Saturday, November 5, 2011

10-29-11 Camel's Hump Summit

This is a hike that I haven't done for a long time.  In fact the last time was when Chance was alive and by the end I had almost crippled my right knee.  That seems like a lifetime ago, perhaps that is because it was at this point.  And yes, there was snow on the ground.
 Sal seem glad to see it again, and to be honest I was too.  It was the ice stream that went down the trail I was less excited about.  Managed to only slip a couple of times and caught myself each time.
The summit was... remarkable.  I had started the hike at 8AM so when I got to the top in a surprising fast hour and fifteen minutes (2.1 miles and 2,600 foot gain one way) there was still fog in the valley.  The drive there I saw an incredible sunrise and the peak rivaled that easily.  Below is Lake Champlain and New York.  I saw mountains I have never seen before.
 This is looking north towards Mount Mansfield.  What a crazy range of mountains.
 This is looking towards New Hampshire.  I am sure Mount Washington is the one in the background.
 The fog turned all of the peaks into islands.
 Honestly just wow.
 Sal concurred.
 On the decent I passed huge hoard heading towards the top, I had left early enough that there were only three cars when I arrived.  When I left there were more like 30.  And the crowds going up were dressed for shopping not for climbing a mountain.  Perhaps I am getting snobbish about it because obviously they climbed it and no one died.  Here is the shadow of the beast.

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