New Years 2000 - Moosilauke
New Years 2000 was a little different than other New Years. For one thing, we couldn't
get a cabin reservation, and instead planned to celebrate at friends' house in Vermont so
everyone could attend. Second, there seemed to be a bit more hype this year, I wonder
why? After all, it won't be a new millenium until next year.
Since we were headed over from Vermont, and would probably start fairly late, we
chose to go with a trip up the Carriage Road. We didn't get to the trailhead until
about 10:00, and it was fairly cold, but the weather forecast was good and the
gang
headed out, accompanied by
Jobildunc the wonder hound. The trail up is fairly uneventful,
heading up the
steady climb of the Carriage Road. By the time we reached the
first view it was getting close to lunch time. We paused for a
photo on the snowmobile trap,
which caused a problem because when Brenda jumped off she landed on a rock covered by
snow and twisted her ankle.
A little further on we hit the junction with the Glencliff trail, and soon after that
ran into Jack Noon, Bob Averill and some others, who had just
conducted the first
mid-winter mountain top book signing of the new year. Jack's book, Up Moosilauke
is available at Moose Country Press. We each
got a signed copy, probably because Jack didn't want to haul them down. From there it
is a straight shot
to the summit, over
open terrain with wonderful views and a great sky.
By they time we all made it
to the top it was after 2:00 and cooling off rapidly. We
didn't linger for long, and soon headed back down.
After pausing on the ridge for food and rest, the return trip was
slow and steady. The sun was rapidly sinking in the west, since we
were only a few days past the winter solstice. I stopped in at the wreckage of the old
Wadchu shelter, still barely holding on. It was the shelter atop the old Hell's Highway
ski trail on Moosilauke from the 1930's. The last mile or so we were hiking in the
dark by headlamps, which was made slightly eerie by the sounds of coyotes howling and
Jobildunc answering, following some primal call. Fortunately, the bottom of the Carriage
Road is steady and gentle, and we made it out without trouble.
Here's another trip
report from the same hike.
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