Surreal Hiking through Zealand Notch

We've been tuckering ourselves out before I can manage to write about it for the last couple of weeks!  I regret not recording our epic Memorial Day weekend, as it was full of dog-friendly fun with family.  Someday I will make some notes about our hikes up Sawyer Mountain (Limerick, ME), Tom/Field/Avalon (Whitefield, NH), and more of the Eastern Trail (Saco, ME).  Last weekend we picked up and got our little foster pup, Yogi, settled in and worked on expanding the fenced portion of the yard.  But it's awfully early for digressions, so here we go!

Yesterday, we went on a phenomenal 9.5 mile traverse that began with the Zealand Trail and ended at the Ethan Pond Trail/AT where it meets 302.    Longer, by our current standards, but easy mileage - this is a great hike for those who are comfortable with the distance but not looking for a day of elevation gain.  It also has some of the most unique scenes and vibes we've encountered and I am forever in love with the portion that walks along where a slide and railroad bed converge (thank you Bob and Geri for the history lessons!).

 Under cloudy skies, we reached the Ethan Pond Trailhead around 9:00 for the car spot.  By the time we parked on Zealand Road, the sun was already promising to come out.  The walk to the junction for the hut (which is just beyond, after a very brief, steeper climb), is a meander, mostly over dirt trails, that travels through woods and opens to beautiful beaver ponds.  For the record, if your dog is prone to giardia, keep an eye on him/her, as even our iron-tummied Tango has gotten himself into trouble when he traveled this trail....  And if you have a dog who likes to sniff out beavers and deer-hop through the tall grasses to find them, again, keep an eye on her!  There are beautiful and well-maintained raised boardwalks that carry hikers over the marshy fringes of the ponds.

From there, we turned on to the equally footing-friendly Ethan Pond Trail (also the AT).  The trail is often "one lane" but is still generally hard-packed dirt.  This led us out to one of the most surreal views I've been fortunate enough to experience (and under bluebird skies at this point!!).  No majestic Mount Washington, no endless views, but equally iconic to me.

As I'm told, the trail is an old railroad bed.  Close to the junction for Zeacliff Trail (the wilderness sign is visible below, adding to the remote feeling), the trail breaks from the trees and becomes an awe-inspiring walk through the notch.  Above and below are the consequences of a slide - huge boulders covering the land that the trail traverses briefly.  travelling southbound, to the right is Hale and Zeacliff (another fave!) and to the left, Whitewall looms above.  The combination of being between such great masses, the broad, open trail, and boulder field is unforgettable.

Continuing past the junction, the trail resumes its flat progress through the woods to the Thoreau Falls Trail.  It is a little wider than before the views and sparsely covered by gravel, reminding me of comments from western hikers or maintained state park trails.  The falls is a mere .1 mile detour.  Do not skip it or Tango will hunt you down and eat your pb&j because it is worth it!!

The falls are intimidating and breathtaking.  Take care with adventurous or "green" trail dogs.

Some time after the junction for the Shoal Pond Trail (really, could be a mile or afterwards based on my terrible memory), the footing became more White Mountain-esque - rockier and muddier.  Still no (discernible) elevation changes and the embedded rocks are easily walked on/around.  There a many boardwalks to assist with the mud and standing water.  We took the spur marking the Ethan Pond Shelter for our last scenic detour.

 Ethan Pond is gorgeous; sure there are many beautiful ponds out there but this view is uninterrupted and earned making it that much more breathtaking!  The trail to the hut is partially submerged and a small blue blaze on one of the boulders marks the way.  We walked out onto it for photos and turned around.

The trail continues with the same terrain and begins losing elevation as we made our way towards the last couple of junctions.  Not many photos, as we trail jogged whenever we could to appease the pulling Yogi.  I haven't mentioned him much but he is the new blondie in the photos.  At seven months old, I was fully prepared to carry him when needed but was genuinely curious how he'd take to the trails because we haven't done too much with him in the short week we had him.  That young man pulled for the whole trip (minus the brief carrying stint when he fell asleep nuzzled into my shoulder)!  He LOVES the woods and was not keen on being in last place.  He also has a humorous aversion to water.

Not much to report after that.  The trail became more family-friendly as we hit the spur for Ripley Falls, crossed the tracks, and dumped back at the parking area at the end of the road.

I hadn't expected to be hiking on National Trails Day but a fortuitous change of events, kind invitation, and an "I can finish the fence after the hike" attitude (almost accurate, as it turns out!) turned "homebody weekend" into an exploration everybody enjoyed.  Tango loved being with the pack and easier grades, Ty and her buddy Dusty lead the trip, and Yogi got to hit the trail for the first time.  In terms of elevation, this is a very  easy hike.  And I truly mean that, not like some other posts where I have looked back and thought it to be a very relative term (despite my best efforts at the time)!  There are multiple options to shorten, extend, or modify this hike to fit one's interests and I'll be writing about one such option - the Zealand Falls Hut - next week as well as scouring the interwebz for a weekend backpack opportunity.  For when one wants the quietude and distance of a longer hike but not the difficulty, I highly recommend a hike like this!

**Thanks to Bob and Geri for allowing me to use some of their photos!

Random favorite from Ethan Pond Trail shortly before the junction with the Zeacli

Gear Review: Mountainsmith K9 Backbowl

We've been doing a lot of low key outings lately and Mountainsmith's K9 Backbowl, sent to us by Backcountry K-9, has been accompanying us for testing.  

It's a pretty neat idea: a flat square of material - tough nylon exterior and waterproof PEVA lining - that folds as many ways as you would ever need to be a handy that serves as a versatile, on-the-go bowl.  

We have used collapsible bowls for years; they're easy to pop up, squish down, and they take a beating.  The Backbowl has one up on these: it's compact.  I can fit it anywhere - Ty's streamline Single Trak, my cargo pant pocket, or the side pocket of my pack. (Which also eliminates the damp, drool-covered bowl in my pack dilemma.)

Never again do I need to take my pack off, undo the clips, find the stuff sack, fetch the bowl, then reverse order solely to offer the dogs a drink (that they'll likely refuse anyway).  A little melodramatic but, seriously, how many of us bemoan a simple task because we just don't want to expend the effort to take off our pack?!  Now I just reach around and snag the water bottle and Backbowl, no pack removal involved. 

We've been using the Backbowl as much as we can to replicate extended use.  I had to wonder how durable such a lightweight liner could be - will it stand up to all the rolling and folding it is bound to endure or will it wear along the creases?  As we hiked, my husband folded and unfolded it, over and over, treating it like origami paper.  It continued to look (and function) brand new.  I suppose that would be considered breaking it in.  Over the long weekend, we knocked a couple four thousand footers off Linda and Nate's list and that poor Backbowl was crammed, jammed, and squished unceremoniously into the side pocket enough times to prove its durability. 

There are some miscellaneous reasons I'm impressed with this bowl as well.  The base is broader than the walls are tall, making for a great communal bowl.  It's lighter than the silicone bowls we have been using and I really need to trim weight off my pack!  Its lack of rigidity means I can balance it nearly anywhere without it tipping over.  Finally, when laid out, it dries quickly.  All-in-all it's a very handy bowl to have in the pack or car.  

Hedgehog: Serenity and Charm

Yesterday, with the temperature forecasted to be significantly higher than our last hike but knowing there was still icy, muddy, mushy, postholed conditions further north and knowing longer excursions were in the future, I settled on Hedgehog Mountain. It begins on the Downes Brook Trailhead on the Kanc and just a short drive further than the popular trailheads for Chocorua and Passaconaway (coming from the east).  The whole day, I both grinned and griped at the change in seasons – attire changed to shorts, a tank, and trail runners but it was hard watching Tango adjust to the increasing heat, making me even more satisfied with my decision for a very early, shorter hike.

  

The trail begins smooth, flat, and welcoming.  There are a few herd paths crisscrossing it but the main trail is easy to follow and well signed.  Stick with the UNH loop as you pass a couple of junctions (one pretty much at the parking lot). After the second junction, the trail progresses very gently uphill with good footing.  We passed what was once a clearing and now the trees are starting to grow back.  From the looks of the swath that crossed the trail, my guess is it was cut for logging.  There’s a nice view there but I am glad to see it is returning to its natural state.

At the junction for the loop, we went clockwise to hit the East Ledges first.  I had skimmed the trail descriptions online, such as Hike New England's but it had been awhile; mostly I chose that direction because the summit does not evenly bisect the trail and I wanted to complete the longer section first.  It turned out to be a great decision for us; there were far more small water sources on  the ascent (when the dogs need it most),  the few rock slabs towards the summit are far easier to climb up than scoot down, and the descent was steeper (within reason, this is preferable for me because we cruise down).

The trail continues lazily through mostly hardwoods, even dropping minutely here and there with mostly smooth dirt/leafy footing.  Then they abruptly give way to spruces and other conifers and the “up” begins.  Something about the trail once it levels out here... the spacing of the trees, the hazy light filtering through, and the skinny trail alternating over dirt and rock is very fairy tale – esque.  Then over a granite slab and up onto the rock to the first viewpoint.  I couldn’t tell you what I was looking at but it was pretty.  This is also where the ledges begin; they're enough to exercise caution around but didn't slow us down.

The stretch of trail over the ledges is definitely a high point of this hike (the high point for me).  Something about the seclusion, smooth rock surfaces dotted with scrubby flora, and the view upwards at greater peaks felt…(so corny)… magical.  I lingered as long as Ty would allow. 

The trail drops back into the woods and alternates between smooth, eroded and root-y with some very brief rocky sections, and smooth rock.  There is one place near the summit where the rock looks like big humps and I feel like we’re running over the back of a dragon.    We cruised past the summit (I snapped a quick photo and as I was walking past thought, “oh, that must’ve been it.”) In and out of trees we went with some nice views I mostly took in briefly from the trail and ignored the herd paths offered for better viewing.  Pups were in their “all business” mode already.  The terrain is rockier and steeper from the summit back down to the start of the fork than on the other side of the ledges but we moved swiftly.

It wasn’t until after we passed the fork that we started passing other hikers.  I was glad to have enjoyed the cooler morning but it was nice to greet the later starters.  I had hoped to do a little extra trekking but as I sat in the back of the Subie with the map over my legs, one dog resting beside me and the other panting in the back seat, I called the morning a success and scraped the plan.  We made a pit stop at one of the pull offs for the Swift River, rock hopped a bit, almost fell in, and headed home.

This a fantastic 4.8 mile hike for some many different reasons.  The highlight for me was the ledges but the entire trail was enjoyable.  The trail and environment are engaging with their variety and there are plenty of vistas.  The almost completely dry trail made this the perfect choice for someone itching to hit the trail but not willing to deal with the melting conditions going on at higher elevations.  I would not consider any part of Hedgehog to be difficult but it does give one a small taste of many of the features one is likely to encounter on larger hikes: knarly eroded trail, steep ledges, great views, etc. while staying on the moderate side for a summit hike in terms of overall footing and grade.  Think Mt Major +1 difficulty point….  Even the length and loop-style trail is great for half day or newbie adventurers since it introduces one to more than an out-an-back.  Ty got to do her mountain goat rock climbing but Tango wasn’t pushed to over exert himself and with the accessible water, this was a great one for them as well.  Oh, and it is one of the 52 With a View if you’re a list person!  Gushing over, thanks for reading and happy trails!

Additional notes from a revisit to Hedgehog on 4/23/2016:  I hadn't realized before how eroded this trail is.  That explains how it sometimes feels like you're walking on a bed of roots.

Terrain variety:

On the way to the fork

Heading towards the ledges

Between the ledges and the summit

Going down