Ossipee and Sons: May 14th-July 2nd, 2024

After starting my job at the start of May, my current peakbagging took a back seat to earning money for future peakbagging, and it didn't help that there were about half a dozen minor issues with my van that started up in the final week in the Adirondacks. After going over to the Greens to bushwhack up Farr, I shifted focus over to central NH, and starting cranking my way through the Ossipee 10 with a loop on the western side of the range. The following week, I decided to try a loop on the eastern side, and got to Flagg until I started to feel really poor. I thought I was just out of shape, but I got sick that evening and lost my voice due to laryngitis a few days later. It was late June before I could hike again, and I was only able to finally climb Ossipee Mountain at the start of July. A disappointing month of hiking lost, to be sure, but a lesson to myself and others: we live in a world where it is simply foolish not to mask up in indoor public places with lots of people - I'm lucky I didn't get long covid. I for one don't want to get sick like this again, so I will be masking more in the future - I shouldn't have ever stopped tbh

Farr Peak, May 14th

Farr is a peak I'd been aiming to do for over a year, and when I was looking for a P1k semi-near the upper valley that I haven't done yet, it was pretty much the only option open. Driving over with Mara, we started up the Long Trail from Brandon Gap about 3.5 miles until bushwhacking the open woods up to the summit which, thanks to some blowdowns, has some nice views towards the east. We were the first to sign the summit register since August, so that was fun. And it was Mara's first bushwhack - and they liked it!!!

Faraway Mountain, May 21st

The original plan for the 21st and 22nd was to do Bayle and then a loop from Bald Knob to Roberts the first day, and then do a loop around the main peak of Ossipee to knock out all ten peaks on the official list. However, this was the first hot week of the year, and after slogging it through ninety-degree heat and a heavy thunderstorm over 12 miles, Mara and I decided to take a rest day and come back for these peaks later. The hike itself was alright, and we were joined by another friend for the first part of it before she had a mild allergic reaction to all the bug bites! She was fine but definitely didn't want to continue. The bugs kept bothering us the whole time, although it did get better as it cooled for the rainstorm. Overall a decent hike

Mount Flagg, May 28th

The original plan was to park at the summer camp at the trailhead to Flag and Sentinel and hike up those two peaks, and then over to the main peak, black snout, and Tate before walking on the road back in the loop. However, Mara and I were both really struggling towards the end of the way up to Flag, and despite both of us wanting to push forward, we called it early and went down from there. A wise decision, as they would be sick for a week and me for three. I will be masking more in public because of this - I just don't want to lose another month of hiking, ya know?

Sayre Mountain, June 19th

After three weeks of being sick and being unable to work - and even unable to speed - for large parts of that, Mara came over and convinced me to hike up the Al Merril Loop on Moosilauke, and we went up and did the loop clockwise. I felt like life had finally been breathed into me, and we were able to hop up Sayre and see the flimsy but sturdy fire tower. From Sayre, you get magnificent views of the ravine as well as the crest of mountains that stretch from the South Peak to Blue to Sayre. A very pretty hike that is very much worth people's time. I was finally healthy-ish again :)

Green Mountain, June 26th

For Green, we started at a pulloff near the enterance to a recovery facility and started up the trail from the north. This was a steep one, and it knocked the wind out of both Mara and I, but we were able to make it up nonetheless. At the summit we met two hikers who in their words "broke out" of the recovery facility. And bless their hearts they were so nice and happy to be up there, but they knew nothing about the area and tried to get me to let them make a phone call. I like to help people I come across in life, but I just don't know if that would have been good for them. Regardless, the hike down was a long conversation between Mara and I about the stigmatization of mental health struggles and how ineffective our healthcare system is to dealing with said issues. We saw a pretty sunset on the drive back :)

Ossipee Mountain, July 2nd

More than a month after attempting Ossipee the first time, I was finally healthy enough to give it a second shot. The trailhead off of 171 looks like a driveway, but there is a sign once you pull in saying you can park there. The trail up to Tate is steep and dusty, and the views at the top are quite nice. Over to Black Snout is easier, and the final hop up to Shaw is straightforward. the way down was nice, but the overall hike took us nearly seven hours because both of us were getting into shape, but it was pretty good for me nonetheless. We saw a pretty sunset on the drive back :)