NNE Summer 2013 Thread

[eyewall]

Thank you for the information on the fall color. I am the resident "noob" in this area so it nice to learn these things. I certainly look forward to some fall hikes before the winter settles in.

[dryslot]

First on my list is The Samoset for golf. You can chuck Sugarloaf and Sunday River up there too.

 

Have played all three, You will really enjoy them

[MaineJayhawk]

With a very warm day in the offing and, coincidentally, a day off, I had the good fortune of being able to go to 5000'+ to escape. Of course, if highs were progged to be 70F at home I'd still hit this loop I planned. I charted a course for the Great Gulf, which is the cirque located between Mount Washington and the rest of the northern Presidentials. A longer adventure than I have been doing lately at 16.8 miles, I figured on 10 hours for time to complete. Boots on trail at 5:00am and 56F. I haven't been paying attention lately I guess, but wow are the days getting shorter! Headlamp was on for 45 minutes.

My ascent route was pretty flat for the first 5 miles, but then quickly made up for lost time with a trail featuring enormous boulders to maneuver between and over, 4 ladders to help scale sheer cliffs and assorted other segments requiring use of handholds, footholds and prayer. Finally, after 3 hours on trail I reached treeline on Jefferson's Knees.

I was on the lee side of Jefferson, so little wind, but was catching the full brunt of the sun. My Kestrel measured 70F in my shade. Felt way hotter than that. I chose not to ascend to Jefferson's summit - been there, done that, plus my trip was long enough as it was. Instead, I headed south at earliest chance and made my way over Mount Clay and towards the Great Gulf headwall a few tenths of a mile from MWN's summit. Beautiful day, but very hazy. Wind picked up along this segment, but was probably no more than 10mph or so - a rarity for this elevation.

Taken from one of my fave spots in the Whites, this is the Great Gulf with the northern Presidentials. Temperature was 65F at 11:00. The lake on the floor is Spaulding Lake, and after a brief break I headed down the headwall to it.

The headwall isn't as steep as Huntington Ravine, but it consists of smaller, loose rocks and for some reason the trail is in the bed of a stream. Very slippery = slow going. Took forever, but I finally made it to Spaulding.

After that it was a 7 mile forest walk back to the car. I checked the temp a couple of times ... 72F near the lake, 76F a couple miles from the trailhead. So not bad. Trip time was 10 hrs, 45 minutes. Another fine day in the mountains

[powderfreak]

Jesus H you're an animal.

[MaineJayhawk]

Jesus H you're an animal.

Done with the Presidentials for this year probably unless I get a wild hair during winter. Or if we go over like 85F or something.

[Allenson]

The whole coast is a real treasure, I worked in the Camden/Rockland/Rockport area for years

 

 

Yep, great area. I was still in college/just-out-of, when I was spending my summers sailing the mid-coast. I thought about 'settling' in the area fulltime but never did. I always liked Hope, Appleton and inland Lincolnville--near the salt water but inland and hilly enough to appeal to my VT senses.

 

Rockland has come a looooong way since my first summer there way back in 1990. It was still known as "Rockland-by-the-smell" back then, in contrast with "Camden-by-the-sea", lol.

[Allenson]

The AK geography Nazis dismiss W.Quoddy, because a couple of the Aleutians lie west of the IDL.  meh.

 

 

True enough! I guess to be technical, it's the eastern most point of the lower-48.....

 

We're staying at the old Coast Guard station there. Some fellow bought it, renovated all the buildings and now is in the inn business:

 

http://www.quoddyvacation.com/

[eyewall]

Incoming from Dannemora to Saranac Lake as of this post (2pm). If they hold I will be getting into position for some shots soon.

[mreaves]

True enough! I guess to be technical, it's the eastern most point of the lower-48.....

 

We're staying at the old Coast Guard station there. Some fellow bought it, renovated all the buildings and now is in the inn business:

 

http://www.quoddyvacation.com/

 

 

Two things:

1. Pictures!  Rarely get to see that part of NNE and it would be nice to see.
2. Check on Cool Spruce.  just kidding, of course, but I really do miss his posts.

[MaineJayhawk]

 

Two things:

1. Pictures!  Rarely get to see that part of NNE and it would be nice to see.
2. Check on Cool Spruce.  just kidding, of course, but I really do miss his posts.

 

 

Yes, bring on the pics!  We seem to have the mountains covered

 

A tad toasty today with 88F in my working 'hood.  Mid-60s dews not too bad at least.

[powderfreak]

Shelf cloud coming over Mansfield.

[wxeyeNH]

Shelf cloud coming over Mansfield.

Powderfreak, do you have the link to that webcam about 15 miles south of Mansfield that looks north up to you?  I forget the town its in but it has the big lawn in front of it.  Hoping the storms/showers stay together to get into NH later.  Its been very dry everywhere past week.

[eyewall]

Not one useable damn photo from my chase up to Milton. There was a ragged shelf but it fell apart as it approached.

[eyewall]

Nevermind I found one that was ok but not great

 

 

[powderfreak]

Powderfreak, do you have the link to that webcam about 15 miles south of Mansfield that looks north up to you? I forget the town its in but it has the big lawn in front of it. Hoping the storms/showers stay together to get into NH later. Its been very dry everywhere past week.

This is the BTV cam page:

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/btv/html/cams.shtml

And I think you are talking about this one that is SSW of Mansfield...this is looking up the west slope.

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/btv/html/cams/nashville.shtml

[tamarack]

Two things:

• Pictures!  Rarely get to see that part of NNE and it would be nice to see.
• Check on Cool Spruce.  just kidding, of course, but I really do miss his posts.

Totally agree with both points, especially the latter.

The Maine coast gets increasingly stark and rugged as one heads east from Penobscot Bay. If there's time during your Quoddy stay, try a walk on the Cutler Coast trails on the Parks and Lands piece. Might wish I were there today, as the coast is probably about 66 with fog just offshore and the sea smell blowing by, rather than this return to July warmth and humidity.

[powderfreak]

I give today a 10 out of 10.

High temp of 70F and should drop quickly now with the sun dropping behind Mansfield.

And a good message from the VT DOT...

[tamarack]

Touched 39 this morning, first sub-40 of the declining summer.

[Lava Rock]

Touched 39 this morning, first sub-40 of the declining summer.

wow, nice. Only down to 52F here.

[powderfreak]

Awesome views today at work..lol. Visibility hasn't gone over 50-100ft yet and occasionally it drops to a pure 0sm when that trail sign disappears.

[tamarack]

Zero posts in almost 2 days - either folks are real busy or wx is real dull.  I choose #2.  (And, of course, another post came in while I was typing this one...)

 

The tiny (0.03") bit of rain this morning brings my total for the past 12 days to 0.08", 1st real dry period since April into May.   However, we've got a 3-day field exercise Tues-Thurs, so the rain will join us at times throughout.  My track record for scheduling feildwork (well in advance) to hit rainy wx is not enviable.  As long as we're not dodging lightning and falling trees as we did on this annual event back in 2007...

[powderfreak]

Zero posts in almost 2 days - either folks are real busy or wx is real dull. I choose #2. (And, of course, another post came in while I was typing this one...)

The tiny (0.03") bit of rain this morning brings my total for the past 12 days to 0.08", 1st real dry period since April into May. However, we've got a 3-day field exercise Tues-Thurs, so the rain will join us at times throughout. My track record for scheduling feildwork (well in advance) to hit rainy wx is not enviable. As long as we're not dodging lightning and falling trees as we did on this annual event back in 2007...

Boring weather. Today's zero vis fog is the most exciting thing to happen since Thursday's front. And it's not all that exciting to have dense fog on a mountain haha.

Picked up a whopping 0.09" of rain last night at home.

[MaineJayhawk]

0.25" of boring rain here. My eyesore lawn appreciated it.

[tamarack]

0.25" of boring rain here. My eyesore lawn appreciated it.

 

Mine is still all green and growing, feeding off the earlier deluges.  I'm still amazed that I got my pickup stuck in mud on August 17 in exactly the same place that was thawed and dry (and pickup-friendly) on April 20.

[wxeyeNH]

So jealous of the areas south of me that will get a nice soaking tonight.  So close but yet so far!

[N. OF PIKE]

0c 850 line just south of dacks/ N vt w nnw flow and big low n of maine. Hike to 5k @ whiteface?

[powderfreak]

A trip down memory lane...two years ago the state of Vermont was on its knees begging for mercy from Mother Nature. One of the worst natural disasters to hit VT in recorded history. I think we had 5.4" in Stowe Village from Irene...with 6-8" falling along the Spine like Mansfield and Jay Peak.

[CoastalWx]

Lots of sizzle in NNE today. Dendrite incoming.

[dryslot]

A few rain showers and a few rumbles here tonight, Was pretty humid earlier

[hvysnow79]

Lots of lightning and some rumbles around tonight.  A decent cell just to my south around Norwich/Hanover area, wife reporting her and several other cars actually pulled over from torrential rains and vivid lightning.