South & North Crocker

Appalachian Trail

January 1, 2011


Happy New Year!! We are up early and out the door by 6:30 AM. After a quick stop at a store, we arrive at Caribou Valley Road and gear up with XC skis. Our snowshoes and boots on our pack. The road has had snowmobile traffic making for easy skiing. As we start out, we enjoy views of the sun rising over the ski slopes of Sugarloaf.

With us today are Justin, Tom, and Kaitrin who has very limited XC skiing experience, but a spirit not to be dampened by a few falls. In @ 2 hours we reach the junction with the AT, 4.5 miles down the road. Changing over to our hiking boots and snowshoes, we start up the unbroken trail.

We are breaking trail through 1 foot of snow as we start out, which nears 3 feet in depth as we make our way higher up the mountain. The scree field and rock slide that we must cross are bare rock, with ice in between making for sketchy footing. It is here that Geri realizes that her snowshoe is starting to break at the crampon and we stop to attempt a repair. Thirty minutes later we make another repair that allows her to summit S. Crocker.

With low clouds we are limited views, so enjoy a quick snack before preparing to head over to N. Crocker. Geri decides to head down rather that risk further damage - Justin, Tom, Kaitrin and I continue on through the deep snow. Kaitrin has a few issues with her snowshoes, but in a little over an hour we are on the summit.

We began the long trek back to the road, don our skis and make it back to the car by 6:30. What a great day to start the New Year!!

Directions to Trailhead
PUT DIRECTIONS HERE

Length of Hike:
11:00 hours
16:00 miles





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