Monday February 19th, President’s Day, my friend Jen, Reba and I hiked Jackson and Pierce which are the southern most mountains in the Presidential Range.  The weather couldn’t have been better that day, blue skies, warm temps and just a little wind.  We started on the Webster/Jackson Trail all the way to the summit of Jackson.  The trail was hard packed which made for a fast hike up to the summit.  Once we hit tree line we did encounter some ice on the rock slabs.  That along with an increasing wind made for a few tricky moments.  When we reached the summit the wind had died down so we where able to stay for a few minutes at the summit to have a snack and enjoy the grey jays trying to get us to feed them.

From the summit we followed the Webster Cliff Trail to the summit of Pierce.  This trail had not been traveled as much as the prior trail so we had to use snowshoes.  On this trail there where great lookouts over the northern Presidential’s and many other beautiful views.  The trail also brings you to the AMC Mizpah Spring Hut.  From the hut the trail climbs up a very steep section then levels out and makes for an easy, fast hike over to the summit of Pierce.

We were all alone on the summit of Pierce which was very nice.  Again the grey jays where waiting for a hand out.  For our descent we took Crawford Path, which is said to be the oldest continuously used hiking trail in the US.  This trail like Webster/Jackson Trail was hard packed making for a quick descent down.  This hike was 8 miles long and took us 5 hours to complete.  This was Reba and I’s second time up Jackson and Pierce but Gumby’s first time.

This past week I did not have time to go on a big hike, but we did get out for short walks in the woods each day.  Reba and Buck spent some time with their other four legged friends Cooper and Benson the Bassett Hound.  We went to Goose Pond for a short hike and the dogs had a marvelous time playing together!

Since I don’t have much to report for hikes this week I thought I would share a few of my favorite hikes so far that Reba and I have done.

Lincoln (5,089 ft) & Lafayette (5,260 ft)

Our second 4000 footers where Lincoln and Lafayette in Franconia Notch.  The hike along Franconia Ridge is amazing, but the only downfall is the popularity of the hike.  I have never had to wait in line to go up and trail and this is what we encountered on this hike.  This hike I was joined my Beth, her daughter and another lady from work named Claire.  We started on Falling Waters Trail which is a nice trail that has many waterfalls as the name would suggest.  I tried to enjoy the beauty of the trail but having so many other people on the trail and Reba was not easy. She is shy and uncertain about some people so she had to be on the leash which is not her favorite thing.  Falling Waters Trail leads you to Little Haystack Mt which is not on the 4000 footers list due to it being less than 200 feet above the col on the ridge from Lincoln.  From there we followed the Franconia Ridge Trail, which is also part of the Appalachian Trail, to the summit of Lincoln then over to Lafayette.  The ridge between theses two mountains is amazing, you feel like you are in another world.  Descending from Lafayette we followed the Greenleaf Trail that brings you to the AMC Greenleaf Hut, then down the Old Bridle Path which also has amazing views.  The whole hike is about 9 miles.

Mt Jefferson ( 5,712 ft)

We did Jefferson with my friend Kathie and her dog Bodhi.  Kathie and Bodhi have completed the 48 4000 footers already.  Kathie has actually done it twice.  We did this hike in July and the weather that day was ok, it rained on us a tiny bit going up Caps Ridge Trail and it was rather cool.  Caps Ridge Trail is only 2.1 miles long but it is a very hard, steep rocky climb.  It took us longer since we had the dogs and had to go at a pace that they where comfortable at.  Reba enjoys rock scrambles but these rock scrambles where more challenging and she had to get a lift every once in a while.  When we reached the trail intersection with The Cornice Trail the wind had really picked up.  We decided to go around to the back side of Jefferson to make our ascent to the summit.  So we slowly made our way on the The Cornice to Gulfside to Six Husbands Trail.  The wind was much better once we reached Six Husbands Trail and we could actually feel like we would not be blown over.  The wind was strong at the summit of Jefferson as you can see from Reba’s ears in the picture.  The wind died down some so we descended Caps Ridge Trail and followed that all the way out.  This was our first mountain in the Presidential Range that we climbed and it was breathtaking.  Caps Ridge Trail also happens to be on the Terrifying 25 hiking trail list that I plan on completing someday, that is a list that Reba will not be joining me on, only Gumby!  I repeated Jefferson again last summer with Lindsey, Beth and Cooper (Linsdey’s dog) and loved every moment of the hike!

Yesterday we joined my friend Lindsey and her dog Cooper on a hike up West Rattlesnake in Holderness.  It was Lindsey’s first hike since injuring her knee when we attempted Mt Monroe in October.  My daughter Emma joined me on the hike along with Reba and Buck.  It was a very mild day and not to many cars in the parking lot which was perfect.  Buck needs more socialization with people and dogs so this hike was good for him because your bound to see lots of people and dogs.  He did great with everything and his recall was perfect.  We spent some time at the top taking pictures, Lindsey took some amazing photos and then we headed back down.  It was great to have Lindsey and Cooper back out on the trail!

Mt Cabot is the northern most 4000 footer, it is located outside of Berlin, NH.  On this hike I was joined by my good friend Beth and her daughter, and of course Reba and Gumby.  It was an early morning since it takes over 2 hours to drive to the trailhead.  Reba was excited as usual and eager to get on the trail.  It was a cloudy, grey day but not terribly cold or windy.  We started on the York Pond Trail which is a very flat, easy trail and you get a wonderful view of Mt Cabot. I really enjoy at the end of hikes looking back up at the mountain that I just climbed, it gives you a great sense of accomplishment and sometimes I can’t believe I just climbed certain mountains!

We then took Bunnell Notch Trail which is flat for a while, then you start to ascend gradually at first and then more steadily.  The trail was nicely packed so all we needed where spikes, no snowshoes.  As we gained elevation the scenery grew more beautiful, some spots opened up and you could catch a little bit of a view.  Reba found a few squirrels to chase but the deep snow off the trail slowed her down a bit.  

Killkenny Ridge Trail intersects and joins Bunnell Trail. Then Bunnell Trail ends and you continued to follow Killkenny Trail to the Cabot Cabin which is a small cabin that you can stay in that’s open year round.  We had lunch in the cabin which Reba was not to thrilled about,  the cabin was small and shes not a fan of tight spaces and we where joined by two other hikes who happened to be men, another thing shes not a fan of.

Gumby at the Cabot Cabin

After refueling we set off to summit Mt Cabot, which was just a short hike from the cabin.  Once we hit the top we took our customary photos and Gumby had his photo too. Then we turned around to head back down the same way we came up.

At the top!

Reba must have gotten bored or knew we where a little tired and needed a laugh because she decided to do what we call her “worm” down the trail, she lay’s down back legs behind her and slithers down the trail. Click on this link to play the short video of her “worming” IMG_1066. But she wasn’t bored for long because we ran into two other hikers and their two dogs so she had some other dogs to play with.

Worming Reba

The total distance of the hike was 9.75 miles and it took us a little over 5 hours to do.  It was a nice hike and I look forward to doing it again this summer and adding on The Horn and the The Bulge, which are done when you make the hike over Cabot a loop.  And they are on the 52 with a View hiking list that I hope to accomplish with Reba and Gumby someday!

After the snow storm yesterday we could not wait to get out and go for a hike.  Buck is our new pup, he is a 7 month old lab/hound.  We got him in October and he has become Reba’s best friend.  Buck is still young so he can not go on long strenuous hikes yet.  So when we bring him we keep to the shorter trails.

I had planned on going to break trail at Little Sugarloaf, but the parking lot at Wellington was not plowed yet, so we went to Round Top another great short, local hike.

We where the first ones out on the trail today but the snow was light and fluffy so it was very easy going with snowshoes.  We started on New Chester Mountain Road where we found this interesting design in the snow made by a small rodent.

Then we continued on the Cabin Trail to the Stephens Trail to the summit of Little Round Top.

Since the hike is so short we went back down the Stephens Trail to the Greenan Trail back to the parking lot.  The pups spent a lot of the hike chasing squirrels and wrestling in the snow so they where ready for a nap!

Hello, my name is Katie, and this is my blog about my adventures hiking with Gumby and my dog Reba.  Here’s a little history behind who Reba is and why I hike with Gumby.

Four years ago I adopted Reba from a rescue in southern NH.  My daughter and I went to an open house they were having to look at the puppies.  We had seen Reba on their website and when we saw her in person my daughter fell in love instantly.  So the next day we went back to adopt her.  She was around 8 months old when we adopted her and she seemed to be a friendly puppy.  I little shy but she had just been transported from Tennessee, so I thought that maybe all the change had something to do with her shyness.

It took her some time to settle in to her new home and get used to living with two cats.  She was very timid and shy in the house but as soon as you took her outside she was very confident and happy.  So I started to take her on small hikes and she was in heaven.  She loved being outside in the woods, chasing squirrels, running and playing.  We started to hike with friends and their dogs which she really enjoyed.  She was still timid of new people but having other confident dogs around seemed to help.  A good friend had done the 48 4000 footer in NH with her dog and that inspired me to set that as a goal to accomplish with Reba.

So on May 21, 2016 Reba and I hiked our first 4000 footer North Kinsman.  We did not actually have this planned for the day, we where part of a group from work that hikes together and where just planning on hiking to Lonesome Lake.  But my friend Beth was on the hike, who had never hiked Kinsman and had the same goal to hike all the 48.  So we decided to give it a go.  We were properly prepared for the hike and Reba was more than ready.  It was a great hike to the top of North Kinsman up the Fishin Jimmy Trail.  That trail was long and difficult but we all (Reba included) enjoyed every minute of it.  After that hike I was hooked and so was Reba from what I could tell.  And from then until now we have been chipping away at hiking the 48 4000 footers and we are coming close to finishing.

Every time I get my pack out and start packing the night before a hike Reba gets very excited, she knows that we are going on a big adventure full of running in the woods, chasing squirrels and getting to spend time with our friends, human and four legged!

So how does Gumby play a part in our hiking?  Gumby accompanies Reba and I on hikes in memory of my Uncle Tim.  He was an avid hiker and had hiked throughout the White Mountains.  Tim started to bring Gumby with him on hikes after he had an incident with a table saw and his thumb.  He cut the tip of his thumb off and after the stitches came out it left a scar that resembled Gumby’s face.  It was then a running joke and that morphed into a Gumby figurine going on hikes.

Tim was diagnosed with Glioblastoma which is an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2010.  He took  part in many experimental treatments to fight the progression of the cancer.  Tim passed away in 2012.

I never hiked with Tim, when he was hiking I was not interested in hiking which is something that I will forever regret.  But I have been lucky enough to be able to hike with my dad (who is Tim’s brother) and my Uncle Bill (another brother of Tim).  Bill and I climbed Mt Washington last March and it was amazing!

I received my Gumby for Christmas in 2017 so he has not been on all the 4000 footers, but he will be eventually.  The ultimate goal is to climb all of the 4000 footers in New England with Reba and Gumby, Reba will have to sit out on Katahdin, no dogs allowed.

I’ll be writing about the hikes I have done so far and about hikes I will be doing going forward.  Enjoy!!