Sage Hikes!

All Future Posts...

2011-10-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

...will be on our main site, Trish, Alex and Sage. Please join us over there for updates about our ongoing adventures and for more information about our forthcoming book, UP (Broadway Books, April 2012).

PS -- Sage finished the New Hampshire Four Thousand Footers on November 6, 2011! She now holds the record for the second-youngest girl (Alex has been bumped to third-youngest...she doesn't mind). The trip report is here.

The Highpointing Continues!

2011-09-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

The girls just highpointed Maine and will soon attempt Guadalupe Peak (Texas), Humphreys Peak (Arizona) and Wheeler Peak (New Mexico). Follow their adventures on our main blog, Trish, Alex and Sage.

When we return to New Hampshire in October, Sage will resume her quest for the 48 New Hampshire 4000-Footers. I anticipate she'll finish in early November, at roughly the same age Alex was when she finished her first round.

Seven Peaks in Six Minutes (Twins-Galehead-Bonds-Zealand with Sage, 8/13-18/2011)

2011-08-20T18:45:00.001-07:00

Check out our video trip report! Crank up the volume if you like techno/dance, mute it if you don't.

Hancocks in the Rain. August 7, 2011

2011-08-09T13:56:00.001-07:00

Sage hiked the Hancocks last weekend. Trip report is here.

Kids and Happy Chaos on Moriah and the Carters. July 30-31, 2011.

2011-08-03T05:05:00.000-07:00

Sage just finished her 27th, 28th, and 29th 4Ks! Trip report is here.

Eisenhower and Pierce (4Ks #25 and #26). July 23, 2011.

2011-07-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

Sage recently ascended Eisenhower and Pierce. The trip report is here.

Highpoint: New York (Mt. Marcy)

2011-07-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

Trip report here.

Whiteface and Passaconaway (4Ks #23 and #24). July 9, 2011

2011-07-13T20:28:00.001-07:00

Sage is now halfway through the White Mountain 4Ks. Trip report here.

Windy Ascent of Madison and Two Foggy Adams. June 30 - July 1, 2011

2011-07-04T05:03:00.000-07:00

Sage recently bagged 4K numbers 21 and 22! Here's our Very Windy Ascent of Madison and Two Foggy Adams.

Sage's First Ten-Miler. Garfield, June 20, 2011

2011-06-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

Trip report here.

Parenting and Acceptable Risk

2011-06-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

Check out my commentary on hiking, parenting, and acceptable risk.

Hight, Carter Dome, Wildcat A -- June 12-13, 2011

2011-06-15T05:54:00.000-07:00

We tried something different last weekend and used a Flip video camera to document our hike.

Hight, Carter Dome and Wildcat A -- Flip Video

Presentation on July 23 at AMC's Highland Center

2011-06-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

On July 23, the girls and I will give a lively presentation about our experiences hiking the White Mountain Four Thousand Footers. Our talk will take place at the Appalachian Mountain Club's Highland Center in Bretton Woods, NH at 7:30pm.

Get Up and Go -- with Trish, Alex and Sage
AMC's Highland Center, Bretton Woods, NH
July 23 at 7:30 pm

This talk is open to the public and free of charge.

Moosilauke, June 6, 2011

2011-06-07T21:57:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Sage on 4K #17! Read about her hike up Moosilauke here.

National Trails Day, June 4, 2011

2011-06-07T04:25:00.000-07:00

Sage, Hugh, Alex and I were happy to participate in National Trails Day on June 4. Events took place all over the country; we were here.

Want a Mountain Wanderer Cap?

2011-06-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

Click here for details.

The Kinsmans (4Ks #15 and 16), May 29-30, 2011

2011-06-01T15:40:00.000-07:00

Sage hiked the Kinsmans with Hugh, Trish and Alex. Trip report is here.

Gearing Up for the Holiday Weekend

2011-05-27T06:43:00.001-07:00

Alex, Sage and I are getting ready for a weekend of backcountry camping and 4K peakbagging. Hugh will be able to join us, which is wonderful; he works long hours and rarely has the time to get away. We hope the weather cooperates...we don't want to dodge any lightning bolts! Will post our trip report on Tuesday evening.

Enjoy your long weekend, everyone!

Osceola and East Osceola (4K # 13 and #14). May 22, 2011

2011-05-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Mt Osceola Trail, Greeley Ponds Trail. About 6.9 miles.

Sage was ready for another hike this weekend; she had yet to do a "two-fer," so I suggested the Osceolas. Alex always likes getting two or more peaks in one day, so I thought Sage might enjoy the experience as well.

Most folks utilize the Mt. Osceola Trail and retrace their steps after summiting East Osceola. This means climbing back over the main peak on the way out, and I wasn't sure Sage was up for that. It would be an easier hike (so I thought) if we could go straight over both mountains and down the other side to the Greeley Ponds Trailhead. The night before our hike, I contacted MadRiver and asked if he'd be willing to pick us up after the hike and drive us back to our car, since we'd end up miles away from the Mt. Osceola trailhead if we did indeed go straight over both mountains. Being the good friend that he is, he agreed.

Sage and I were on the trail at 7:30am, accompanied by our border terrier, Max. Since the grade never became steep, Sage found this part of the hike easy, despite the myriad of rocks and roots.

We arrived at the summit around 11:30. Unfortunately, a giant cloud had settled on the summit and we didn't get much in the way of views. Sage didn't seem to mind.

Max didn't care about the lack of views either; he just wanted some grub.

Sage followed suit...

...then relaxed by the ledge.

After chatting with a few other hikers and eating our fill, we began heading toward East Osceola...but before we could leave, Sage insisted upon standing on this boulder, since she declared THIS to be the actual summit.

The sky cleared a tiny bit on our way over...Sage enjoyed checking out the scenery.

Then it was down, down, down. The trail between the two peaks is a steep half mile down followed by a steep half mile up.

At one point, the clouds cleared long enough to give us a nice peak at East Osceola through the trees.

Sage admired the view and took a video of it (I hope to upload that later this week).

Then came...the chimney bypass. The actual chimney is a tough rock scramble that can be challenging even for the experienced hiker. I chose to skip it and take the bypass, which descends to the left of the chimney on a slightly easier grade. Still, it's nothing to sneeze at. Here it is, from the bottom looking up. The trail follows the slanted rock in the middle of the picture.

We took it slowly...except for Max, who scampered down like he was taking an easy set of stairs.

There was a bit of snow in the col between the peaks, but it was nothing that mandated snowshoes or microspikes.

Next came the steep ascent up East Osceola. One half mile of stairmaster...but at least we caught a nice view along the way...

The beautiful summit of East Osceola! Trees, trees, and more trees!

We tried to keep Max still for a pose, but that didn't work out so well (it never does).

Out came the food -- whoopie pies!!

We rested for a while -- that half mile up East Osceola is a killer -- then began the long and laborious descent. Before we got to the excruciatingly difficult part, however, we treated ourselves to some lovely views just off the trail, a couple tenths of a mile below the summit.

There's that cloud, still sitting on the main peak of Osceola. I guess it just didn't want to move.

And now...the descent. Going down East Osceola is...interesting. It's exactly as steep as this -- all the way down.

The trail also crosses a rock slide, which you have to traverse.

At this point I stopped taking pictures because I needed to use my hands lest I fall off the mountain.

Sage did well, though she scraped up her shins a bit.

Max handled all those boulders like the border terrier he is...easily, with no fuss and very little hesitation.

A million years later, we reached the bottom of the trail.

Not long after that, we reached Greeley Ponds Trail and began a nice, flat walk out. MadRiver met us along the way since we were running late and he didn't feel like waiting in his car. We arrived at the trailhead around 4pm, extremely tired but happy.

Congrats to Sage, and also to Max. 'Twas another good day in the woods.

A Tale of Three Blogs

2011-05-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

I originally started the "Trish and Alex" blog to document my oldest daughter's ascents of the 48 White Mountain Four Thousand Footers. Alex was five years old at the time and Sage was three. Being three, Sage was not yet a strong hiker, and I did not want to put any pressure on her to become one. She could not, at that time, accompany Alex on her original round of the 48 4Ks, so I went ahead and titled the blog "Trish and Alex Hike the 4000 Foot Whites."

I also used "TrishandAlex" as my username when I registered with the Mt. Washington Observatory Forums and Views From the Top, two prominent New England online hiking sites. We therefore became known as "Trish and Alex."

Now, however, there's a problem. Sage grew (funny how kids do that) and began hiking too. She's now just as strong as Alex was at her age. She too has hiking goals, she too likes being out there, and she too deserves acknowledgment for her accomplishments.

If you're a parent of more than one child, then you know you have to make things as fair as possible between your children. There's a blog about Alex, so there should be a blog about Sage. Hence Sage on the Trails of New Hampshire.

And what of the times when we all hike together? This, I suppose.

Three blogs. One for each kid, and one for when we all hike together (including our highpointing trips). I think this is fair. Each blog links to the other two; the set-up is very user-friendly.

Now, however, a conundrum. I've a book coming out in April 2012 about Alex's original quest for the NH48. Books and authors require a blog/webpage. Most authors have one blog/webpage. I have three.

Do I consolidate them into one giant blog? I'm very attached to both the girls' individual hiking blogs and I don't want to lose them. Perhaps I could leave each one as it is and post all future messages to Trish, Alex and Sage?

My instinct as a mother is to leave things the way they are. My business sense tells me to consolidate and make things as easy as possible for the public. Some folks don't like to click on links.

The marketing team at Crown, my publishing house, has not told me to change anything, by the way. Nevertheless, I've been thinking about this and would like to figure out the best course of action.

Stay tuned.

We're now on Facebook and Twitter!

2011-05-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Like us here and follow us here.

Sage Got Hale!

2011-05-15T17:35:00.001-07:00

Congrats to Sage on bagging White Mountain Four Thousand Footer #12! Trip report is here.

4K #11 -- Waumbek!

2011-05-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

Sage tagged Waumbek's peak on Mother's Day. See our report at http://www.trishalexsage.com/.

Wildcat D (4K #10), May 1, 2011

2011-05-02T08:16:00.001-07:00

Various ski trails including Polecat, about 5.5 miles roundtrip.

Sage and I decided to hike a 4K today. Since we didn't want to deal with the four feet of rotting snow currently covering the upper sections of most 4K trails, we decided to tackle Wildcat D. Wildcat D is a ski area, and hikers may use the groomed slopes to ascend the mountain. The ski season is now over, but the slopes are still in fairly good shape; the lower sections are snow-free and the middle and upper portions are relatively firm.

It was a beautiful morning. Sunny skies, little wind, birds chirping all around...perfection.

We started up the muddy slope at a steady pace. I was careful to let Sage dictate the speed, since her hiking happiness depends upon her sense of empowerment. If I go first, then I risk moving too fast and Sage feels like she can't continue. If she goes first and I follow her lead, then Sage feels like she's hiking completely on her own terms.

Now that I have a decent amount of experience hiking with both my daughters, I understand one very important thing: those who want to hike with their kids MUST tailor the hike around the child. For example, Alex's main motivation is the peak. She'll push herself onward even if the situation isn't all that enjoyable (rain, spring snow, etc.). Sage's main motivation is the journey. If the weather isn't favorable or if she just isn't in the mood, then she'd rather wait for another day and do the whole thing with a smile upon her face. Neither approach is better than the other -- but if I want both kids to enjoy themselves out there, then I need to treat each child as the individual she is. Alex is not Sage and Sage is not Alex. Both are incredibly strong and tough, and both enjoy hiking. However, their styles are very different, and I must cater to each.

Up we went, first on mud and then on snow, with beautiful Mt. Washington behind us.

We reached the intersection with the Wildcat Ridge Trail a mere two hours after leaving the car.

The trail to the summit structure wasn't quite as packed down as the ski slopes...

...but, from here, we only had a tenth of a mile to climb.

At the top, we were greeted by yet another gorgeous view of Mt. Washington...

...along with a recently rebuilt observation deck, on which we ate our summit chocolate.

We ran into several groups of people up there, one after another. First, rocket21 and Company (always nice to see you, Jeremy), then a couple of skiers we first met in the parking lot at the start of our hike, then a group of men who proclaimed they were from the "local New Hampshire correctional facility" (I think they were a bunch of skiers). We hung out for half an hour, chatting most of them up, then we headed back down the slopes.

Sage was proud of herself and happy, which means the day was a success.

(Note the hiking stick in the picture, beautifully carved by Drewski).

Heading to Hawaii!

2011-04-12T14:58:00.001-07:00

Alex, Sage and I will soon ascend Mauna Kea and tag our 35th highpoint. Look for the trip report on our homepage, http://www.trishalexsage.com.

Cannon Mountain (4K #9). February 20, 2011

2011-02-22T17:38:00.001-08:00

Kinsman Ridge Trail (2.2 miles one-way) and various downhill ski slopes.

Last summer, Sage declared that she wanted to hike up Cannon and drink hot chocolate at the summit building, then ski down the slopes. This plan sounded fine, but we had to wait for the snow to fly.

Winter rolled around and DaveBear announced a summit party to celebrate both his birthday (21st) and his second round of the NH48. Sage and I decided we would time our hike to his celebration.

The day arrived and we set our boots on the trail.

Sage was ready, determined, and in fine spirits.

Up we went...

...and up...

...occasionally taking quick snack breaks...

...until we reached treeline.

Frigid air barrelled through the trees; a windchill advisory was in effect. Time to gear up.

We stepped out onto the open ridge and fought our way through the cold.

About a tenth of a mile below the summit, the blazes and cairns disappeared. I've been on this trail a half dozen times, twice before in winter, yet I couldn't figure out exactly which way to go. I knew the general gist of the path, but the snow had drifted and I didn't want to risk falling into a spruce trap. I stood there for a few minutes, blocking the wind from Sage, and weighed our options. Push forward and find the trail, or follow what looked like a packed bushwhack to the right. I chose the latter, feeling it was more important to get out of the wind pronto than carve out the official path for whoever followed. We took the short 'whack and within seconds found ourselves looking at the summit building.

Up and in we went. Sage was happy and proud of herself for making it.

We took a rest, drank some hot chocolate, then went back out to tag the official summit.

Normally, the path from the summit building to the tower is straightforward. Not today. It began in its usual obvious manner, then it degenerated into a mess of blow-downs and drifts. We pushed our way through snow and branches and eventually ended up where we wanted to go.

The wind was howling; we half walked, half crawled up the stairs. Finally, we made it. 4K number 9 for Sage!

We didn't linger; the warmth of the summit building beckoned. Back we went, where we waited for the others and enjoyed some refreshments.

DaveBear soon arrived...

...followed by Hugh and Alex (they ascended via tram).

The other revelers soon showed, and we all offered DaveBear our heartiest congratulations.

When it was time to go, Hugh and I traded kids. Sage swapped hiking gear for ski equipment, then she and Hugh took off down the slopes.

I trammed it down with Alex, then drove to the bottom of the ski area to pick up Hugh and Sage.

A couple of notes:

I'm proud of Sage for doing exactly what she said she was going to do. Kinsman Ridge Trail is extremely steep and it never lets up. It's not an easy hike. Sage did it without complaint, and her pace was much faster than I had anticipated. This was also her first hike in extremely cold weather (-10 at the top, -35 wind chill). She handled herself very well.

I learned a lesson out there -- my backpack tends to push my pants down a bit, and I walked above treeline without making sure every inch of my skin was completely covered. I was so focused on Sage's well-being that I neglected my own. I now have superficial frostbite on a patch of skin over my right hip. I was not aware of this happening, I didn't feel much of anything at the time. Moral: Don't neglect your own well-being while taking of others. You can't be of much use if you're the one succumbing.

Sage and Mighty Max. Bald Mountain, Feb. 13, 2011

2011-02-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since Sage has asked to hike a 4K, so when she asked to go this weekend, I gave my enthusiastic yes. Unfortunately, this morning's upper summit forecast called for wind chills that fell beyond my comfort zone. I probably would have taken Alex up in such weather, but Sage is still new to winter hiking and I want to stay on the conservative side with her until she has more 4Ks under her belt.

I explained the situation, and though Sage was disappointed, she understood. To cheer her, I suggested we visit Sage's favorite stomping grounds, Bald Mountain in Franconia Notch. We could bring our 4 1/2 month old puppy, Max, and take him on his first real hike. Sage brightened at this idea, so we threw on our fleece, grabbed the leash and the dog, and jumped into the Honda.

In spite of Max's many attempts to eat both the steering wheel and the gearshift, we arrived at the trailhead unscathed. We parked, got out, and searched for the sign...it took us a while to find it due to the giant wall of snow that seemed to stretch halfway up the mountain.

It's a 1/4 mile hike to Bald Mountain's summit; Max took to the trail like...well, like a dog takes to the woods...we were there in no time.

Try as I might, I couldn't get a decent picture of Sage and Max together on the summit. Max wouldn't stay still for more than a millisecond. The following is the best I could do.

I finally gave up and took a video.

After scampering around for a while, Sage and Max both decided they were ready to move on. We headed over to Artists Bluff and finished the loop hike in record speed, using our bottoms for most of the descent.

'Twas a fun day and we enjoyed ourselves.

Sage wants to hike up Cannon next weekend...and she says she wants to finish the NH4Ks by the end of this year. I'm not sure she understands exactly how much hiking that is. I'll play it by ear and take her whenever she asks, and we'll see what happens.

'Til next weekend...

Mt. Jackson (4K #8), October 24, 2010

2010-10-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Webster-Jackson Trail, 5.2 miles roundtrip.

Sage asked to ascend Mt. Jackson this weekend. Though Alex had informed her of the beautiful views from the top, and I had told her about the ledges near the summit, I suspect her reasons for choosing this particular peak had everything to do with Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society. She's a big fan of the series, and she thinks it amusing that this mountain shares a name with one of the juvenile antagonists.

The weather forecast called for a strong probability of rain in the afternoon, therefore we hit the trail early in the morning.

The path never become more than moderately steep, though it was a bit rocky.

It took us about an hour to reach the intersection with the path that leads to Mt. Webster.

After a short food and water break, we headed up the second half of the trail. Conditions began to change...within half a mile, we were dealing with this:

Time for microspikes!

Up the slippery slopes we went...

...stopping every once in a while to check out whatever caught our eye.

Onward...

Upward...

Views from the top!

The bold and brassy gray jays stole some of our food...

Unfortunately, the dark clouds looked like they were arriving ahead of schedule, so I didn't think it safe to linger. We ate our summit chocolate quickly, then descended before the raindrops fell.

On the way down, Sage snagged a few icicles....

....and took a picture of this "X Tree."

Sage was looking pretty tired when we reached the trailhead, though she hadn't once complained. As I took her picture, I realized we had only stopped three times during the entire day. She never asked for a break and she always appeared content, so I didn't insist on rest stops. In the future, I'm going to have her take a break every hour or so, just to make sure she never accidentally overdoes it.

It was a good day. To say I enjoy Sage's company would be an understatement. She's a great kid -- smart, funny, sweet, and full of interesting questions. I look forward to our next adventure, whenever that may be.

Mt. Tom (4K #7), October 10, 2010

2010-10-10T16:03:00.000-07:00

Avalon, A-Z, and Mt. Tom Spur Trails. 5.8 miles roundtrip.

Last Tuesday, Sage officially threw her hat into the 4K ring. We were meeting one of Hugh's long-time acquaintances, David, for lunch; Alex excused herself to go to the restroom, and I got up to show her where it was. While Alex and I were gone, Sage told David that she wants to hike all the White Mountain 4Ks.

This announcement came as a shock for a couple of reasons. First, I'm amazed she spoke to David at all. Sage is painfully shy around those she does not know; this was her first time meeting David. Second, she's never before expressed an interest in hiking all 48 NH4Ks. A few here and there, for specific reasons, yes. But all 48? Nope.

Later that day, I asked Sage if she was serious. Yes, she was. However, "I don't want to hike every week, just when I feel like it."

So I guess Sage is now officially a peakbagger, though she's in no rush so I've no idea how long she'll take to complete the quest. I'll just continue to follow her lead and take her whenever she says she wants to go.

This weekend was one of those times; she really wanted to hike Wildcat D via the ski slopes. However, the forecast called for 50 mph winds and subfreezing temperatures; we would have been awfully exposed walking up Polecat...therefore, we opted for sheltered Mt. Tom instead.

The stroll along the Avalon Trail was mellow; we made good time and were by the intersection with the A-Z before we knew it.

After taking a short break and consuming some liquid sugar, we headed up the next section of (steep) trail.

A mile later, we came to the Mt. Tom Spur.

Another short break, and it was on to the summit...but first, Sage took this picture of a tree that, in her opinion, resembled a chair.

Up we went, hiking the final half mile...

...stepping over a tiny bit of ice (some of which Sage proudly displays below)...

...until we reached the summit and viewpoint.

First, the viewpoint...

Then, the actual summit.

Interestingly, during our ascent, Sage showed little recollection of the first time we attempted Mt. Tom, back in the summer of 2008. Alex, Sage and I were caught in a nasty thunderstorm close to the summit -- I wrote about it later that same day on the Mt. Washington Forums. http://www.mountwashington.org/forums/showthread.php?4070-Lessons-from-Mt.-Tom

I'm thankful that Sage hiked with her usual pace and style today; the frightening experience of two years ago left no lasting negative impression.

After eating her fill of goldfish crackers on the cairn, Sage decided it was time to go. We met a few interesting characters on our way down the spur trail.

Rocket21...

Val and forestgnome...

There were a million people at the intersection with the A-Z Trail. They seemed to have brought the Gray Jays with them...Sage got a kick out of watching them do their thing.

More crackers, more water, then down down down.

Rocket21, Val, and forestgnome caught up with us near the trailhead. Sage became her excruciatingly shy self and hiked ahead of us, refusing to speak to the adults (sorry folks, don't take it personally).

Sage was happy and proud of herself, and I think the day went well. This was just the right amount of mileage and elevation gain (2100 feet) for her; Sage never complained of being too tired. However, I do think she was ready to rest when we got back to the car. By the time we pulled into our driveway, she looked like this:

Looking forward to the next adventure with my youngest, whenever/wherever that may be.

Mt. Washington and Mt. Monroe (4Ks #5 and #6). Also Mt. Franklin, Sept. 9-11, 2010

2010-09-13T13:33:00.001-07:00

Sage just tagged her 5th and 6th 4Ks -- Mt. Washington and Mt. Monroe. She also hiked up Mt. Franklin. Check it out on our main website, http://www.trishalexsage.com

Lafayette, N. Lincoln, Lincoln, and Back Again. Sept. 2-4, 2010

2010-09-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Lafayette and Lincoln, Sage's third and fourth 4Ks!

The trip report can be found on our main blog (since the three of us hiked it together, as opposed to Sage and I going without Alex) -- http://www.trishalexsage.com

Mt. Jefferson (4K #2), August 29, 2010

2010-08-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Caps Ridge Trail, 5 miles roundtrip, 2700 feet elevation gain.

The girls and I will stay in a couple of AMC huts and tag a few 4Ks in the coming weeks. Since the girls have hiked nothing but relatively smooth trails for the past couple of months, I thought each should experience a small reminder of what it means to hike in the Whites before tackling the higher peaks. This weekend, it was my turn to have Sage to myself (and Hugh's turn to have Alex). On Saturday night, I asked Sage if she'd like to hike to Lonesome Lake the following morning. When she greeted my suggestion with a frown, I mistakenly thought that she didn't want to hike at all. I quickly offered to play mini-golf with her instead, but she responded with, "What's that mountain with all the rock scrambles? I want to do that one."

"Jefferson? You want to do Jefferson?"

"Yeah."

"Honey, that's a 4K."

"I don't care."

"Are you sure? That's harder than anything you've ever done. It's steep."

"I don't care. I can do it."

"Sage, are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Really sure?"

"YES!" She was getting pissed off with me. I think, in retrospect, she thought I was underestimating her abilities. I wasn't. During our highpoint trip, it became quite clear to me that Sage is every bit as strong as Alex was at her age. However, Sage has never before expressed an interest in hiking the larger peaks, with the exception of a very specific few that we hope to summit later this month. This was the first time she had expressed a wish to tackle Jefferson. I'm assuming it's because she loves to rock scramble, and she has heard Alex and I talking about how much we like the Caps.

Okay, I thought, why not. We can always turn around. At the very least, we can make it to that first rock with the views and have a nice snack.

We went to bed early, woke with the sun, and hit the trail.

Bog bridges! Sage enjoyed these immensely. She especially liked how they sunk a bit into the water with her (negligible) weight.

Rocks! Roots!

The first mile went by faster than I expected. We arrived at the "look-out rock" an hour after leaving the car.

Here's what's in front of us -- the Caps and Jefferson itself.

Sage, with Mt. Washington in the background.

A few southern Presidentials...

Some water and food, and we headed up into the alpine zone.

Sage saw some "green, fuzzy hay" on a tree. She took this picture...

...then went to examine it further.

About half a mile later, we left the trees and began ascending rock. Here's Sage approaching the first Cap...

...and climbing the second Cap...

...still on that second Cap...

Sage loved the views! Here, she looks down and marvels at how far we've come (that spot of rock in the middle of the picture is the "lookout rock," the rocky outcropping to the right is the first Cap).

From here, I could see the Castles.

Looking up to the third Cap and the summit cone...

We climbed the third Cap, then took a snack break. After about ten minutes, Sage was ready to continue onward.

Mt. Washington to our right...

A bunch of rocks ahead of us...

and the world below us!

We took many breaks while ascending the cone. Sage was getting tired, but she trooped onward. We took one last break about a tenth of a mile from the summit...and then, we were there!

Sage was extremely proud of herself, but she was fairly worn out. We went down to the "Christmas tree cairn," ducked out of the wind, and took a long rest.

A nice fellow at the summit lent Sage his folding chair. Sage gratefully accepted it and made herself comfortable.

After a half hour of eating, we returned the chair and made our way downward. We stopped to rest whenever Sage requested, which was understandably often.

At the bottom of the Caps, Sage asked to take a couple of photos. These are the ones she took:

The final mile was hard on us both, but we sang some silly songs and kept telling ourselves that every step we took brought us that much closer to the car. Finally, four hours after leaving the summit, we found ourselves back at the trailhead.

I know I'm a teeny bit biased, but I'll write it anyway -- Sage rocks.

Highpointing, Summer 2010

2010-06-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sage and Alex are about to go on a highpointing spree across the United States. Follow their progress on http://www.trishalexsage.com/. First stop: New Jersey, the week of June 7th!

AMC Trails Day, June 5, 2010

2010-06-06T20:56:00.000-07:00

Sage and Alex did their first day of trail work on June 5, 2010. The report is here: http://www.trishalexsage.com

Mt. Potash, May 23, 2010 (52WAV)

2010-05-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Downes Brook Trail, Mt. Potash Trail. 4.4 miles roundtrip.

Sage and I had a lovely day on Mt. Potash. The weather could not have been better, and my daughter was in extremely good spirits.

My time is limited these days (except for the hours I set aside to hike with my children, of course), so the pictures will have to tell today's story.

Sage took this picture:

Sage took the following four pictures:

Many thanks to Mohamed Ellozy, whose trip report on Views was the inspiration for today's hike.

Highpointing

2010-05-11T19:41:00.001-07:00

Sage has been highpointing with Alex lately -- check it out at http://trishalexsage.com

Mt. Kearsarge -- April 30, 2010

2010-05-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

Sage shared a hike up Mt. Kearsarge with Alex -- check it out on our main blog, http://www.trishalexsage.com/

Bald Mountain and Artists Bluff, March 7, 2010

2010-03-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

Bald Mountain and Artists Bluff loop, 1.5 miles.

Back to Sage's favorite mountain this weekend. I asked if she wanted to do something else, but she insisted upon returning here. I think she's now climbed this mountain at least twenty times.

We had a good day of it. The snow was melting off the rock faces, making the ledges easy to scramble up and over. When we arrived at the top, a family was just making their way downward. They left a handsome snowman on the summit to keep us company.

The day was blue and gorgeous.

After lunching on trail mix and hot chocolate, we made our way over to Artists Bluff. It was an easy walk over a snow-packed trail. When we arrived at the ledges, we were treated to a lovely view of Echo Lake and Franconia Notch.

Getting down was tricky, as the rocks were thinly covered with melting snow, but with care and patience, we made it without injury.

I understand why Sage enjoys coming here. There's a lot of bang for the buck on this hike, and it's nice to watch the same trail change with the seasons.

Mt. Avalon, February 21, 2010

2010-02-21T14:19:00.001-08:00

Avalon Trail, 3.8 miles roundtrip.

A pictorial essay of an enjoyable trip to Mt. Avalon on a cold and blustery day...

...Sage is wonderful.

Mt. Tecumseh -- Sage's First Four Thousand Footer! 2/13/10

2010-02-13T15:54:00.001-08:00

Mt. Tecumseh Trail, Sosman Trail.

5 miles roundtrip.

Sage has been saying she wanted to try a 4K for some time now. For a while, I had my doubts about taking her out. The main reason was that I didn't know WHY she wanted to try a 4K. Did she think I loved her less than I loved Alex, simply because Alex hikes with me all the time? Did she feel left out? Was she fed up with Alex getting so much attention from other hikers? Was it good old fashioned sibling rivalry?

Sage has always liked being outside, and she has always enjoyed hiking -- at her own pace, and on her own terms. So having her try a 4K is fine, in and of itself. The situation I've been trying to avoid, however, is having her try something that she's not ready for, and then having her feel bad about herself because she didn't make the summit. None of that pressure would come from me, or from Alex -- but I was the youngest child in our family, and I remember what it was like to be frustrated because I couldn't yet do what my older sister could. Our 4K experience had to be a positive one, no matter what, and I had to make certain she understood that it was a successful hike and a valiant effort even if we didn't make it all the way up.

Alex and I had a few private conferences during the past couple of weeks. We both agreed that we would take Sage with us on our Tecumseh hike. We also both agreed that we would go at Sage's pace, and rest anytime Sage requested. We'd put aside our usual go-go-go mindset and tailor the excursion completely to Sage's mood and abilities. And, of course, we'd turn back the moment Sage asked. Alex was extremely agreeable to all of this, and looked forward to getting her sister out there with us, no matter how far we did or did not go.

The three of us agreed we'd hike on Valentine's Day weekend, a weekend where their father would be away on a business trip (so no father-daughter time would be sacrificed).

The girls came up with the idea of passing out Valentine's Day candy to other hikers on the trail. Therefore, their backpacks were heavier than they needed to be, being stuffed with individually wrapped chocolate hearts. Neither seemed to mind the prospect of carrying excess weight.

The day arrived, and we hit the trail at 7am.

Our pace was relaxed, and Sage stopped every twenty feet or so to examine tracks, rocks, trees, boulders, and snow. Alex and I took Sage's lead and therefore ended up appreciating much more than we normally would have. It was an enlightening experience. Sage enabled us to really SEE what we were hiking through.

We came to the "view" sign at 9am, two hours after having left the car. The sun shone brightly, and we sat in the warm light and had a long and luxurious food break.

The time came to tackle the hard part -- that dreadful, never-ending steep latter mile. I prepped Sage by telling her that it would be a horrible experience, but that we'd stop often, be very silly, and turn back anytime she chose. Sage was determined, cheerful, and full of hot chocolate, so she gave us the green light.

It was an Extremely Silly Ascent. To make things easier (for them), I began by hiking on my knees. Laughing at their mother seemed to add a little extra fuel to both girls' fires.

When my knees simply could not take it any more, I stood and walked in a normal fashion. It was then Sage's turn to be goofy -- she picked up a stick and "hunted" Alex and me up the trail.

Many, many breaks were taken. Here, Alex makes a few glove prints in the snow.

Many original songs were sung. Our favorite, sung to the tune of Cinderella's Mouse Song (while the mice are making Cinderella's dress) and sung in high, squeaky mouse voices:

We can do it, we can do it,
We can hike the big ole' mountain,
With balaclavas pretty,
There's nothing to it really.

At one point, Alex and Sage devised a game where Alex would run ahead, sit down, and wait for Sage to approach. Once Sage got close to Alex, she was to talk/sing while waving her stick around.

More breaks, more food.

We finally reached the sign leading us up the last couple tenths of a mile to the summit.

The path to our left was packed out, while the path to our right had one lonely set of animal tracks on it (both ways lead to the top).

We decided we'd go the way greatly traveled. But first, another break!

After more munching and hydrating, we made the final push toward the summit. All three of us were in fine spirits, having been completely ridiculous all the way up the steep parts of the trail.

And then -- four hours after leaving the "view," and six hours after leaving the car -- Sage bags her first 4K (and Alex bags her 15th winter 4K)!

There were several people enjoying themselves on the summit. One of the kind men offered to take our picture.

Views from the top:

Summit chocolate!

We lounged about for almost half an hour, the girls often engaging in some bizarre game that I don't understand...

Then came -- the descent!

Much fun was had sledding down the mountain. To keep things safe, I'd hike ahead to a certain point, then give the girls the go-ahead. In this manner, I was able to prevent them from going too fast or too far (though I did get run over once or twice).

We returned to the final, flat portion of the trail, and Sage walked ahead of us, extremely proud of herself.

Both girls tagged the trailhead sign, and then it was official. Sage's first 4K, and Alex's 15th winter 4K.

Ascent time: 6 hours. Descent time: 1 hour, 35 minutes. Total hike time: 7 hours, 35 minutes.

Random notes:

The girls gave away over a bag and a half of candy to many surprised and friendly hikers.

My kids are LOUD!

Slow and silly beats fast and focused.

Hands down, the most fun any of us have ever had on a hike.

Lonesome Lake, January 24, 2010

2010-01-24T21:04:00.001-08:00

Sunday was Sage Day. But what to do? As we sat chewing our morning pancakes and drinking our milk, I mentioned that Lonesome Lake was probably frozen over. That's all I needed to say -- Sage wanted to go take a look. Since she had slept in the same hiking clothes she had worn yesterday for her trip up Bald Mountain with Hugh, it didn't take us long to get ready. We were out the door ten minutes after the last bit of syrup was scraped from our plates.

Hiking with Sage is a completely different experience from hiking with Alex. Alex is all about the goal, the summit, checking off a peak. She notices things along the way and points them out to me, yes...but her focus is on getting the job done. She has always been like that. She's a kid that needs structure and is happiest when achieving fixed goals.

Sage is more into the journey itself. She's happiest when she can stop often and explore whatever tickles her fancy. We both want to reach a destination, but if I want to ensure an enjoyable ascent, then I need to continually bend to her style. When allowed to hike on her own terms, the kid goes very far indeed.

Our hike up to Lonesome Lake, therefore, was a relaxed stroll peppered with much appreciation of snow.

When we got to the top of the steep bits, I told Sage we were now close to the Lake. She became very excited and ran down the trail.

The view before us as we ventured onto the ice was spectacular.

After taking ten steps out onto the frozen water, Sage broke into a run.

We reached the other side, climbed the short hill to the hut...

...and hung out inside for a bit, eating our chocolate and saying hello to the caretaker, Doug. When Sage felt ready, we began our descent.

Off she ran, back across the lake...

...and all the way down the trail.

That much they have in common, anyway. Both Sage and Alex are speed demons on the descent, especially during the winter.

It was a loving, beautiful, perfect day. Couldn't have gone better.

Bald Mountain (Almost!), January 2, 2010

2010-01-02T12:22:00.001-08:00

Bald Mountain/Artists Bluff Trail to Bald Mountain summit (almost!). About 0.8 miles.

Sage is now curious about winter hiking, since her sister keeps raving about it. Therefore, I thought I'd take the girls to familiar territory and introduce Sage to snowshoes.

Sage didn't mind the shoes at all. In fact, she thought they were rather interesting. She walked slowly and distinctly, observing how the teeth gripped into the snow with each step.

Funny, I thought we'd have some trailbreaking to do today, but evidently, a few people had already hiked this route this morning. The trail was not only broken out, but packed. Quite a surprise, given that we received quite a few inches of fresh snow last night.

It's interesting how different siblings can be from each other. In regards to winter hiking, Alex must hold hand warmers while wearing insulated gloves, or her fingers become painfully cold within minutes. Sage, on the other hand, can wear paper-thin gloves in frigid temps and feel cozy.

We made it up to the intersection, the two girls moving steadily along.

The trail was broken and packed all the way up until the first ledge. Whoever had been here this morning decided not to go any farther than this ...but we persevered, getting up and over the first bit easily. We made our way to the bottom of the main ledge scramble...it didn't look too difficult. We ascended the bottom half with little trouble. That last stretch, however...the vertical bit of rock just before one walks to the summit...that proved a little too daunting for my comfort today. There was too much snow and it felt too slippery. Just not worth the risk.

I told the girls we would not attempt the rest of the climb, and Sage had the opportunity to learn first-hand the most important rule of hiking: it's no biggie if you don't reach the peak. She seemed disappointed at first, but her spirits quickly lifted when I told her she'd still get to eat our traditional summit chocolate.

The views were less than clear today. Somewhere out there were the ski slopes of Cannon.

We sat on a comfortable boulder and ate our snacks before heading back toward the car.

During the descent, Sage got to experience the joy of running and sliding on packed trail. She and Alex giggled their way back to the trailhead and waited for me with gigantic smiles on their faces.

Well done, Sage!

Franconia Falls, November 21, 2009

2009-11-25T14:56:00.000-08:00

Lincoln Woods Trail, spur path to Franconia Falls.
A bit over 6 miles roundtrip.

Today I will do something uncharacterisitic...I'll let the pictures tell the story. The Thanksgiving weekend leaves me pressed for time, so I'll spare the words and just supply the pictures. After the holidays, I'll revert back to my usual loquacious (rambling?) self.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Blueberry Mountain, Oct. 18, 2009

2009-10-18T11:37:00.001-07:00

Blueberry Mountain Trail, 3.4 miles roundtrip.

The girls and I won't be able to hike again until November, and by then it may be too cold for Sage's liking. Therefore, I was happy to get out with her today, for what may be her last mountain ascent before next spring.

Blueberry Mountain Trail is, by far, the easiest path we've ever hiked. The first portion is almost rock-free, making the footing incredibly comfortable. In addition, the grade remains easy to moderate all 1.7 miles to the summit.

Sage and I made good time, though we did stop now and then to admire the innumerable fallen leaves and the occasional exposed root system.

Ledges appeared halfway up the trail. Sage especially enjoyed this portion of our hike, since my daughter has a fine appreciation of all things rock.

Soon we encountered a bit of snow. We paused and poked at it for a while.

Up the remaining ledges we went.

The trees now thinned, providing us with excellent views toward Mt. Moosilauke.

Sixty minutes after leaving the car, we were standing on the summit. That's 1.7 miles an hour, an excellent pace for us.

I gave Sage the camera, and she took the following pictures:

After eating the ceremonial summit chocolate, we descended through the masses of beautiful blueberry bushes.

This was a fine hike. Easy trail, gorgeous autumn day, and great company.

Stinson Mountain, October 11, 2009

2009-10-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

Stinson Mountain Trail, 3.6 miles roundtrip.

Today's hike began rather dramatically. Soon after I took the traditional trialhead picture...

...a man came running down the trail and asked if I had a cell phone. Turns out his friend had broken her ankle a little over a mile up the trail. We called 911, but my phone didn't have the best reception. After I hung up with the operator, he went running to a nearby house while Sage and I ran up the trail.

In the rush to notify the authorities, I had forgotten to ask the man if his friend was alone. It was a chilly day, and the thought of the injured woman sitting in pain and possibly by herself made my feet fly as fast as they could with Sage in tow. My daughter did me proud -- she understood the urgency and moved as quickly as she was able.

Just before we reached the place where the woman was sitting, the man who had run down the trail returned, sprinting by us in a flash. Five minutes later, Sage and I came upon the three of them: the man, the injured woman, and her friend. I was relieved to discover that she had not been waiting alone. Her friend was sitting with her, hugging her to keep her warm.

I offered my ground mat and a few chemical warmers, then started searching through my pack for other useful items. A few seconds later, a group of medics with a stretcher arrived. I was amazed at their response time. They were astoundingly fast.

Once they arrived, Sage and I continued on our way. The trail never got more than moderately steep, and the fallen leaves carpeted the trail beautifully.

We arrived at the summit ledges feeling fine. Sage struck a couple of silly poses.

We asked a nice fellow to take our picture...

...and then we admired the views!

After much ceremonial noshing of chocolate, we followed a spur path and checked out this view of Stinson Lake:

Our descent was casual, though made curious by this note we found about halfway down. I hope Greg eventually finds what he is looking for.

It was a nice walk out. The few tenths of a mile close to the trailhead, which we didn't notice on the way up because we were running as fast as we could, are flat and wide. We enjoyed walking this bit. The fallen leaves made great playthings.

We finished our hike in good spirits. And when I returned to the car, the ground mat was waiting for me. That was nice of them, I hadn't expected to get it back. I'm just glad the lady was taken care of so quickly.

Another nice hike with my youngest.

Mt. Pemigewasset, October 2, 2009

2009-10-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Mt. Pemigewasset Trail, 3.4 miles roundtrip from the Flume Visitor Center parking lot.

Never spend a gorgeous day inside, not if you can possibly help it.

Since the two weekend days ahead of us were supposed to be cold and rainy, we took advantage of this beautiful Friday morning and escaped the confines of our house.

Mt. Pemigewasset seemed a good choice for a hike, being a nice little mountain not far from our Campton home. The girls were rarin' to go.

They ran much of the first half of the trail...

...then they slowed after bounding up a couple of the moderately steep pitches. I caught up with them and we walked together, admiring the beauty of the multi-colored leaves.

Exposed root systems were an object of wonder, especially this one.

Many water and snack breaks were taken, though I suspect our stops were just an excuse to play in the dirt. No matter, comes with the territory of hiking with munchkins.

Eventually we made it all the way up, and Alex let out a joyful holler.

We quickly rounded to the left and touched the high point, where the girls decided they wanted to go barefoot.

Franconia Ridge lay to our east, but much of it was in the clouds. We decided to return to the first ledges and soak up those unobstructed views to the south and west while eating our snacks.

While we were lounging about, Hal and Peg of Trailwrights arrived! Meeting them was an immense pleasure. They were very kind and allowed both the girls to work their "measuring wheel."

We sat with them for a while, the grown-ups chatting and the girls playing with bits of dirt.

After a couple hours on the summit, we headed back down. The girls ran much of the way, stopping now and again to admire bits of nature. Alex noticed this tree had a small pot belly on it. Sage points out the bellybutton.

Another nice day in the mountains with my two vivacious daughters.

Lonesome Lake, Sept. 26-27, 2009

2009-09-27T11:55:00.001-07:00

Lonesome Lake Trail, Around-Lonesome-Lake-Trail, Fishin' Jimmy Trail, 3.2 miles roundtrip.

Running gleefully around and around and around Lonesome Lake (2.4 miles).

5.6 miles total.

I got to have Sage to myself on Saturday. After consulting with her as to what she'd like to do, we planned a trip to Lonesome Lake.

Finding a place to park presented quite the predicament. There was really no spot to put the car, saving for a piece of grass just off of southbound I-93. I lined up our Honda behind the other illegally parked vehicles, then Sage and I walked a few tenths of a mile to the trailhead.

The day was perfect. Abundant sunshine, crisp autumn air, no wind. Lonesome Lake Trail was steeper than I remembered, but Sage scampered up happily, stopping only a few times for some water and snacks.

We reached the Lake in just over an hour. Looking across the water, we could see the hut far off in the trees.

Our speed picked up immensely, as Sage loves running over the planks of wood which are placed all along the Around-Lonesome-Lake-Trail. In no time at all we were on the other side of the lake, near the hut. Standing at the water's edge, we admired Franconia Ridge.

A bit of architecture came next, as Sage molded a castle out of the lake's mud and sand.

After the construction came the relaxation. During our lounging, Sage remembered an ouchie she had suffered on the way up and asked me to take a picture of it for her medical records.

Eventually we made our way to the hut. 'twas a nice view from our bunkroom!

We still had three hours before dinner, so we decided to take a stroll around the Lake. It was a lovely walk. If you haven't hiked this little loop, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

After walking it once 'round, Sage decided she wanted to run it. So we did. She was a wild woman, running, jumping, laughing madly, giggling the whole way. She fell flat on her face three times, and each time she jumped up, laughed uncontrollably, and continued onward. When we reached our starting point, we rested for a few minutes...

...and then did it all over again.

After all that exercise, dinner was a welcome event. We ate the hut's homecooked meal heartily, then retired for the evening. Sage was out in a minute flat.

The next morning brought rain, rain and more rain.

At first Sage was cheerful during the descent, but then she decided she really didn't like hiking in the cold rain all that much. She hiked out on her own two feet, but made several comments about wishing the rain would stop.

Overall, we made it back in very good spirits, and I look forward to the next outing with my youngest.

Lowe's Bald Spot, September 19, 2009

2009-09-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

Old Jackson Road to Lowe's Bald Spot summit, about 4.5 miles roundtrip.

Larisa, the girls and I joined giggy and his family on a lovely hike to Lowe's Bald Spot today. We arrived quite early, as did Larisa, so we spent some time romping about the picnic tables by the Pinkham Notch Visitor's Center. Eventually, we meandered over to the trailsign and took a picture.

Giggy, his wife Deb, and their four year old son Connor arrived, and we set out along he wooded path.

It was a very casual trip -- lots of stops to tie shoe laces, rest on rocks, drink water, delayer, etc. During one of our breaks, the girls both sat on Larisa and mugged for the camera.

The trail alternates between flat and moderately steep. It provided a nice little work-out for the day.

We arrived at the top to find great views of Adams, the Wildcats, and other various peaks and bulges.

It was a tad on the windy side, just enough to almost make you want to put on your gloves. We all sat, relaxed, and ate lunch (and chocolate!).

After eating, the girls and Connor chased each other 'round a bit, then played ring-around-the-rosy.

When we'd had our fill of food and wind, we all began the trek back down.

Along the way, Alex looked up and pointed out the leaves on this tree. The sun was shining through them and they looked bright pink. In this photograph, they appear red...but in the moment, on the path itself, looking up...they truly seemed candy-pink. Gorgeous.

We all made it back in fine form. It was a good hike for little legs, exactly the right kind of outing for Sage. The girls very much enjoyed meeting Connor and playing with him up and down the trail, and I enjoyed seeing Larisa again and meeting giggy and his wife, Deb.

A fine day out of doors.

Bald Mountain and Artists Bluff, September 13, 2009

2009-09-13T18:50:00.001-07:00

Today was a Sage day! This means I got Sage and Hugh took Alex. Hugh took Alex up the climber's path on Cannon, and I did exactly as Sage requested: miniature golf and Bald Mountain.

Miniature golf went well (is it possible for miniature golf NOT to go well?). Next came "Sage's mountain" (she's renamed it).

After flying up the trail and mugging for a photo at the intersection with Artists Bluff...

...we came to the first little climb.

Here's the view from the top of that little ledge.

Next came the bigger ledge, which Sage enjoys. The kid loves to scamper up rock.

Less than fifteen minutes after getting out of the car, we were there!

We had our ceremonial chocolate...

...then admired the views. 'Twas a cloudy day, but it was still pretty.

We lounged for quite a while, Sage exploring all the nooks and crannies of the various ledges. Eventually we made our way back down to the intersection, and decided to do the full route over Artists Bluff.

After some nice ambling through the woods, we walked over the summit and headed down the stone steps.

Before we knew it, we were at the Artists Bluff trailhead.

It was a great day. Miniature golf and Bald Mountain...life is good.

Snow Mountain, August 2, 2009

2009-08-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Name of trail: I don't know!
Roundtrip mileage: a little over a mile

We (legally) shared the mountain-bike path that goes up this little mountain in Waterville Valley. It's a moderately steep climb, but before you know it you're there, so it doesn't feel all that bad (even to those with very short legs).

Here we are, at the bottom of the mountain. The chairlifts bring up mountain bikes and their owners, and also folks who just feel like taking a ride.

This trail has a few initial steep pitches, then it flattens out a bit. One walks on a thin rail of packed dirt surrounded by ankle-high grass much of the way.

It's a scenic trek, and a nice change from walking through the forest.

Sage was in great spirits as she bounded up the trail.

There were plenty of puurty flowers to behold.

At the top of the first steep bit, Sage asked if I would take a picture of the view behind us.

We continued onward, pausing briefly so that Sage could take this picture of an interesting log. She examined the hole in its center, and declared it a fit home for snakes and bugs.

The upper portion of the trail is relatively flat, as most of the (minor) elevation gain occurs at very beginning of the hike.

Looking back at Tecumseh...

We ascended the final hill and saw the chairlift building in the distance.

Then we were there! It took us about 40 minutes to walk up this half-mile-plus. Since the beginning was fairly steep, I think my 4 year old did very well.

Views from the summit:

Sage sat on a rock to rest. She was in great spirits today.

After some ceremonial noshing, we started to head back down. Ten feet later, Sage stopped so she could move this rock from one place to another. For some reason, this was very important to her. She took it very seriously. Once the rock was in its proper place, we continued onward.

Her descent style consisted of a steady jog.

She paused only once, to hand me the orange wrap from her head. Then she continued onward, running down the slope.

We made it down in short order. Sage was feelin' fine.

It was a great hike. We celebrated it by riding the chairlift up and down, then we walked along the trails by the Waterville Valley Village Center.

Sage is a fantastic girl, and I'm glad my husband and I are now switching off with our kids each weekend. It's nice to be able to spend one-on-one time with Alex, then Sage, then Alex, then Sage, etc.

North Sugarloaf, July 18, 2009

2009-07-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

Trestle Trail, Sugarloaf Trail. About 2.6 or 2.7 miles, if you include our false start.

My husband was away this weekend. I asked Sage what she wanted to do, and she declared, "Camp!" I asked if she wanted to stay at a campsite by a pond/lake/waterfall or by a mountain. She answered, "Mountain!"

We looked at the map and chose Sugarloaf Campsite #2. It lies by a trail which goes up a couple of Sage-able mountains, North and Middle Sugarloaf.

We arrived at the campsite in the early afternoon. There was an unfortunate, intense ten minutes or so of sibling bickering -- you know, meaningful things such as "Stop standing so close to meeeeee" in whiny, earth-shattering screamy volumes. This caused my inner Joan Crawford to pop out...I told the girls that if they didn't knock it off then we would forget about camping and hiking, and just head home. There was great fussing all around, tears, and then finally tender assurances. Eventually we all chilled out and started on our hike. Ah, parenthood.

The Trestle Trail is a loop of sorts, and it goes right by the campsite. I looked at the map and saw that we could reach the intersection with the Sugarloaf Trail no matter which way we went. One direction led to a water crossing, but the guide stated that the bridge was out and that the crossing might be dangerous. Since said crossing was less than a tenth of a mile from where we stood, we decided to go check it out.

Yes, the bridge was definitely out.

And yes, the water crossing was definitely dangerous.

Alex and I scouted about, looking for a safe passage across. Upstream, the water was more shallow, but it was still moving fast. There was one particular place where it was do-able with some wading and good pole placement. If it had been only Alex and myself, we could have done it. However, Sage was with us, and I did not think it wise to try to take her across -- she has shorter legs than Alex and far less experience. I don't think I could have carried her without perhaps losing my own balance. In the end, I decided it would be wiser to just hang about and stick our legs in the nice, cool water for a while.

After a bit of relaxation, we turned and headed back the way we had come. The girls expressed their disappointment at not being able to cross the water.

We walked along the campground road and found the other entrance to the Trestle Trail. This bit went the other way around the loop. A conversation with other hikers confirmed that we could get up the mountain this way, no problem. We set out, came to a parking area, crossed a road bridge, and found the sign pointing the way toward the Sugarloaf Trail.

The girls were happy to be on their way up a mountain, unhindered.

This bit of Trestle Trail ambled nicely along the Zealand River. It was a pretty walk.

We came to the intersection with the Sugarloaf Trail...

...and started up. At first, this trail was fairly dry and flat.

Then, it became muddy and flat.

After the muddy bits, the grade steepened. The rest of the trail alternated moderate with steep pitches.

It was a muggy afternoon, and both girls tired quickly and asked for lots of water breaks. We took our time, and finally made it up to where the trail splits. One branch goes over to Middle Sugarloaf, and the other heads toward North Sugarloaf. The girls opted for the one with slightly less mileage.

It was much cooler along this bit of trail, and the girls pepped up significantly. A few ups and downs later, we came to the summit of North Sugarloaf. There were some nice views to be had up there!

The girls gaze upon Mt. Washington...

We ate our customary summit chocolate, took a break, and then headed back down. As always, the journey downward was much faster and easier than the trek upward. We reached the road in short order.

Back to the campsite we went. Sage was pretty pooped when we returned, and said she was going to sleep on Alex while I took this picture.

We spent the rest of the evening roasting hot dogs over a fire, and playing with the caretaker's grandkids (who were the same ages as Alex and Sage).

With the exception of the initial kids-fighting-out-pops-Joan event, and with the exception of two minor bits of sibling squabbling on the trail (followed by two brief re-appearances of Ms. Crawford), it was a good day. The girls enjoyed the hike and the campsite, and I enjoyed my time with them, as always.

Black Cap Mountain, July 5, 2009

2009-07-05T14:10:00.001-07:00

Black Cap Mtn. Trail, 2.2 miles roundtrip.

I got to take Sage out today, just the two of us. We choose a hike with ledges and views. It was a gorgeous day!! Finally, after over a week of solid rain, there was sunshine.

After the steep and winding drive up Hurricane Mountain Road (on the outskirts of North Conway), we found the trailhead.

The trail starts off flat and easy.

We saw some cool-looking roots. One of them was shaped like a Y.

More flat and easy trail...

Sage had a lot of fun finding and pointing out all the blazes...

...and making a silly face or two.

We enjoyed the beautiful day. Sage sang a few songs while we walked, her cheery voice making the sunny morning even brighter.

When we got to the 0.7 mile mark, we sat and took a short break.

After some water, we continued onward. Sage drew a line in the dirt for me to follow.

The trail became a bit steeper and rockier...

...then it opened up, and we came to some ledges.

0.2 miles later, we arrived at the summit! Sage sat and examined a piece of grass.

After the grass had been thoroughly inspected, we both stood and enjoyed the views.

A nice lady took our picture.

Eventually, we meandered on down. Of course, we stopped to play with dirt whenever the urge took over.

Sage was in a great mood. She sang most of the way down, and was very proud of herself when we arrived back at the trailhead.

Happy 4th of July weekend, everyone!

Sabbaday Falls, June 21, 2009

2009-06-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

Sabbaday Brook Trail, out-and-back.

0.6 miles.

Hugh and I have decided that each weekend we're going to trade off with the girls. One weekend I'll take Alex hiking and he'll have Sage (as has been the case every time Alex and I have hiked a 4K), and the other weekend I'll take Sage hiking and he'll have Alex. This way, we each get to spend time with the girls one-on-one. The other weekend day we're all together...we hope to continue this with the girls as they grow for as long as possible.

This was the first time I got to take Sage by myself, while Hugh took Alex. Since we had all hiked Mt. Willard yesterday, I thought it best if Sage and I did something on the short side. The forecast called for rain, so I chose a waterfall -- Sabbady Falls. Sage agreed with the choice, so off we went.

Sabbaday Brook Trail looks like a little road. It's very easy and flat -- up until the Falls, anyway.

Sage particularly liked the wooden fences.

It took us about five minutes to reach the sign to the Falls. A very short hike indeed!

Here Sage is emphasizing the "no swimming" rule (shaking her head and wagging her finger).

We walked down a slight hill and came to the bottom of the Falls.

From here, we walked up some stairs, which brought us immediately next to the falls.

Reaching the top, we turned a corner, sat on a bench, and munched on some trail mix.

We sat for a while, enjoying our snack. We then decided to amble on down.

On the way, Sage wanted to take a picture of this slug...the fascination must run in the family.

This was a very nice, short hike. Scenic and relaxing, a nice cool-down from yesterday's jaunt up Mt. Willard. Sage is a cool kid, and I enjoyed spending some time with just her today.

Mt. Willard, June 20, 2009

2009-06-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

Avalon Trail and Mt. Willard Trail, out-and-back.

3 miles.

I asked Hugh what he wanted to do for Father's Day, and he suggested a hike. We decided to do the hike a day early, since it looks like it's going to rain all day on Father's Day itself.

Mt. Willard seemed like a good choice -- we drove to Crawford Notch, parked at the train depot, and headed into the woods.

We began on the Avalon Trail, then, a short 0.1 mile later turned left onto the Mt. Willard Trail. The way up alternated easy pitches with moderate ones. It was a nice hike, just the right size for Sage.

We stopped on the way up to look at the Centennial Pool. Purrty.

More moderate pitches, then the path flattened out and we could see light in the distance...the end of the trail.

Emerging from the trees, we stepped out onto ledges and enjoyed the views!

Happy Father's Day, Papa!

After many minutes munching trail mix, we decided to head on down. Just before we began our descent, we discovered the summit sign.

Down we went...going down is always so much easier than going up!

Alex stopped to say hi to a favorite trail creature.

On the way back, Sage decided to plow through a shallow stream crossing instead of rock-hopping it as she had done on the way up. I didn't care, since the crossing is less than 0.2 miles from the car. Halfway through, however, she changed her mind and wanted to be put on the rocks and taken out of the water...Alex came to the rescue.

We arrived back at the trailhead in fine shape, though some feet were wet. :o)

Happy Father's Day, folks!

South Patuckaway (fire tower), June 6, 2009

2009-06-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

This entry is an exception to our blog rule -- this is NOT a White Mountain hike. However, we had such a great time camping and hiking this weekend that I wanted to post it here anyway.

Friday night we arrived at Patuckaway State Park in Nottingham, NH. Soon afterward, Diamondridge and her two daughters, Gwynna, McRat and his three kids, and Isabella arrived. Isabella was there with two other families, so her 13 year old hung out with those friends while my two played with McRat's kids and DiamondRidge's kids. (That was a mouthful, hopefully it made sense).

After having much fun by the campfire, we retired to our tents. The next morning (Sat.), we set out to visit South Patuckaway's fire tower. The roundtrip mileage was .8 miles, which was perfect for the short-distance-hikers in our group.

After following a very bumpy road, we made it to the trailhead. Our motley crew:

It was a nice, easy-to-moderate trail.

Sage would sometimes run ahead, and then sit and wait for us to catch up.

Both my girls were having a fantastic time. They greatly enjoy the company of the McRat's kids and DiamondRidge's kids.

Squeaky, McRat's oldest, often became a young-child-magnet. My two, and DiamondRidge's youngest, frequently took hold of her hand.

The pretty trail continued...

...we came to some stone steps...

...and then it flattened out. We were near the summit.

Looking up to the left during the final approach, we saw the fire tower through the trees.

A very short climb brought us up to its base.

The land around the tower was pleasant -- lots of rocks to sit upon, and some green areas too. Here's one nice little space, complete with hummingbird feeder.

We climbed the tower and took in the views.

My two goofballs enjoyed themselves up there.

We climbed down and sat on the rocks, enjoying lunch with our friends. After our meal, Sage and Alex went off to explore a bit with the other kids. Here Sage has found something of interest in the grass. Henry observes nearby.

Another tiny creature is found on a rock.

While the kids explored, McRat tried to fly a kite from the tower. Alas, there was little wind.

After a while, we headed on down. 'Twas an easy descent, we made it back to the trailhead in no time.

Many thanks for the good times, folks!

Welch-but-not-Dickey, May 9, 2009

2009-05-10T04:08:00.000-07:00

4 miles, up to Welch and back down the way we came (dark and scary clouds prevented us from continuing on toward Dickey).

For Mother's Day, I requested we hike the Welch-Dickey loop. Unfortunately, the forecast for Sunday predicted cold, windy weather, so we opted to hike the day before Mother's Day instead.

Saturday was comfortable -- in the 60s, not too warm, not too cold. We set off feeling fine.

The girls ran happily along the trail...

...and eventually decided to hike holding hands.

We took a short break about a mile in. Then the sibling issues started...sigh. Whenever Alex and I hike together, she acts almost grown up. Whenever Sage and I hang out alone together, SHE acts almost grown up. But put the two of them together and they very much act their ages. I went ahead about fifteen feet with Sage while Alex hiked with Hugh, and then everyone chilled out and the hike was happy once again.

We had two unfortunate dog encounters a little while later. The first one involved a large dog that ran ahead of its owner and jumped around Sage, who was frightened and began screaming. The dog seemed friendly, but the owner never called it back to him. My young child was obviously terrified, but the owner failed to control his dog. He just hiked along without a word of apology or acknowledgement -- I had to get close to Sage and protect her from this animal's over-enthusiastic jumps while she shrieked. After they left, Sage said shakily that the owner was a BAD owner. I couldn't disagree. It's really not okay for even "always friendly" dogs to jump all over very frightened little children.

The second encounter happened just moments afterward. Two guys with a happy-looking dog came down the trail. They stopped a fair bit away from us and leashed their dog when they saw us. Sage and I passed without incident, then walked onward. Fifteen feet later, I looked back and saw that Hugh and Alex had stopped next to the dog. I heard Alex ask if she could pet it, and the owners smiled and said yes.

She reached forward, and the dog growled and lunged at her. It came within a centimeter of biting her face. It got her hair instead - Hugh and the owners leapt forward and got the dog off of her. The owners looked mortified and kept apologizing over and over. Hugh said a tense word or two, while the owners looked miserable and truly upset over the incident. They swore their dog was usually very friendly. I believed them, they looked just plain bewildered and horrified.

Alex stood there, rooted to the spot, staring straight ahead in a daze. I called her name several times before she looked up and moved forward, zombie-like. The owners went on their way, still looking shocked, and I spoke with Alex when she and Hugh had caught up with me. Her feelings were hurt, she didn't understand why the dog had done that to her, she was taking it very personally. I explained that sometimes dogs were unpredictable, and that she had not done anything wrong. She was upset about this for a while, and said she didn't want to pet dogs anymore, ever. I've a feeling her sentiment will change over time, after the shock of this incident wears off.

We continued our hike in silence, moving forward, climbing over stone stairs...

and reaching the don't-trample-the-vegetation sign.

Soon afterward, we arrived at the open ledge. I took a picture of the Tripyramids in the distance.

We took a break here and rested. Alex appeared to be her usual self again.

The summit of Welch rose about .6 miles in the distance.

The lady in the above picture graciously offered to take a family photo.

After some cheese and crackers, we continued onward, up the ledges. At one point, I turned and took a picture of the spot where we had just rested (the patch of rock down below).

From here, Sage and I went on ahead while Alex and Hugh hiked behind. We reached the summit a few minutes before they did, and I snapped a couple pictures of Sage.

Alex and Hugh approached...

...then Alex reached the summit....

...and then, last but not least, Hugh. It was time for a chocolate break.

We sat and discussed our options. The sky looked terrible. There were dark clouds everywhere. A tiny patch of blue sky looked like it was headed toward us, but we thought the situation could go either way. If we went forward toward Dickey, we'd have 1.5 miles to go before we were back down in the shelter of the trees. If we went back the way we had come, we'd have only .7 miles to walk before we were protected. These ledges would be dangerously slippery if it were to rain. We therefore decided to do the safest thing and turn ourselves around.

I took a picture of Dickey's peak and its ledges...another time, mister mountain.

We began our descent -- and within a few minutes I dropped my camera. I had just dropped it on Bald Mountain a few weeks ago. It had survived that accident...but barely. This time was just too much. It didn't work the rest of the trip, so I couldn't take any more pictures. Maybe I can get it to eventually recover, but probably not. I think I killed it this time. Drat.

The way down was routine. However, Sage began to complain of fatigue about a mile from the car. She did the entire hike on her own two feet, and I made the last bit of hiking as fun as I could for her by singing silly songs. However, for this year I think I'll keep future hikes to 3 miles and under. I want her to have fun and enjoy the process, and not feel pushed in any way.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

West Rattlesnake, April 26, 2009

2009-04-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

Old Bridle Path. 1.6 miles out-and-back.

Rain was supposed to arrive in the afternoon, so we decided to get out and do a short hike in the morning. Sage suggested West Rattlesnake -- a hike we had been talking about since last fall but had not yet experienced.

The trail is half moderate and half easy. The girls used their hiking poles as broomsticks and flew up the trail.

We stopped near the top of the moderate pitch to take a short breather. A nice couple offered to take a family picture. Funny, isn't this how most family pictures turn out..?

At this point, the girls decided to demonstrate loud examples of sibling rivalry, so we split them up. I went on ahead with Sage, while Alex and Hugh hiked a hundred yards or so behind.

From this point on, the grade was easy (almost flat), and Sage enjoyed running along the trail.

We stopped for a rest, and I took a short video of Sage.

Soon afterward, we came to a few look-out boulders which are close to the summit. Hugh and Alex caught up with us, and we took a short water break on the rocks.

A short bit of hiking later, and we were at the summit.

What lovely views over Squam Lake! Really nice. We stayed there for an hour, playing games, eating, and smacking away bugs (they're baaack...).

The rain never arrived, the sky turned bright blue, and the clouds became white and fluffy. What a great way to spend the day.

Eventually we decided to head back down toward the car. Sage and I went ahead while Alex and Hugh followed behind.

Sage flew down the trail, pretending she was a witch and talking to herself, inhabiting some elaborate imaginary world. At one point she resurfaced and asked if I would take her picture on this rock.

We had some water here, and Hugh and Alex caught up, then went ahead.

At this point, Sage's hiking pace slowed to a near stand-still. Not because she was tired, but because she insisted on descending like this...

It was a fine day, we were in no rush, so I just enjoyed watching her do her thing. Eventually we made it back to the car.

Everyone was happy, it was a relaxing day. Looking forward to more of the same in the near future.

Return to Bald Mountain, April 17, 2009

2009-04-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Bald Mountain and Artists Bluff, 1.5 miles total.

The day was warm, albeit a little windy -- we decided to postpone some of our homeschooling work and get outside! Bald Mountain, across the street from Cannon Mountain, is one of Sage's favorite places to visit. She hadn't been up there since last fall, since cold weather hiking is definitely not her thing.

We parked at the hiker's parking lot, jumped out of the car, and ran toward the trailhead.

The ground was free of snow, and Sage took the lead with relish.

A few months can make a lot of difference. Last fall, Sage enjoyed this hike but always took it very slowly. This time around, she ran the whole way. Guess her legs have grown.

Here are the girls at the trail intersection (sorry for the imperfect focus!).

Moving on, we quickly reached one of the girls' favorite things -- rock scrambles!! Both kids climbed the first part quickly and then literally ran up the ledges.

I hustled up after them, then filmed the rest of the ascent.

***Warning -- turn down your volume a bit, my voice and the wind distortion may get annoying loud.**

Some views from the top of Bald Mountain -- really, really nice, especially considering it's less than half a mile from the car.

Franconia and Echo Lake...

Cannon...

A couple of goofy children...

Another video -- though it's probably only interesting if you're family or close friends. Again, consider turning the volume down...

After heading down the ledges, Sage suggested we follow the path toward Artists Bluff. I warned her it was a lot longer getting back to the car that way, but she said she didn't mind. We paused for another picture, then continued on our way.

We encountered a bit of snow and ice along this path, though it was nothing we couldn't walk around with care. Both girls decided to speed up the thawing process a bit.

Hiking onward, Sage often took the lead and told us exactly how we should walk, what rocks we should step on, how we should use our poles, etc. Alex was a good sport and played along.

Views from the lookout ledge..

We soon reached the top of the climbers' rocks, then started down the stone steps...

...to the Artists Bluff trailhead.

This was a great hike. I was thrilled to get out with both my girls, and they were thrilled to be running around in the woods/climbing rocks with each other. Can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.