Waterville Valley (Tecumseh -10)

The in between month. Aaah November… The so called Stick Season. When the mobs of leaf peepers go back to the flats, leaving a eerily quiet mountain land void of the vibrant colors and foliage, with gray skies colder air and weaker sunshine giving way to hints of winter on higher elevations. When I finally post this a year later, I just recently finished a hike that had only few of these characteristics. The warm sun was out and the sky was blue which seemed to bring out what little color was left. But there were a few things that brought me back to this little hike which took me a bit by surprise and was more typical of the season.

Well all ever think about now is my favorite place in the world! The mountains are calling my name, pulling me in, touching my soul. I’m not ashamed to admit that I am completely obsessed with the list. It’s an addiction I never want to break. I am 3 hours away from them, and yet they are right here with me every moment of every day. I don’t feel tired at all, just excited to be going home to a place that is real, a place where I can lose myself and find myself. I have been reading every trail description, studying maps reading blogs and going on the 4000-footers facebook page to get every bit of info I can from an amazing network of hikers that share this same passion that has taken over every fiber of my being.

It’s 6am and I am getting up out of bed after 3 hours sleep from a gig the night before just so I can squeeze in one last hike before winter gets here! 3-season hiking is my comfort zone, but the thought of winter hiking seems like a huge undertaking to me. You need special equipment clothing and skills to do this. But the thought of being away from the Whites for 3 months is almost unbearable. I must figure out a way to keep going! They are, after all, named the WHITE mountains!  But for now it is only November. Most of the leaves have turned and many have fallen as I head up to what should be an easy hike up Tecumseh in the southern region of Waterville Valley. It is the smallest of the 48 and a good one to tackle today.

As I pull into the ski area lot I am one 7 or 8 cars parked. After looking around a bit I locate the trail head and start my ascent. The trails are somewhat wet and muddy this morning but nothing major. We are heading into one of two of the so called shoulder seasons, in between the main summer/fall hiking season and the winter one which I have yet to figure out. So the trails are quiet today. And quiet is exactly what I need at the moment. My ears are still ringing from Lou’s Café last night where we had another night of Mayhem, rocking with Full Circle, the band I have been in since summer, 2010. It was Gary’s birthday, the co-founder of the band and guitarist, so that added to the madness and we always crank up the volume at Lou’s… So yeah, peace and quiet is just the thing.

About a third of the way up, I am just thinking how nice and easy this hike is, and then amongst the dark brown fallen leaves ahead, I notice a familiar contrast in color. My suspicions are confirmed as I approach closer… Yup, SNOW!! Just a little bit but I was not expecting this. Hmm guess I learned my lesson – ALWAYS check the weather and trail conditions before you head out on your hike. Well I am ready for cold with plenty of layers, (although some are cotton, which I have been reading is not the best choice for cold weather due to its high drying time making you susceptible to hypothermia)  and although I don’t own any spikes yet, I think my boots should be ok with this small amount of the white stuff. I suppose I will turn around if it gets too sketchy but let’s see how it goes. It is the smallest mountain on the list after all.

As I continue upward, the ground snow amounts start to increase a bit, and so does my amount of concern.  Still, I have the whole day to climb this little mountain, so I’ll just slow down and take careful steps making sure each one is gripping and not slipping. I look to the side of the trail and grab a large stick, wrap the end in a bandana and a piece of chord I have in my pack to help as a walking stick. I have seen many hikers using hiking poles these days, even in good weather. I hear they help cut down on knee wear n tear and help with balance. I can definitely see the benefits in these conditions and I must put these on my long wish list for hiking gear. This stick will do fine for now though. In the snow I see footprints of bare boots, of hikers ahead of me, so that is reassuring. If it’s ok for others, it’s alright for me at least for now. But one thing is clear, if I am going to pursue this winter hiking, I’m gonna have to sink some serious cash into gear… or be on the wicked nice list so Santa is good to me!!
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Getting to a higher altitude now, I have entered a winter wonderland! Wow winter comes quick up here! It is so pretty with the white coating on the dark evergreens. Yes I can see the attraction of winter hiking, so we definitely have to make this happen. I’ll get some spikes, appropriate snow wear and maybe some snowshoes and start out on the local trails (when we get snow) at first to gain confidence, then come back to the mountains more prepared. I’ll pick out the easier ones on (and off) the list and save the alpine zone for the warmer weather. I’m excited now!! I hope we get some good snow this year!!!  ( <– little did I know the winter that was in store for me!!)

I get to the summit where there is a clearing and I get my first view of the whites in all of their whiteness! What a beautiful sight!  It’s amazing how the time of year makes such a difference on a landscape transforming it to something completely different with each passing season!

After a while on the summit, enjoying my lunch, I am joined by a mother/daughter duo of hikers. They seem to be even more caught off guard than I was by the snow, having very little in the way of layering. I asked if they needed an extra sweater or something from my pack, but they say they are ok and won’t be stopping long. We chat for a bit, then I make my way slowly and carefully downward.

This trail runs parallel to the Waterville ski slopes, so I cut across to the slope to get a better look at the views. I start heading down the slope for a bit, which would make for a great quick way down with views all the way, but then I think “Wait, is this against the rules for the NH48?” …So not knowing if I would get credit for the climb, I figured better play it safe and get back to the trail, Although I did cut across a few more times for a view break. Tecumseh turned out to be a nice little intro to winter. Bring it on!