Triple Day Tour

Three days, three hikes, let’s have some clean mountain fun. Our guest from Connecticut was ready to hike and looked to us for some variety. On the job for this lead was Redline Guide Mike Maciel. Mike was kind enough to not just offer us photos of the trip, but to also supply a brief written report of each day (we are grateful for this).

Day One: Starting with Z

Z for all those Zealand things we love so much. The photos and text tell the story…

Her original request was some solitude, water features, and perhaps interesting rock formations. We came up with a proposed plan, and then she threw us for a loop, literally, by way of a request to do Franconia Ridge. Perfect for water features and rock formations, not so much on the solitude. But that’s ok, we can do that.
 
For day one, Tuesday, I decided to take her on a choose-your-own-adventure hike to the Zealand Notch area. We would hike into the Zealand Falls and the hut and then decide from there whether to stretch the legs a little bit and head up to Zeacliff, or to backtrack briefly and head out to Thoreau Falls via the Ethan Pond Trail.
 
She chose Zeacliff and lunch with a really nice view (wise choice). On the way back down we stopped again to enjoy the falls and our guest even took a little time to dip her feet in the cool water, mentally preparing for a tougher day ahead. —Mike M.

 

To be continued…

Day Two: Franconia Classic

Hey, they say it is the best hike in the known universe: Little Haystack, Lincoln, Truman, and Lafayette… done. The photos and text tell the story…

On day two we met bright and early to beat some of the crowds and the heat. Our guest was thrilled with the beauty of the Falling Waters Trail on the way up. At the summit of Little Haystack, decisions needed to be made. Was this it for the day, or would the team march on? No need to make important decisions while hungry. So first, sandwiches. It was too early for lunch, so I guess summit brunch is a thing now. We’re in. Classic PB & J for Mike and a car cooler deli special for our guest (note: her sandwich making skills put Mike’s to shame).
 
We had faith in our guest and after a quick discussion she had faith in herself as well, the team would continue on. Believing in yourself is a beautiful thing. She came here for a challenge and she was rewarded with a perfect day up on the ridge.

Up next: rest day followed by a finale! —Mike M.

 

To be continued…

Day Three: Chiefly Chocorua

I don’t want to go home! Mount Chocorua is awesome. The photos and text tell the story…

On the third day (after a day off to rest), our guest may have had a few pieces of moleskin on her body, but most importantly still had a smile on her face as she pulled into the parking lot. She was coming off of a well deserved rest day, and this was it, the grand finale of her reset week in the Whites. Today’s goal: Mount Chocorua from the north side, a beautiful hike with a little bit of everything: waterfalls, gem pools, switchbacks in mixed forests, interesting history, and some scrambling up top unlocking majestic views. We filled her in on the legend of Chief Chocorua, the artwork of Benjamin Champney, and another finer art known as scrambling. She once again schooled him on summit sandwiches. They finished the day at a gem pool with their feet in the cold, clear water. Our guest didn’t want to leave, so she booked her room for another night. Rumors of a return trip during fall foliage season have already started to spread. —Mike M.

 

Really great job, Mike, and a hearty congratulations to our guest for getting it done. Thanks for choosing Redline Guiding.