October 18, 2026
We started a little after seven, when the trailhead was still wrapped in fog. The first hour is a steady climb through birch and pine, and the only sound was our boots and a woodpecker somewhere off to the left.
By ten the fog had burned off and the ridge opened up. The maples below had turned every shade between orange and deep red. We stopped at the rock shelf near the halfway marker for coffee from a thermos and a cheese-and-pickle sandwich.
The descent was slower than planned because the leaves hid a lot of loose stones. Total: about 14 km and 800 m of climbing. Next time I will bring trekking poles and a second pair of socks.