You Can Go Your Own Way, or 2008 Hiking Routes

Wilderness Heals offers a range of hiking routes that are uniquely tailored to a variety of skills and interests. Routes are rated on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the easiest and 5 being the most challenging. Routes for Wilderness Heals 2008 are listed below:

Itinerary 1: Pemi Ridge Exploration, Two Nights in Galehead Hut

Summary: Hikers on this route spend two nights at the remote and beautiful Galehead Hut, located at the edge of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Depending on the team's trail choices, this route can be anywhere from relaxing to strenuous. Spending two nights at Galehead allows hikers to explore portions of the Pemigewasset Wilderness at their own pace, as well as providing possibilities to summit one or more 4,000-foot peaks. Hikers can also carry slightly less gear and food in their packs on Saturday's adventure.

Rating: 2-5

Day 1: Hikers can choose one of three routes to reach Galehead Hut. The most strenuous option is to hike from the North Twin trailhead up and over North and South Twin mountains to the hut. Another challenging route brings hikers up and over Mount Garfield. A less challenging option is a shorter hike up the Gale River Trail to meet the Garfield Ridge Trail, which meets up with the hut.

Day 2: Summiting opportunities abound on the second day of this hike, or, teams may opt to take it easy. Hikers may choose a relaxed jaunt to Thirteen Falls or hike along the Twinway to Zealand Falls. Or, if hikers want to bag a peak or two, they can choose among several 4,000-foot mountains, including Mount Bond, West Bond, Bondcliff, North and South Twin, Mount Garfield, and Mount Lafayette. Hikers may leave non-required gear and hike with lighter packs.

Day 3: Today, hikers have the same three trail option as on Day 1, but in reverse. Hike straight out the Gale River Trail, over Mount Garfield and out, or, with an early start, over South and North Twin. Drivers will meet the teams at the trailhead to transport them to the Highland Center in Crawford Notch.

Itinerary 2: President Venture, Mizpah Spring Hut to Lakes of the Clouds Hut

Summary: This is a moderate hike option for hikers to explore the Southern Presidential range. This route invites hikers to summit six 4,000-foot mountains, including Mount Washington--New England's highest peak--over the three-day span. Hikers will take in stunning views along the ridge as they travel from hut to hut. This route also allows hikers to meet up with other Wilderness Heals teams coming from the Lakes of the Clouds Escape.

Rating: 3-5

Day 1: Hikers will be dropped off at Crawford Path to ascend to Mizpah Spring Hut. Those looking for a more challenging route can trek in over Mount Pierce. Afternoon hikes include Mount Pierce or a loop over Mount Webster and Mount Jackson.

Day 2: Hikers will follow the Crawford Path to Lakes of the Clouds Hut with the option to summit Mounts Pierce, Eisenhower, Franklin, and Monroe. After unloading extra weight at the hut, hikers can scale Mount Washington to take in the panoramic views of the Presidentials. Hikers will also have the pleasure of mingling with Lakes of the Clouds Escape hikers who will already be at the hut.

Day 3: On the final day, hikers can choose to hike out via Crawford Path to the Highland Center, or they can hike down the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, where a shuttle will be waiting to transport them to the reception.

Itinerary 3: Lakes of the Clouds Escape, Two Nights at Lakes of the Clouds Hut

Summary: Hikers on this route will spend two nights at the beautiful Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The range of trails from the hut offers something for everyone. By choosing this option, hikers have the possibility of conquering five 4,000-foot mountains, including Mount Washington, New England's highest peak. Staying two nights in the same hut allows hikers to carry slightly less gear and food in their packs during Saturday's hike. Hikers will be joined at the hut by the Presidential Venture teams on Day 2.

Rating: 3-4

Day 1: Hike into the Lakes of the Clouds Hut via the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail. Teams may choose to summit Mount Monroe or explore the ridge once reaching the hut.

Day 2: Today there are several hiking options ranging from easy to strenuous. Hikers may choose to summit Mount Washington and explore the adjacent ravines. Other options include following the Crawford Path to summit Mounts Monroe, Franklin, Eisenhower, and Pierce. An alternate hike includes a traverse along the Dry River Trail to the scenic Dry River Falls. At the end of Day 2, hikers will welcome teams of hikers who will be traveling in from Mizpah Spring Hut.

Day 3: The final day concludes with a hike out via the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, where a shuttle will be waiting to transport hikers to the Highland Center. Ambitious teams may choose to hike out Crawford Path, with options to summit Mounts Monroe, Franklin, Eisenhower, and Pierce before descending to the Highland Center.

Itinerary 4: Backcountry Camping

Summary: There are no huts with running water and prepared meals for this option. The backcountry team will have the opportunity to plan and prepare meals together on portable stoves. The White Mountains offer a range of backcountry camping possibilities with great day hikes from the established camp. No prior experience in backcountry camping is required. Hikers who choose this option should be prepared to carry tents, sleeping bags, and cooking equipment, and they must contribute to the route-planning each day. This route offers a great opportunity for hikers to learn about backcountry camping experience in a supportive environment.

Rating: 3-5

Days 1-3: Backcountry hikers will decide their three-day routes as a team. Team leaders will decide which campsite to use based on the size and composition of the backcountry team. Campsite options include the Nauman tentsite, Ethan Pond, Guyot, Thirteen Falls, Garfield Ridge, and Resolution Shelter.

Wilderness Heals 2007

Click on the arrow on the left-hand side of the photo above to launch a slide show from the 2007 Wilderness Heals Hike.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2007 Wilderness Heals Hike. Collectively, hikers raised $112,000 for the Elizabeth Stone House.

Stay tuned for more information regarding the thirteenth annual Wilderness Heals Hike, to be held July 18-20, 2008. And don't forget about this Sunday's reunion hike at Mount Holyoke.

See you on the trails!

Come to the Fall Reunion Hike!

Greetings, hikers! It is time for the annual Wilderness Heals Fall Reunion! This year, we are organizing a hike and picnic for all current, past, and future hikers, their families, and friends.

Place: Mount Holyoke (directions below)
Date: Sunday, October 21, 2007
Trailhead meeting time: 10 a.m.
Picnic at the top: 12:30 PM (details below)

Anyone who wants to join the picnic but does not want to hike can drive to the top of the mountain. We will transport all the food and supplies to the summit by car. (Of course, you're welcome to haul food in your pack if you need the extra challenge.)

Directions to Skinner State Park:

Skinner State Park is located in the western part of Central Massachusetts.

From the east or west: Take the Mass Pike (I-90) to Exit 5, Route 33 North to Route 116 North to Route 47 North (approximately four miles). The park entrance is on the right at Mountain Road.

From the north: Take I-91 South to Exit 19, then Route 9 East to Route 47 South. The park entrance is on the left at Mountain Road.

From the south: Take I-91 North to Exit 16, then Route 202 East to Route 116 North, then turn left on Route 47 North. The park entrance is on the right at Mountain Road.

Skinner State Park: 413-586-0350

Hiking route: The exact hiking route up to the summit will be decided in the morning when we meet at the trailhead. However, we will plan a hike that will place us at the top of Mt. Holyoke by 12:30 p.m. One option is to take the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail for 1.6 miles to the Mt. Holyoke Summit House, where we will meet for a picnic lunch. Then we can continue on the M-M trail for .3 miles to reach Taylor Notch Road at 1.9 miles. Then we can follow the Dry Brook Trail for 1.7 miles until it meets up with the M-M trail. We can follow the M-M trail back to the trailhead.

Food details: We will bring veggie burgers, hamburgers, and hot dogs, as well as buns, condiments, and paper plates. You can bring a side dish or dessert, and we will transport everything to the summit.

Please contact Monica Chopra, Sue Weil, or Karin Downs by October 14 if you plan to hike, whether you need or can offer a ride, and to tell us what you plan to bring to the picnic. Call or e-mail us at:

Monica: mchopra5@yahoo.com, 847-323-2433 (cell)
Sue: hotweil@aol.com, 617-233-4242 (cell)
Karin: downs_karin@yahoo.com, 617-833-2911

Looking forward to hiking and picnicking with all of you!

--Karin, Sue, and Monica

Fire Displaces Elizabeth Stone House Residents

We at the Wilderness Heals blog have some sad news. Last Tuesday, a two-alarm fire consumed the top floor of a triple-decker home belonging to the Elizabeth Stone House. Located in Jamaica Plain, the building housed both the Stone House's battered women’s program and its mental health program. The fire forced the secret shelter to close, leaving seven women and their six children homeless. For the time being, residents have sought refuge in undisclosed emergency shelters throughout the area.

All residents and staff members were evacuated safely, but the building is uninhabitable. The seven staff members who worked there have been moved to the transitional housing facility in Roxbury. At this point, no decisions have been made as to whether the Stone House will choose to rebuild or move to a different location. Obviously, confidentiality is a major concern.

For additional details about the fire, read the Boston Globe story here.

Hikers who wish to help out the residents and Stone House staff may send donations directly to the Elizabeth Stone House at P.O. Box 300039, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 02130. Online donations may be made at Network for Good. For more information, call Danielle Piscatelli at 617-427-9801, ext. 415, or e-mail her at dpiscatelli@elizabethstone.org.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.
--Wilderness Heals bloggers

Two More Days!

This is a shout-out to all of the awesome women who will be arriving at the Riverside T stop and boarding a bus at 5:30 Friday morning. Just two more days, ladies, and we'll be in the mountains!

Last night I took my hiking boots out of the trunk and tied them to my pack. They'll be no boots left behind for me! I'll finish gathering all of my gear tonight. That way I can strictly focus on food Thursday night.

I hesitate to mention weather forecasts, but for anyone like myself who is obsessively checking the satellites, the Mount Washington Observatory provides up-to-date summit conditions here.

Above is a picture from a backpacking trip I took last summer. The view is a sunset seen from the summit of Mount Madison. I hope each of you sees equally glorious views this weekend!

Until Friday,
--Vicky

Eat Dust, Mount Fuji

Second-year hiker Monica Chopra submitted photographs from her training hike on Mount Monadnock. Because of its easy accessibility and its close proximity to Boston, Mount Monadnock is said to be the second-most-climbed mountain in the world, after Japan's Mount Fuji. Located in Cheshire Country, New Hampshire, the mountain has an estimated 125,000 climbers every year. If it is a clear day, hikers are rewarded at the 3,165-foot summit with panoramic views of all six New England states. Unfortunately, Monica's group summited in cloud cover! Below, Monica describes the hike:

On June 3, Abby, Becky, Lucy, Gina, Laura, and I set out to hike Mount Monadnock via the Marlboro Trail, which was a moderate five-mile trek, out and back.

Team leaders Abby and Becky did a fine job of guiding us up the trail to a cold, cloudy, and misty summit.

The hike itself was a great workout. We started out on smooth and comfortable terrain, which soon became a steep and rocky climb that slowed some of us.

As we neared the top, we were suddenly hit with very cold wind, which continued until the summit.


The entire hike took five hours to complete. It wasn't easy, and my legs were sore for a few days afterward. Nevertheless, it was a great way to start my hiking season.

Read more about Monica at her hiking blog here.

Cannonballs on a Roll

I met Susan Genatossio and Jenn Guiry during my first Wilderness Heals training hike on Cannon Mountain. I had no way of knowing it then, but the bonds we formed on the icy Kinsman Ridge Trail two years ago would carry us over many more summits. Last weekend, the three Cannonballs--our group nickname--gathered for a reunion camping and hiking trip over the 4,328-foot Mount Flume and the 4,459-foot Mount Liberty. Above: Vic, Jenn, and Susan smile at the top of Mount Flume.

Rather than hiking up the steep Flume Slide Trail, we opted to spot a car and take the more moderate Osseo Trail to the top of Mount Flume. From there, we hiked across the Franconia Ridge to the summit of Mount Liberty, and down the Liberty Spring Trail. The total mileage for the day was 10.7 miles. Above: Susan and Jenn on the Osseo Trail.

It was not an easy hike. Jenn, who had not hiked much in the past year, began to struggle several miles into our ascent. A short break, some electrolytes, and reorganizing her pack made a world of difference, and we made it to the summit of Mount Flume in book time. Above: Jenn and Vic on the Osseo Trail.

A little more than halfway up the Osseo Trail, we came to a series of steep stairs that led up the mountain. Note: climbing the steps at the Porter Square T-stop is excellent training for this type of hike. Above: Susan makes her way up the stairs.

As Jenn battled feelings of self-doubt and silently conversed with her trail gods, Susan was also deep in thought. Her trek to the summit of Mount Flume was for reasons far more personal than simply checking another 4,000-footer from her list. Above: The summit of Mount Flume is only a short climb away.

After a quick lunch at the top of Mount Flume, Susan showed us a picture of a young man. "Is that your son?" I asked. "No," she replied. "This is Ben, and his spirit lives at the top of this mountain." Above: A cloud looms over Mount Flume.

Ben was a friend of Susan's youngest son, and when he was fifteen, Ben led a group of Boy Scouts to the top of Mount Flume. The hike was a part of a series of requirements that Boy Scouts must fulfill in order to become an Eagle Scout--the highest advancement rank in Scouting. Above: The valley is seen from the summit of Mount Flume.

A few days after he returned from the hike, Ben died unexpectedly in his home. His death devastated his Scout mates, and his parents chose to have Ben's ashes scattered at the summit of Mount Flume, the last mountain he climbed before he died. Above: Mount Liberty is seen from the top of Mount Flume.

As we made our way to the summit of Mount Liberty, Susan told us more about Ben. During his memorial service, she said, another Scout member read a poem he'd written that was modeled after Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird." Eerily enough, all three of us had listened to the song during our drive to New Hampshire the previous day. Above: Jenn and Vic at the top of Mount Liberty.

The descent from Mount Liberty was long, steep, and extremely hard on the knees. Jenn, with her long legs, bounded down the mountain with ease while Susan and I doggedly trailed behind. We made it back to the campsite by five o'clock, allowing Jenn and me time to take a quick swim in the Pemi River before dinner. It was a glorious day, and my "hiker high" sustained me during the evening's long drive back to Boston.