California Adventures: Mugu Peak

Prior to going to California, I had done some research on hikes in the area around Ojai. Mugu Peak looked like a very cool hike, so we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, dogs aren't allowed in state parks, so we had to leave Bean behind. 

From the trailhead, the path leads uphill for almost a mile. My calves begin to burn. We stop several times to take in the view of the ocean behind us and catch our breath. We take the road less traveled and head down behind Mugu Peak into a large open field, full of tall grasses, wildflowers, and the charred remains of trees and shrubs that had burned in the 2013 wildfire. The landscape is surreal. Foothills surround the basin; in the distance above the foothills rises the jagged silhouette of the Boney Mountain ridge. The ground is hard as cement. It's so dry that the earth has cracked, forming gaps beneath my feet, some several inches deep. 

The trail gradually heads back towards the coast, and we begin our ascent of the mountain. To one side of us is a deep valley, to the other side the endless Pacific Ocean extending all the way to the horizon, and ahead of us, above us, is the peak with its American flag waving. Such a combination of mountains and oceans is rare in New England (except for maybe in Acadia), and I am in constant amazement at the scale and beauty of my surroundings. 

At the summit, we wolf down PB&J sandwiches. A dry throat, peanut butter and bread do not mix very well. After gulping down some water, we continue down the trail that loops across the front of the mountain, overlooking the ocean. We soon come back to the saddle where the paths split, and we follow the steep trail down towards the trailhead. We practically stumble down the final section of the trail back to the car. Exhausted, somewhat sun-burnt, and quite possibly dehydrated, we make it down and blissfully enjoy a car ride back to Ojai with the air conditioning blasting.

California Adventures: Hiking in Ojai

I recently returned from a week-long vacation during which I visited my best friend from high school. The next several posts will give you a glimpse into a few of our adventures and travels around Southern California.

Ojai is a small town nestled in a valley up against the Los Padres National Forest. It is full of orchards which grow a variety of fruits: oranges, lemons, limes, avocados and grapes. To a girl from New England who grew up with apple orchards, the notion of an orange grove or avocados just waiting to be plucked off the tree is somewhat foreign. 

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After a long day of traveling, my friend took me on a gorgeous hike up in the foothills at the far end of the Ojai Valley. We walked along a mix of national forest trails and horse trails. Beneath my feet, the earth was dry and dusty; a fine rust colored dust quickly covered my shoes and lower legs. The sun shone from overhead and trees were sparse.

The heat there is much different from the heat back east; there is no humidity. I could feel the heat radiating from the ground through the soles of my shoes. Shortly into our hike, I am sweating from every pore imaginable, and my mouth and lips are bone dry. 

The hike heads up Horns Canyon and veers right onto a trail that zigzags up the hillside. The views into the valley are impressive. The horizon is ringed by mountains and hills, and far off in the distance is the Pacific Ocean. Today, the only hint of the ocean is the low lying clouds that hang over the coastal area.  

Nearing the end of the hike, we head back towards the boarding school and the far-lying riding arenas. My friend’s dog, Bean, nimbly leads the way down the hillside, as my friend and I skid down parts of the steep dirt trail. Upon arriving back on campus, Bean found a water trough to cool off in, which proved to be quite a challenge. 

Above Treeline: Eisenhower & Monroe

A few snapshots from Saturday's hike up Mt. Eisenhower and Mt. Monroe in the southern portion of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We couldn't have asked for a better day above treeline; the weather was perfect! 

Junction of Edmands Path & Crawford Path.

Headed up Mt. Eisenhower.

Crawford Path to Mt. Monroe; Mt. Washington in the distance.

Taking in the view atop Little Monroe.

California Dreaming

Less than one week 'til west coast adventures!

“Never forget that anticipation is an important part of life. Work's important, family's important, but without excitement, you have nothing. You're cheating yourself if you refuse to enjoy what's coming.” 

― Nicholas Sparks, Three Weeks With My Brother

Exploring Maine: Grafton Notch State Park

Most of the hiking I do is in the White Mountains due to it's convenient location and proximity to where I live. I don't often venture far from the usual stomping grounds, but this weekend I decided to explore a lesser known, but equally gorgeous and rugged wilderness. Leaving from my family's cabin in southern Maine, it was a 2 hour drive over winding back roads full of frost heaves to Newry, Maine.

Grafton Notch State Park is located in western Maine between the town of Bethel (think: Sunday River) and the White Mountains; it contains some of the most rugged terrain on the AT and is home to Old Speck, the 4th highest mountain in Maine and the tallest peak in the Mahoosuc Range.

Table Rock: The boy and I decided to do a short, but fairly challenging hike up to Table Rock, which offers fantastic views of the notch. The trail starts out gradually before rocketing up the mountainside. A large majority of the trail was an endless series of carefully placed rock steps; the rest of the trail was made of a jumble of boulders and roots, and even some iron rungs on the larger slabs of rock.

Despite it being the beginning of July, we encountered cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 60s, which paired with the steady wind (20+ mph) felt unseasonably cool. When we came out on to Table Rock, my fear of heights paired with the gusty wind, kept me a good distance from the edge. Even on a grey day, the views were impressive. Directly across the notch stood Old Speck, a solid imposing mountain, and farther below to the left is the rock formation known as The Eyebrow. After a few minutes atop, it got pretty chilly, so we headed down the trail 'til it joined the AT and returned back to the floor of the notch.

Moose Cave: We pulled over into a small parking lot with a sign the read Moose Cave. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the name was enticing enough to peak my interest. Turns out it was a deep gorge that had be carved out by glacial meltwater; the name comes from an unlucky moose who had fallen into one of the many granite caves.

Screw Auger Falls: Our last stop of the day was to a large set of falls that had also been a product of the glacial meltwater. Glacial potholes had been carved out of the granite riverbed through which the Bear River now flows.

And to top off a great day of exploring, we found a roadside pie and baked goods stand!

Summer Bucket List

July is upon us and it truly feels like summer (hazy, hot and humid). Having recently started a 9 to 5 job, I am looking forward to having weekends off. During the summer months, my company has implemented a 38 hour work week, which means only 6 hours at the office on Friday and an early start to the weekend. I'll take it. Here's to the many adventures to come!

Some plans already in place include:

• Week-long trip to Southern California to visit my best friend from high school
• Spending some quality time at the family's cabin on a lake in Maine
• Half marathon (13.1 miles)

And a few potential ideas:

• Hike some more 4,000 footers
• Backpacking trip
• Saco River canoe overnight (at the suggestion of the boy)
• Race to the Top of Vermont (aka run up Mt. Mansfield)

P.S. If you so desire to join me on any of these adventures or have any suggestions let me know. I love having company!