If memory serves correctly, I had tried a solo hike/camping trip up Chocorua approximately two years ago with little success. I remember coming to a wooded area and beyond that was a massive rock wall. At night with a slight drizzle and the wrong footwear, it made the going a little treacherous. What I was seeing was in the top photo. It was the pre-mountain…the real summit lay just a short distance above and beyond this point. The photo on the bottom shows just how close the summit was within reach, and by now the sun was already in the sky (middle photo).
TIP:
Many a hiker has stressed the importance of water, and even though this may not be in the difficulty range of the 4000 footers, it will do a job on a person especially one that’s dehydrated. So bring plenty of water! I personally had two 16 oz bottles and the lifestraw system and had gone through both 16oz bottles of water on the way up. The temperature at the top was comfortable with the breeze but the sun still did a great job warming everyone at the summit right up. (Temperatures that day reached 86 degrees at the top).
I didn’t expect to meet too many people at the top so early in the morning, but there were people up there. There was a nice guy from Rochester scoping out the “family friendly” mountain before he brought his 6- and 4-year olds up. We chatted about the Isinglas trails back “home” and how Gonic,NH has a proud identity that is separate and disassociated with Rochester NH (I feel this is a local thing and makes more sense if you are from the area).
Then there were the “spiritual three” as I like to call them. Emma, Anne, and Dimitri, all hailing from NY (“Just 40 minutes outside the city!”). They had come up to check out the trails from a different direction and were told this would be a great mountain to check out by relatives and friends they were visiting in Conway, NH. Yes, you three, you did indeed make that mountain your bitch that day!
They had this NY flair about them (I doubt anyone from the Granite State would hike up any mountain with triscuits and Smoked Gouda, but who am I to judge?) We shared jokes, echoes off the summit and some bad spider puns. They even sang religious camp songs and Dimitri broke into what he called a Native American “Wolf Song”. He beat his chest and started chanting in a woeful tune that filled the air, and it could have been my imagination but it was as if nature heard and smiled back.
TIP:
Expect the unexpected! Bring food to share as well! 🙂 You’ll never know who you’ll meet on your excursion and food is always a great icebreaker!
It was then that I discovered I didn’t have a care in the world. I didn’t know their backstory and they didn’t know mine-we just accepted each other for the moment and then bid our farewells. (Cue “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from Toy Story if you please…it just fits.)
The views from the top are absolutely amazing, and if you take the time to just soak it in you will be truly changed in one form or another. I’ve done the hike before and blessed to be able to look back and remember key points of the trip:
The feeling of Euphoria driving in the middle of the night with hot coffee in my hand and some great driving music on the radio to keep me company.
The excitement pulling into an almost empty parking lot at the base of the trail and getting ready to embark…
The thrill of turning on the headlamp, knowing this would be my only lightsource for about two to three hours.
The fears and doubts along the trail, and being able to ignore them and keep going forward.
Meeting new people that have a shared interest in what we were doing.
That sense of accomplishment at the summit and back at the car driving home.
Thank you for coming along with me on this adventure. I feel this is the start of many more to come and you are more than welcome to join in the fun! If you have any tips or want to pass along some constructive criticism please do so! I welcome it all! Drop me a line if you want to join me! This is the start of an epic adventure and I really cannot wait for the next trip! Till then- May your eyes grow ever wider!
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