1/9/23 - Day Ninety

Today I finished the Speckled tab! There are 12 spreadsheets that list all of the 657(+/-) trails in the White Mountain Guidebook, and this hike was the last one I needed to complete the Speckled tab. It was a really bittersweet hike. I have done all of these trails before, back on January 1, 2022, but this time there was almost no snow whereas last time the trails were completely coated with feet of snow. I really enjoyed seeing what was under all that snow. The old rock walls, boundary markers, and the forest floor. There is nothing quite like a forest blanketed in fallen leaves. The sun heated up the soil and I inhaled deeply, savoring the heady aroma that is usually unattainable in January. Every time I found myself feeling annoyed that I had yet another uphill, I reminded myself that this was the last time I would be over in this area and instantly felt myself slow down. The last place I ever imagined finishing first was in the Speckled region - one I had never visited until January, 2022, a region that intimidated me because of its remoteness. It feels right that of all the places to finish first, I picked the one that I knew the least about, the one that hugs the border between my two favorite states, the region that has won my heart.

Daily Miles: 9.27

Daily Vert: 2416’

Overall Miles: 967.68

Overall Vert: 276,933’

Trace: 41.8% -> 42.2%

Trails:

Leach Link Trail

Deer Hills Bypass

Deer Hills Trail

Ledges Trail

Frost Trail

Deer Hill Spring Spur