I use this Caltopo map to plan out my next hike. It’s usually a work in progress until late the evening before the hike. Feel free to check it out to see what plans I’m brewing.
See where I’ve hiked recently: 2022 Summits
Where’s Cade?
Bushwhack: Whaleback South & Big Coolidge
On a pleasant Sunday in December Jeff, Michael, Richard and I bushwhacked to Whaleback South and Big Coolidge just outside of Lincoln, New Hampshire to hit a couple New Hampshire 200 Highest peaks. Half of the hike was up the Old Osseo Trail, which had cairns and yellow blazes. The out and backs to Whaleback South and Big Coolidge were bushwhacks through mostly open forest.
ROUTE
- Parked at small lot on corner of Osseo Road and Fox Run Road in Loon Village in Lincoln, NH
- Walk around Osseo Road to Old Osseo Trail
- Hike up Old Osseo Trail to elevation of 2800′
- Bushwhack ESE to summit of Whaleback South and back
- Left on Old Osseo Trail to elevation of 1700′
- Bushwhack W to summit of Big Coolige and back
- Right on Old Osseo Trail back to Osseo Road
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 12 December 2021
Distance: 7.1 miles
Moving Time: 03:23:59
Pace: 28:28/mile
Elevation Gain: 3684′
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Hike: Black Cap, Cranmore, Hurricane
I shot up to the White Mountains to do some tracing of trails and a couple New Hampshire 500 Highest peaks. After the easy hike to Black Cap I headed to Cranmore Mountain and caught sight of a black bear cub off in the forest. I passed a bunch of mountain bikers on Cranmore Trail and wish I had brought my wallet when I discovered that there was an ice cream shop (with beer) at the top of the ski lifts. After heading back to the trail head I bushwhacked up to Hurricane Mountain. I decided to head down the road a little ways to approach the climb where it was less steep, but halfway up I found an old trail with blazes and cairns, and followed it to the summit and back down to the road (the more eastern route on the below map).
ROUTE
- Parked at Black Cap Trail Head on Hurricane Road in Conway, New Hampshire
- Hiked Black Cap Trail to summit of Black Cap
- Right on Black Cap Spur to intersection with Black Cap Connector
- Right on Black Cap Connector to intersection with Black Cap Trail
- Left on Black Cap Trail to intersection with Cranmore Trail
- Left on Cranmore Trail to summit of Cranmore Mountain and back
- Left on Black Cap Trail to Trail Head
- Left on Hurricane Road to get to more gentle slope of Hurricane Mountain
- Bushwhack up Hurricane Mountain to old Hurricane Mountain Trail
- Left on old Hurricane Mountain Trail to summit and back to road
- Left on Hurricane Road back to Trail Head
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 06 June 2021
Distance: 6.3 miles
Moving Time: 02:15:43
Pace: 21:42/mile
Elevation Gain: 1581′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Black Cap Trail
Cranmore Trail
Black Cap Spur
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Hike: Taconic Crest Trail
The Taconic Crest Trail is the third Northeast Ultra 8 hike that I completed. It traverses a mountain range that makes up the northern half of the border between Massachusetts and New York and hits Vermont for a hot minute. Jeff, John, Michael and I got a Tentrr in Vermont for the night before and after, and hiked the trail on a perfect Saturday in May. The trail mostly cuts through mellow terrain in hardwood forest with the occasional vista and pond, but there are definitely a few climbs not to scoff at. We were alone for the most part but we started to see people around Berlin Mountain, and White Rocks with its Snow Hole seemed popular.
SET UP
- Water stash at Petersburg Pass parking off Route 2 in Petersburg, NY
- Car drop at Taconic Crest Trail parking off Route 346 in Petersburg, NY
- Car drop with resupply at parking on Madden Road in Hancock, MA
ROUTE
- Parked at Taconic Crest Trail parking off Route 20 in Hancock, MA
- Hiked Taconic Crest Trail over Tower Mountain to Berry Pond Circuit Road
- Left on Berry Pond Circuit Road to Taconic Crest Trail
- Left on Taconic Crest Trail over Berry Hill to Potter Mountain Road
- Left on Potter Mountain Road to Main Street
- Right on Main Street to Madden Road
- Left on Madden Road to resupply car and Taconic Crest Trail
- Straight on Taconic Crest Trail over Misery Mountain and Berlin Mountain to water stash at Petersburg Pass
- Straight on Taconic Crest Trail over White Rocks and Bald Mountain to Route 346 parking
PHOTOS
VIDEO
STATS
Date: 15 May 2021
Distance: 36.5 miles
Moving Time: 12:01:54
Pace: 19:45/mile
Elevation Gain: 8921′
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Bushwhack: The Twins and Shaw
I thought I’d be worn out after doing a training hike on Mount Chocorua the day before, but my legs felt fresh and I had a free day. So, I was targeted an area of the White Mountains closest to me with trails I haven’t hiked and peaks on the New Hampshire 500 Highest list. I ended up chosing Province Pond Trail and the northern peak of The Twins, and Mount Shaw. It looked like a nice combo of trail and bushwhack, and the total distance would only be around 6.5 miles. A shorter distance as it was approaching noon when I decided to go. What I didn’t expect was that the fire road leading to the trailhead was closed, which added another 4 miles. There were some rocky climbs during the bushwhack, and I came across a mountainside covered with hundreds of trillium, more than I’ve ever seen in once place. The views around Province Pond were particularly beautiful.
ROUTE
- Parked at gate on FR450 off Green Hill Road in Chatham, NH
- Hiked FR450 to Province Pond Trail
- Left on Province Pond Trail to crossing of stream near Province Pond
- Bushwhack to west to The Twins North Peak
- Bushwhack to north to Mount Shaw
- Bushwhack to east to FR39
- Right to intersection with Province Pond Trail
- Right on Province Pond Trail to Province Pond Shelter and back to trailhead on FR450
- Right on FR450 back to gate
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 09 May 2021
Distance: 10.6 miles
Moving Time: 03:36:48
Pace: 20:22/mile
Elevation Gain: 2552′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Province Pond Trail
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Hike: Chocorua Traverse
The weekend before our big Taconic Crest Trail traverse, Jeff, John and I headed to Mount Chocorua to get in a last training hike. We set up for a traverse over Mount Chocorua with 1.5 ascents of the mountain. We needed to get back to the Portland area in early afternoon so we started crazy early, which is always beneficial for finding parking and beating the crowds. It was perfect hiking weather with high clouds, and I was able to trace 3 new White Mountain trails.
ROUTE
- Spotted car at Hammond Trail parking on Scott Road in Tamworth, NH
- Parked car at White Ledge Campground entrance on Route 16 in Albany, NH
- Hiked Carter Ledge Trail to intersection with Middle Sister Trail
- Right on Middle Sister Trail over the Sisters and to intersection with Piper Trail
- Left on Piper Trail to summit of Chocorua and back down to intersection with Penacook Shelter Spur
- Right on Penacook Shelter Spur to the shelter and back
- Right on Piper Trail to intersection with Wentamoo Trail
- Right on Wentamoo Trail to Hammond Trail
- Left on Hammond Trail to spotted car
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 08 May 2021
Distance: 13.4 miles
Moving Time: 05:16:18
Pace: 23:37/mile
Elevation Gain: 4944′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Middle Sister Trail
Camp Penacook Spur
Wetamoo Trail
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Hike: Camden Hills
On a nice day during their April vacation, I brought my sons up to Camden Hills State Park to hike the two most popular mountains in the park. We enjoyed the nice view of Camden from the top of Mount Battie, and continued past the ocean vistas to the viewless Mount Megunticook. After hiking out we headed to Rockport for some Flatbread before continuing home.
ROUTE
- Parked at Camden Hills State Park off Belfast Road in Camden, ME
- Walked up Mount Battie Road to Nature Trail trailhead
- Hiked Nature Trail to intersection with Tablelands Trail
- Left on Tablelands Trail to summit of Mount Battie and back
- Continued up Tablelands Trail to intersection with Ridge Trail
- Left on Ridge Trail to summit of Mount Megunticook and back to intersection with Mount Megunticook Trail
- Left on Mount Megunticook Trail to campground and back to parked car
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 20 April 2021
Distance: 5.6 miles
Moving Time: 02:24:49
Pace: 25:41/mile
Elevation Gain: 1647′
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Hike: AT Trapper John to Gilman’s Corner
When I woke up with the birds at Trapper John Shelter, I made coffee and breakfast and started a fire in the stone chimney in front of the shelter. It was a quick hike down to Dartmouth Skiway where I met Jeff and we shuffled our cars, so we’d have one at the parking area for the end of the day. There were a lot of people out at Smarts Mountain, a New Hampshire 200 Highest, but the trail beyond the summit had not been broken out. I was feeling wet and cold at that point from pushing through the snowy trees, so there was a moment of doubt about continuing. But we pushed on, and the fast hike/jog down J Trail on the northern face of Smarts Mountain was one of my favorite parts of the day. After climbing Mount Cube, another NH200, with its nice views and unique quartz summit, we finished at my car at Gilman’s Corner. This and the previous day’s hike completed a nice 30+ miles section of the New Hampshire Appalachian Trail for me.
ROUTE
- Started at Trapper John Shelter
- Hiked up Trapper John Shelter Spur to intersection with Holts Ledge Trail
- Left on Holts Ledge Trail to Dorchester Road
- Right on Dorchester Road to Dartmouth Skiway Parking
- Moved my vehicle from Dartmouth Lot A parking to Gilman’s Corner parking
- Left on Dorchester Road to Lambert Ridge Trail
- Right on Lambert Ridge Trail to summit of Smarts Mountain
- Straight on J Trail to Kodak Trail
- Straight on Kodak Trail to summit of Mount Cube
- Right on Mount Cube Trail to car at Gilman’s Corner
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 18 April 2021
Distance: 16.4 miles
Moving Time: 06:47:37
Pace: 24:48/mile
Elevation Gain: 5256′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Holts Ledge Trail
Lambert Ridge Trail
J Trail
Kodak Trail
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Hike: AT Hanover to Trapper John
As the snow began to melt in Spring, I was struck by trail fever. I needed to spend some time on the trail. But I knew that too much elevation would mean old snow and ice, which wouldn’t be pleasant. So I focused my attention to section hiking the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. With some coordination with Jeff, I selected a section from the New Hampshire and Vermont border, where on the second day Jeff could help me shift cars and we could get a couple New Hampshire 200 Highest mountains.
The first day of the hike was from Hanover, New Hampshire to the Trapper John Shelter near Dartmouth Skiway. Dartmouth College allows section hikers to park at A Lot if they call and leave info about their vehicle and how long it will be there. So I parked there and walked across campus to the Connecticut River to start. Of course it snowed the day before, so much of the day was through sticky snow that was the perfect depth to make it difficult to hike both with and without microspikes. I hardly saw anyone, just a trail crew at Velvet Rocks and a few people near South Moose Mountain. The sun was setting as I reached the vista at the top of Holts Ledge, my favorite spot for the day.
I set up in the Trapper John Shelter and had a facepalm moment as I chucked my new ultralight bear-hang kit into bear-hang tree. The paracord tangled as I threw it and I wasn’t holding or standing on the end. Every time you think you’re experienced at something, you do something stupid. I was getting ready for bed when a couple showed up, they had been following my tracks all day. We talked for a bit before they (successfully) hung their food and set up their tents nearby. The next day I would be hiking the AT to Gilman’s Corner with Jeff.
ROUTE
- Parked car at A Lot Parking off Wheelock Street in Hanover, NH
- Walked Wheelock Street to Connecticut River and back to intersection with South Main Street
- Right on South Main Street to intersection with Lebanon Street
- Left on Lebanon Street to intersection with South Park Street
- Right on South Park Street to Velvet Rocks Trail
- Left on Velvet Rocks Trail to Center Hanover Trail
- Straight on Center Hanover Trail to Moose Mountain Trail
- Straight on Moose Mountain Trail over Moose Mountain peaks and to Holts Ledge Trail
- Straight on Holts Ledge Trail over Holts Ledge to intersection of Trapper John Shelter Spur
- Left on Trapper John Shelter Spur to Trapper John Shelter
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 17 April 2021
Distance: 18.8 miles
Moving Time: 07:29:59
Pace: 23:58/mile
Elevation Gain: 5161′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Velvet Rocks Trail
Hanover Center Trail
Moose Mountain Trail
Trapper John Shelter Spur
Contact Me
maine.wanderlust@gmail.com
Hike: Pleasant Sunrise
Lindsay and I got up early on a weekend in April to hike Pleasant Mountain for sunrise. We didn’t get to the summit before sunrise, but we did get to the vista from Ledges Trail for it. After enjoying the peaceful summit for a while we returned to our car.
ROUTE
- Parked at Ledges Trail parking on Mountain Road in Denmark, ME
- Hiked Ledges Trail to summit and back to car
PHOTOS
STATS
Date: 11 April 2021
Distance: 3.6 miles
Moving Time: 01:47:27
Pace: 29:53/mile
Elevation Gain: 1516′
Maine Wanderlust 