The Call of the Wilderness

“Let me transport you to those wild blue mountains,

Though not the loftiest that begirt the land,

They yet sublimely rise, and on their heights

Your souls may have a sweet foretaste of heaven,

And traverse wide the boundless” – Thomas Cole, painter

I love the quote above, because when I read it, I can imagine the sights Cole was envisioning when he penned those words. I recently had a “sweet foretaste of heaven” on a four-day backpacking trip into the Pemigewasset Wilderness. I chose to take this trip solo, and I learned a lot about my surroundings and myself over its course.
During my walk in the woods, I was able to further my goal of climbing the AMC 4,000-foot mountains, and I experienced the views the White Mountain guidebook describes as “unsurpassed”.

My adventure started by climbing Mt. Hale, and then heading down the trail to Zealand Falls Hut and on to Zealand Mountain. Along the way I was able to see various types of lichen, a spruce grouse, the tracks of a moose and enjoy some ripe mountain blueberries.

I spent my first night at Guyot (gee-oh) shelter after having the experience of getting hailed on while summiting a mountain. In the morning, while my gear dried, I took a short day hike to the Bondcliff trail, where I was able to enjoy the sun and the only 360-degree view in the White Mountains with no buildings or roads in sight. Breathtaking!

After my time at Guyot shelter, I traveled over to Garfield Ridge Shelter via the Twinway trail and Galehead Hut. There I got to meet the professionals- thru hikers on the Appalachian Trail who had come up all the way from Georgia- a distance of approximately 1,900 miles. I was able to hear their stories and share a delicious dinner of mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. When I shared my Starbursts candies as dessert, they introduced me to the concept of “trail magic”- an unwritten code where every hiker looks out for other hikers, through big or small actions.
I got a taste of trail magic my last day, on the Garfield Ridge, when the “trail” became a rock ledge and some kindhearted hikers helped me down by carrying my pack for me.

All in all, my hike was successful. I can’t wait to plan my next backpacking adventure! Over four days, I covered 33 miles, climbed 13 mountains (9 of which were on the AMC 4,000 list) and met many amazing people.

Thanks to all the thru hikers who shared food, coffee, and conversation, and made it possible for me to “traverse wide the boundless”.

The Art of Adventure

 “A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints.” — Wilfred Peterson 

Over the past six months, I have been practicing the art of adventure. I recently became one of the Interpretive Rangers at Franconia Notch State Park. Before coming to Franconia Notch, I lived with 35 other young adults in Bear Brook State park, and had the opportunity to develop friendships, teach 4th graders, learn new skills and explore my surroundings. Now, in Franconia, with limited cellphone service and no Internet connection, I have been able read a lot of books as well as pick up a new hobby of hiking.

As part of the moving-in process, and to gain familiarity with the area, I hiked the Franconia Ridge Loop, which includes Mt. Lafayette at 5,260 ft., and Mt. Lincoln at 5,089 ft. In the past, I was never an avid hiker, even needing to be bribed with whoopee pies as a child. But while living in the White Mountains, hiking a few of the peaks was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. In order to better explore the beautiful sights around me, I chose to pursue hiking, and the challenge that comes with it. My experience on the Franconia Ridge loop was so much fun (even though I got rained on), I now have plans to climb 31 of the 48 AMC 4,000 foot mountains in NH before the summer is over.
In climbing these summits, I have gained new confidence in my abilities, a passion for exploring, and an appreciation for my surroundings. Most recently, I climbed Mt. Moosilauke, by way of Beaver Brook trail. The trail was very arduous, but also followed cascades for nearly a mile and a half. The way also included steep rock faces, wooden staircases, and rock steps.

I chose this route, because I wanted to push my boundaries. I had the whole trail to myself for most of the morning, and when I reached the summit, there were only 5 people present. I felt so successful, and my new 360-degree viewpoint was totally worth the effort.

Since graduating college, I have wanted a job that enabled me to truly experience the areas I tell visitors about, and I am happy to say being an interpretive ranger has provided that opportunity. I love that every time I step outside, I can learn something new, talk to people from various places and backgrounds or explore an interesting spot.
Franconia Notch State Park, and the White Mountains have inspired many artists, visitors and interpreters over the years. It is my hope you will visit, enjoy hiking, sightseeing or an interpretive program and practice your art of adventure!