Eastman Mountain
Submitted by Pat
Stats
Mountain: Eastman Mountain (2,939)
Date: November 11, 2017
Time: 6 hours
Weather: Sunny, 20s, breezy
Miles: 8
Elevation Gain: 1,570
Trails: Baldface Circle Trail — Slippery Brook Trail — Eastman Mountain Trail
The trail starts out relatively flat until it reaches the intersection of the Baldface Circle Trail and the Slippery Brook Trail. We head up the Slippery Brook Trail, yellow our blaze color. Not too many people use this trail unless they are bagging Eastman or if they want to avoid the ledges on the Baldface Circle Trail. Lots of debris on the trail after yesterday’s wind. I love the satisfaction I get from whipping branches off the trail with my hiking poles and hearing them land well away.
We follow a brook for a while. There are several water crossings and thankfully we’re able to find dry rocks to step on as we cross the stream. Only three crossings of note and each one is easier than the last as we hike up the ridge, away from the brook. The trail starts to become steeper and I strip down to two light layers, afraid of sweating in my fleece. The footing is excellent compared to other hikes. Some erosion, a few blow downs, and some big steps up, but mostly the trail is in decent shape and the walking is easy.
Although I maintain a positive and hopeful outlook, I begin to feel some fatigue seep into my legs and my right glute is especially sore. I’m able to walk through the hip flexor pain, but each time we start up after a break, the tendon screams until I walk through it. I’m breathing hard and I consciously try to slow my panting. I try and breathe into my belly instead of into the top of my lungs. Nancy is ahead and waits for me a lot. She also strips down to two layers, but the sweat and wet clothes is too much so she puts her jacket back on.
This is definitely a challenging day with the cold for her. The time it takes for her to go from cold to very scary cold is a couple of seconds. I can read the struggle on her face and it can’t help that I am moving so slowly. She stops every so often to take a picture and we stop for an occasional drink, but I know that as soon as she stops generating heat, her body immediately and rapidly starts to cool where she becomes uncomfortable and frightened. I am also having issues staying warm. Usually I generate enough heat that I only need to wear a couple of light layers, no gloves and no hat, but not today. I withstand the cold I feel on my torso, but my hands and feet keep getting cold. I put on some dry gloves and take them off as soon as my hands warm up, but this on and off process happens all day instead of the 1 or 2 times before hitting the summit.
When we reach the Eastman Mountain Trail, we still have .8 to the summit. I put on a light fleece that has built-in mittens so I can quickly cover my hands when they grow cold. I even put the hood up for a good portion of that .8 miles, until the last steep climb.
We are in the midst of that steep climb when we encounter two hikers coming down. The man says, “It’s Nancy and Pat!” It’s the older couple we met when we climbed Mt. Hayes! We stop and talk about our serendipitous meetings on the trail. We take a picture and move on before the cold completely overtakes us.
The summit is rocky and open. Great views of the Baldfaces and a glimpse of the snow-covered Presidentials. The sun feels warm and we decide to try and eat at the top. We find a place out of the breeze and enjoy our lunches.
Before descending, Nancy performs a full strip of her upper clothing and changes into dry clothes. I help as I can and eventually she’s dressed and has chemical warmers in her mittens. Down we go. There is ½” of snow at the top and for about a mile down the trail. Snow! Walking is easy as long as we avoid the ice. There is a lot of ice frozen amidst the leaves along the steeper part of the trail, but we pick our way through it without mishap.
I take a prophylactic dose of ibuprofen to mask some of the knee pain I know I will feel on the descent. As the sun sets behind a ridge, the walk becomes colder. On and off with gloves and hood for the 3.5 miles until we reach the car on Rt. 113. Time to breathe and pound some fluids until we take off for her car parked at the MacDonalds in Ossipee. Calm, comfortable connected drive to her car. Proud, Happy and tired.
Down and safe.