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While
we were resting, a couple from Franconia arrived at the summit. They had
followed my footsteps all the way up. They said they used to live in
Massachusetts, but decided to retire here in the White Mountains. They
were currently working on their 4000-footers. I told them that I had
already finished my 48 peaks, but that Muffin had just now completed
number 25. After talking for a few minutes, they headed down the Mt
Tecumseh Trail on the east side, while I started packing up my things to
go. I was planning on returning via the Sosman Trail to the top of the ski
area, and then hiking down the ski slopes back to the car.
Before
leaving, I decided to put on my snowshoes, since parts of the trail had
been a little slippery. Also, the snow would start to soften as the day
wore on, especially on the sunny ski slopes.
At
the bottom of the summit cone, at the fork in the trail, we met up with
the couple again. They said that the snow had been deeper and softer on
the east side and that they had postholed a few times. At the Mt Tecumseh/Sosman
Trail junction, they continued back down the same way we had come up,
while Muffin and I began the ridge traverse along the Sosman Trail. Soon
the trail began to ascend slightly, climbing a small knob.where there were
nice views back to Mt Tecumseh and northeast to the Osceolas and the
Presidentials. A little further along, there was another east-facing
viewpoint down to Waterville Valley. There's a rustic park bench here, but
even in April, its top was barely visible above the snow. Another
1/4 mile down the trail, we came around a bend and were suddenly at the
radio/microwave towers at the top of the ski area. Just beyond were the
skis slopes, now closed for the season. We made short work descending via
the ski trails. A combination of fast walking and snowshoe skiing in the
somehat slushy surface of the snow helped to hasten the trip back,
although I did slip once and skidded a few yards downhill before braking
myself using the edge of my snowshoes. Muffin just trotted along behind me
as if the snow weren't the least bit slick.
At
the bottom, I took a picture of an interesting chair lift building with a
painted face and propeller-topped beanie, then I took off my snowshoes and
we returned to the nearby car for the time home.
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Looking
back at Mt Tecumseh. A small knob along the Sosman Trail has some
nice views back to Mt Tecumseh and the Presidentials. |
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