Ritzhikes

Where: Smarts Brook When: May, 1991 With: Seth, Chip This was the hike Chip and I should have taken back in March of 1990, when we were rained out. We could have dried our gear out and gone in here for a nice weekend. It was the last unhiked trail into this area for me, so I kept it on my list and when we needed a hike, I suggested it. We got a late start due to the delivery and setup of a table at Chip's house, but we were in no hurry this day. We arrived at the trailhead in Chip's car, took some pictures, and headed into the woods. The trail was a no-brainer, following an old road and a stream up into the mountains. I even wore sandals instead of boots the first day. The trail came to several pools in the stream that were probably packed in mid-summer. The trail narrowed after passing a beaver pond and the bugs came out. As usual, while we moved they were no problem, but when we stopped they feasted. We moved a good ways back into the forest before finding a nice spot ...

Where: Guyot Shelter When: April 6, 1991 With: Solo My first solo hike in several years. There had been little snow that season and I'd done this hike before in the summer, so I figured I'd have no trouble. I packed as light as I could...few extra clothes and only a coffeepot for cooking. My one excess, my winter sleeping bag. I figured I'd rather be safe than sorry. I drove to the Wilderness Trail and started walking in. The first section was 5 miles, to the Bondcliff Trail. The trail was a combination of ice and mud, but I really hauled butt, passing other hikers, and made the trip in 1.5 hours. After stopping for water and peanut M&Ms, I resumed the hike up toward Bondcliff. The first part of the trail followed a brook and I noted several very nice campsites along the way. Perhaps good destinations for future hikes. The trail started to climb more steeply through the woods and left the stream for awhile. As I climbed higher, I started to see patches of snow o...

Where: Eliza Brook Shelter When: 1/26/91 With: Chip After a one-year layoff, Chip and I decided to go "winter" camping again. There had been a snow drought this year, so we were wary of the conditions. We decided to try another destination this time, on the other side of 93. I'd seen it on the map and always considered a ski in to be possible. The route I'd imagined wasn't the way we went though. I'd thought of skiing in from the south on a power line, figuring the route would be skiable. We decided to try to come in on a trail from the west, the Reel Brook trail. We left 93 at the Kancamagus Highway, but went west into Woodstock and on toward Kinsman Notch. We continued west and north, turning on to 116, where we started to look for the trail. There was plenty of snow, but not much sign of a trailhead. We followed one road down to its end and parked by some barking dogs. I got out my skis and headed down into the woods on the unplowed rest of the road. Do...

Where: Bishbash Falls, Alander Mountain When: Autumn, 1990 With: Chip and Dave As I waited for Chip and Dave to arrive, the phone rang. It was Dr. Ken Levy, in town for a visit with some friends. Chip had told him of our trip and Ken thought he might be able to convince his friends to come along. One problem though...no gear. Chip was able to supply a pack, but they were still short a sleeping bag. I volunteered one of mine and said I'd have Chip call when he arrived. Soon thereafter, Chip and Dave pulled up. Chip and Ken talked and decided to meet at the Turnpike entrance on 495. We drove there and waited just inside the tollbooths. While we waited, a van drove through and stalled out in the middle of the road. After a few moments, we decided to help and ran out to give him a push. He seemed a bit confused, but grateful for the help. We got him off the road and ran back to the car, just in time for Ken to pull up. We talked, we gave him the bag and directions to where we wer...

Where: Jose's Bridge, NH When: Summer, 1990 With: Stupid Society I had given all the members of the Stupid Society their very own copies of the White Mountain Guide book and maps, so I decided it was time for someone other than Chip and I to plan a hike. Seth and Dave conferred and came up with Flat Mountain Pond. Easy hike, not too far north...a good choice. We drove up on a nice summer day and without too much trouble we found the trailhead. Unfortunately, the parking area was filled with cars. We consulted the map and figured we could go in another way. We drove back to Bennett Street and followed it in. It soon turned to a rough dirt road and finally ended at a parking lot. We drank some beer, packed up and headed into the woods on the Bennett Street trail. According to the map, it would link up with the other end of the Flat Mountain Pond trail in a mile or so. The trail followed an old road at first and then turned into a footpath. It followed a stream the whole way and...

Where: Prospect Rock When: Summer, 1990 With: Bill, Tom The first (?) Ritz Brothers hike. I drove out to Albany Saturday morning and met up with Tom and Deb at Bill's house. Bill was out running a last minute errand, so Tom and I compared notes and waited for him. When he returned, we pulled out map books and started discussing places to go. I finally suggested Bourn Pond and Prospect Rock. The others confirmed, and we were off. We took my car and drove over to Vermont on route 7. Along the way, we stopped at a grocery store. Bill and Tom had come all supplied, but I needed a food stop. We continued on through Bennington before finally arriving in Manchester. I was jealous...the total trip, including the food stop, took only an hour and a half or so. My closest trailhead is 2.5-3.0 hours away. We stopped at a ranger station first and picked up some maps, then parked at the head of the Lye Brook trail. I remembered the time I'd gone on this route with Chip. It had seemed l...

Where: Peaked Hill Pond When: May, 1990 With: David, Lia A hike with Lia. She'd gone with David several times in the past, but this was the first time with any of the others from the B.U.M.S. (Brotherhood of Universal Mutual Stupidity, a.k.a. the Mutually Stupid Society). I consulted the map, looking for someplace close by, with something less than my usual Bataan Death March level of difficulty. I found Peaked Hill Pond. The trailhead was just off route 93, one exit past the Waterville Valley exit, near a motel on route 3. We found the access road easily and followed it under 93 and up a ways before it stopped at a gate, where we parked. We geared up and headed up the trail, an old woods road. As advertised, it was an easy walk on a nice early summer day, going through old orchards and meadows. Other than a tick Dave picked up while crossing one of the meadows, there were no problems. After going through some forest, we spotted the pond to our right and made our way down t...