow walks from home on others.Holiday wishes to you and your family (and your menagerie).Alan