HAPPY New Year everyone!

Arethusa Falls,Frankenstein cliffs and Baldface loop

 I'm a bit behind in my blogging but have a couple of incredible hikes to share with you all. Two weeks ago we hiked up into Arethusa Falls in Crawford notch. Foliage is a bit drab this year but as you'll see, the mushroom/fungi crop is quite bountiful this year....some as big as a Yorkie!

 The view from the top of Frankenstein cliffs is awesome. We thank the other hikers up there for taking a family picture for us.

 Looking back up to Frankenstein cliffs. (below)

 Last weekend we decided to tackle the ridge below. Baldface loop trail. The loop summits Baldface knob and both South and North Baldface mountains.

 Oyster mushrooms....some of our favorites

 On our way up we took a short side trail into, aptly named Emeral Pool....now there's some cold water!

 We passed through a beautiful grove of birch trees as we gained elevation.

 The trail up was very steep, and recommended for expert hikers....which we are. It was near vertical at times. these little Yorkie legs are seasoned and I often have to wait for my folks to catch up to me.

 The views at the top....unsurpassed. Well worth the steep scramble to get up there. STUNNING!

 Heading up South Baldface....

 Looking back down on Bald knob.....

 and finally over to North Baldface.....

 Where we had to throw up the tent on a ledge just as the sun was going down. Not the ideal spot....but better than some.

 We were rewarded with the most awesome sunrise ever. Just beautiful

 Headed down the ridge the next day we spotted snow covered Mt Washington off in the distance.

 We stopped on another ledge and Dad cooked us a great breakfast.

 He even picked some last harvest alpine blueberries...they were delicious.

 As we were headed home we spotted another hornets nest, way, WAY up in a tree, natures way of saying."heavy snow this winter" Stay tuned, time to break out the snowshoes.

Waterfalls & flood damage

I am starting my blog entry today with an old picture of me & my mom on the suspension bridge that leads over the Wild River and into the wilderness because this is where we intended to do our first pre-fall hike of the year. But as you will see, we were greeted with devastation upon arrival. The flooding caused by the recent hurricane called Irene, has taken the bridge completely out. We were completely shocked, dumbfounded in fact. Our hearts broke at the sight of the rubble that once was a gallant bridge.....gone.

After mourning our loss we chose not to ford the river this time and moved on out of the Evan's notch area and up to Randolf NH. Mom picked an impromptu hike that lead up the backside of Mt Madison. A somewhat short hike that turned out to be near vertical up most of the way. We camped in the deep thickets off trail on a slope not much fit for sleeping. But tired as we were we all slept quite well.

Our trip back down the mountain via a side route rewarded us with several sets of waterfalls. We followed the river all day down down down. Ice cold mountain water to slurp and play in. This yorkie was in heaven.

Sore legs at the end of a great weekend made us all aware of just how steep our hike had been.

On our way home we stopped in Lincoln to find more bridge damage at the entrance to the resort on Loon mountain. This bridge was undermined by what must have been incredible force.

I am so gad to be hiking again after much time this summer in a canoe. I do fear however that this will not be the last of the terrible hurricane damage that we will encounter this fall. Please be careful in the woods near these areas. And take time to reflect on what once was....and won't ever be again.

Happy Birthday

Today is my 6th birthday. I have lived the most incredible life for a 4 pound Yorkie and I look forward to the years to come follow me on many more adventures........but today I rest and EAT CAKE....Happy Birthday to me!

picures go with yesterday's written blog ( below)