Trail Thursday: Diana's Baths

Friday eve! We’re almost there! This week has equally gone by so fast and dragged along (yes that is definitely possible..). I got up at 4:30 this morning to get in my strength and run before I headed into work by 7:15. I did my strength, meditated, made coffee, and drove down to the lake where I was planning to run at 5:30 and saw AT LEAST 10 strikes of lightning! Sooo I turned around and got ready for work by 6:30. So here we are 6:41am, breakfast has been eaten, and I’m here writing to you! Oh well, I’m grateful that my schedule is flexible and I’ll get in my run tonight at 6pm (I’ve got 6 easy progressively fast miles on the schedule then 6 x :45 second fast sprints). What do you have going on for your Thursday?

Today I’m sharing with you one of the BEST tourist spots in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (where I grew up), Diana’s Baths. It is a great place to visit with your entire family because the walk is maybe 1/2 mile (?), relatively flat, and great nature walk to the baths themselves. The parking lot does get extremely busy, so I’d recommend visiting either during the week (if you’re going in the Summer try either early in the morning or later in the afternoon) - especially in the Fall. It’s ideal to soak in the nature-made baths in the Summer, but the foliage come late September/ early October is so beautiful too. Definitely be careful if you do walk around the falls because the rocks are very slippery and I have known many who have seriously injured themselves there.

Ever visited the White Mountains? Your favorite spot to visit?

Foliage right now- how is it where you are?!?

What did you have for breakfast? —> I had coffee & cereal this morning!

Trail Thursday- The Mount Washington Cog Railway

Happy Friday eve! It's getting so real that I'm going to be running a marathon in less than 48 HOURS! I'm starting to carbo-load today and hydrate a bunch. The weather is still looking nice, but sunny so hydration will be key. I'm going to aim to get in electrolytes throughout the next two days (via Nuun) and eat something with carbs/protein every 2 hours or so (but cut-back on veggies). Tomorrow evening I'll have something light like pasta and butter or a plain bagel with butter for dinner. 

Today, I wanted to share with a few photos that I took when riding the Mount Washington Cog Railway a few years ago after hiking up the mountain. This is a great option for those who may not be able to hike up or down the mountain, but would prefer not to drive either. You can read more about the railway here. 

Every ridden The Cog? 

Favorite memory in the White Mountains? 

I honestly cannot WAIT to hike there again really soon and do more peak-bagging!

Trail Thursday- Mt. Washington Summit via Lions Head Trail

Happy Friday eve! I'm starting to wonder why you will begin to get sick of me saying that? I'm certainly not tired of it yet (clearly), so I guess until I either get tired of the phrase or someone writes to me then I'll keep using it! I've got 3 more runs left in my 62+ mileage week and an easy 7 on-deck for today (and another long run tomorrow)! I've hiked Mt. Washington (in NH White Mtns) countless times, but the FIRST time I hiked it (or really any big mountain in many, many years) was via the Lions Head Trail.

Almost to the summit!

Mt. Washington (stands at 6, 288') is considered one of the most dangerous mountains in the US and Lions Head Trail is actually one of the more difficult ways to ascend the trail. Now, I'm definitely NOT boasting that I'm a total badass for taking on this trail in my "trail" running sneakers (they had the worst grip on slippery surfaces) with only one pair of socks- I would actually think that I'm completely crazy and totally lucky to be alive.

Looking down the trail where I almost died...fun times

This trail had some of the most stunning views (definitely do NOT try to descend on this trail unless the trail is completely dry and you're 100% confident in your rock scrambling abilities). I specifically remember a week after we hiked this trail, a man actually died from trying to descend from this exact trail. 

You can't see the trail, but it's there. I promise. Just had to go around that waterfall.

We got to the point where it was too difficult to turn around and my sneakers were wet, so regardless to say- I honestly wouldn't recommend hiking this trail to get to the top of Mt. Washington. I really enjoyed Tuckerman's Ravine trail (another option to both ascend & descend the mountain). 

Why yes, that's what we hiked up....

Favorite spot to go after hiking in Crawford Notch --> Flatbreads or Moat Mountain Brewing CO. 

I'm totally missing the White Mountains today and hiking! Can it be Spring already?!?

Favorite trail that you hiked EVER? <-- Something in NH Whites probably....

Mountain Monday-Mt.Washington via Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail

Happy Monday! Does anyone else feel like this weekend went by way too quickly? We spent Saturday at the Nutcracker (it was amazing and the little candy canes were our favorite..) and then later decorated a gingerbread house and watched The Santa Clause : ) I hope your weekend was just as great! 

I wanted to share with you some of my favorite photos of my hike up the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to the top of Mt. Washington in the White Mountains in NH. This article by Outside Magazine is a great introduction to the mountain if you've never heard of it before or just like to read about those things...

The hike along this route is less busy than the typical Tuckermans Ravine trail, however it is a bit steeper and longer. It is a total of 9 miles roundtrip and takes you by the Lake of The Clouds Hut (my favorite hut and so beautiful/historic inside).

The weather atop Mt. Washington and above tree line is extremely unpredictable. It can also get extremely dangerous when the sun starts to set and you have not begun your decent down or made camp at a hut for a night. I got to the top of Mt. Washington around 2pm and decided that the weather was starting to look unpredictable and took the Cog Railway down!

One-way tickets for the Cog are definitely not cheap (around $50), so make sure you budget wisely if you plan on taking it as part of your hike. There is nothing more rewarding (I think) than taking a train down and being able to see all that you just hiked up. When you arrive back at the train station, it is around a 0.5 mile hike on the roadway back to the parking lot (if you hiked from the trailhead).

If the weather is good and you're feeling up to tackling a challenging (and long) hike, then this is definitely one I would recommend. 

Favorite hike in the White Mountains?

Ever ridden the Cog Railway or hiked Mt. Washington?

Anyone race this weekend?!? Hope it went great!!

Mountain Monday- Mt. Willard Crawford Notch State Park

Sharing one of my absolute favorite hikes up on the blog today! Mt. Willard is a 3.2 mile hike located in Crawford Notch State Park in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and gains 977 feet. It's a great introductory hike with fantastic views and is pretty heavily used.

You begin this hike by parking at the Crawford Notch Railroad Station and cross the tracks and stay left to follow Mount Willard Trail.

You also cross by Centennial Pool, which offers great photos and a nice cool-off spot if you're hiking this in the summer. I've done this hike a few times and this past summer we brought Stella and she did great this entire hike. It was still a little early in the season (late June), so it was muddy.

At the end of the trail, you come to a fantastic viewpoint of the open ledges and all of the surrounding peaks of Crawford Notch. This is definitely a great hike to do if you're in the White Mountains for just a few days, but want to also feel like you've hiked a "mountain". 

Have you ever hiked in the White Mountains of NH? Favorite trail?

Have a favorite hike? Where is it?!

I hope you had a fantastic long weekend- I was sick most of the weekend, but we had our hands full with our newly adopted kittens! I got out for a few easy-paced runs and began my Runners' World Run Streak for 40 days until New Years Day. Sharing more info on this on Wednesday!