Thursday, May 31, 2007

Crawford Notch

This is the next installment of our NH trip pictures. We were primarily visiting the White Mountain Region. The Appalachian Trail that stretches across 14 states from Maine to Georgia, passes through this region.
We made our next stop at Crawford Notch to hike the Mt. Willard trail. The trail is a 3 mile trail that probably took us about 2-2.5 hrs to hike. The trail is mainly made of rocks and pebbles that go up gradually. You just have to watch your footing for many a time I almost twisted my ankle in an urge to walk faster :) We met families with kids around 8 yrs of age or older going up this trail. Use of hiking pole or even a long sturdy branch will definitely ease the struggle especially on the kids.
The trails are so quiet and so close to nature, you hear the squirrel scuttling around and the branches swaying in the wind. Hmmmm so peaceful! But when we just began to start wondering whether we will ever get to the top, several folks were kind enough to encourage us. They all promised that the view was well worth and trouble.
Well, we finally saw bright sunlight at the end of the 'leafy tunnel' and we excitedly raced to the finish, if it is possible to race over rocks and stones.
This is what met the eyes on Mt. Willard at an elevation of 2804 ft. No picture can replicate the view or the feeling of awe and amazement that you get when you behold this sight. That teeny tiny road way down there, was the road we had just traveled. What a humbling experience!!
It felt much warmer and less windier here, when compared to Mt. Washington, because of the lower elevation. So we just sat there, rested awhile and drank in the breathtaking sight in front of us from all directions possible. This was the best part of the trip. It still gives me goosebumps!

Later we stopped at Silver Cascade, right beside the road. This one was a very easy hike, it takes around 10 minutes or so. The fact that your destination is always visible to you on your way up helps a lot!!

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