Ritzhikes

Where: Mt. Pemigewasset, NH When: October 21, 2026 With: Solo After finishing the NH48 last year, I figured I'd spend this summer climbing "lesser" NH peaks, but it didn't happen. Lots of reasons, some legitimate, some lame. I did one hike with Chip at the beginning of July, and several local (Mt. Wachusett) hikes, but that was it.  I had this loop on my to-do list as my next NH hike, and kept putting off. Finally, tired of beating myself up for not going, I resolved to just go. I announced my intentions to Jane, put a pack together last night, and forced myself up and out this morning. I was out the door at 5:30AM, and at the trailhead just before 8:00. I'll admit to a residual bit of trepidation about the hike during the first part of the drive, but my mood changed dramatically after a stop at the Hooksett rest area for the restroom and a cup of coffee. My only remaining concern was the temperature.  It was chilly to start, and I watched it drop as I drove nor...

Where: Mt. Wachusett When: October 6, 2026 With: Solo Though the day was on the chilly side, I left my fleece hoodie in the car as I headed to the trail, figuring I'd warm up as I got going. I began questioning that decision when I was a fair way up the trail and still a bit cold. "Perhaps I'm on a fool's errand," I thought, given my motive for today's hike. My goal was to find a feature I'd spotted on a LIDAR image. It seemed to show a square-ish depression deep in the woods about midway between the Balance Rock Road and the North Road,   at the intersection of two stone walls (center of the image below) . Maybe a cellar hole? There was also an indication of a path in the woods just north of the Balance Rock Road that I thought I'd check out as well, beginning at the stream flowing out of the Needham Pool. I started my hike at the Bolton Pond Trail trailhead. I haven't been there since my first hike up Wachusett, which I did with Wilma in 2014. Th...