And on this trip there was one. This Hiking Buddies Intro to Backpacking experience was close to full, but then things happened, numbers thinned, though plans were in motion and they stayed that way. Redline Guide Debra McCown ended up having only one student, but this did not diminish the experience. What follows is a step-by-step summary from Debra along with one zillion photos.
A Chill Weekend in the Woods: Originally, three people were signed up for this weekend’s Hiking Buddies Intro to Backpacking, but after one date change and one last-minute cancellation, we were left with one.
It was definitely a different vibe than last weekend’s larger group, but it was a great opportunity for a relaxed, educational backpacking trip.
On Saturday, we started by going through gear, and we made a quick stop on the way to buy a couple of forgotten items: a trowel, camp shoes, and a pair of rain pants. Who would’ve thought a backpacking trip would involve shopping?
We dropped a car at the end of our route and drove to the starting point, where we began our hike up the big hill to Kedron Flume.
After that, our next scenic stop for the day was at Ethan Pond, where we took a look at the view and then checked out the three-sided shelter and developed tent site, typical of many in the Whites: wooden platform, sheltered cooking area with bear boxes, and a privy.
But we were going for something a little more wild, so we continued on and to a more remote and unofficial campsite near Shoal Pond in the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
We set up our tents in the rain, taking care to choose flat spots where water was unlikely to pool. We cooked on camp stoves under a tarp and hung our food in a bear bag away from camp. It poured all night, but we were snug and dry.
In the morning, we slept in until the sun was shining. While hiking on Sunday we visited several waterfalls, which were really running after all the rain. Thoreau Falls looked incredible with all that water!
We also visited all three view spots at Zealand Falls and stopped at the Zealand Hut, where we got to eat some chocolate cake! We stopped for a photo again at Zealand Pond.
Along the trail — more than 10 miles between Saturday and Sunday — the healing power of spending time in nature was a topic that came up often. And on Sunday, we were fortunate enough to enjoy a lot of sunny views along the trail.
It was a great weekend, very chill, and the guest who participated felt like she learned a lot. Even when it rains, it’s hard to have a bad weekend in the White Mountains. —Debra
