Hiking Mount Major

Saturday the 21st was the second hike of the season with the Summit Seekers, a group of friends and friends of friends who enjoy a good walk in the woods. This was the first hike my wife Amy has joined me on, and was my first hike as an Amateur Radio Technician.

There was still some ice and snow on the trail, despite the warm rain we had the week before, and it was quite slippery at the top. Our friend loaned her some spare cleats, and I dug in and climbed through trees with Jordan.

The top was expansive. Mostly rock with islands of trees and shrubbery all over. At the peak of the peak, it was windy and cool, but there was a rock wall shelter for hikers to take refuge in. We were able to see for hundreds of miles in every direction, under the clear blue sky. Somehow, Lake Winnipesaukee still had ice over most of it.

After taking a 3D photo of the mountaintop, I sat on top of the shelter wall with my Baofeng handheld, and talked to a fellow crossing the state of New Hampshire via a repeater South of Manchester.

Once be bid each other adieu, I pinged a repeater out of Alfred, ME. That was some impressive range for a handheld! On the slide back down the mountain, I listened in on some hams chatting on the 2-meter calling channel, 146.520.

We made it safely back down, where it was much warmer. Another group of friends chimed in that a trail they took had been clear.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-hampshire/mount-major-and-brook-trail-loop