Copy/Repost Hike

The Black & Blue Trail Smashers (BBTS) were at it again last weekend, this time on Baldface Mountain in North Chatham, NH.   In an act of pure benevolence, the trip leader pushed back the start time for the hike from 8 am to 9:30 am for those of us from MA who had a 3-hour drive.  April showers, which were supposed to dissipate by 9 am according to the forecast, never got the memo and misted us off and on through the morning.  Thankfully, the gays are always up for a costume change, and we had our hard shells and raincoats ready to go.  

After two water crossings—one easy and one a bit dicey—we started our climb.  We had opted to go counter-clockwise to avoid the cliffs, which are steep and treacherous when wet.  Stories and jokes flowed as we made our way up the trail.  We were only a few miles from Maine, and, on a clear day, you can see all the way to Portland.  We had great views of Moriah, the Carters, the Wildcats, and, of course, Washington.  The view was stunning.   The deep snow drifts towards the top of the summit were equally stunning, and we decided to turn back around 4 miles into the hike.  When we got back to those earlier stream crossings, half of our party found creative ways across.  And two just walked through the water—because that’s how they roll.  :) 

About a quarter mile from the parking lot is Emerald Pool.  The deep green waters were spectacular and you can tell how popular this spot must be in the summer months.  Overall, it was a great day.  Thank you so much, JT, for organizing this hike!

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