Sage Turns 13, and the Girls Will Take It From Here

Sage is 13!  When I started documenting her first hikes, she was only 3 years old.  It's been ten years of hiking...wow.  What a great life we've had; I have ten years filled with great memories hiking with my kids up the wild mountains of New Hampshire and on beautiful trails around the country and in different parts of the world.  I am a fortunate woman.

Alex and Sage in August 2009, the day Alex finished her first round of the NH4Ks at 6 years old (on Moosilauke),
 and just before Sage started hiking 4Ks
 (she is 4 years old in the photo and was partially carried up on the day this photo was taken).

The girls on Moosilauke last December (2017).  They each now have accomplished hundreds of NH4K ascents,
 close to two hundred non4K peaks (NH and across the country), 46 state highpoints, and a handful of thru-hikes
(John Muir Trail, Cohos Trail, Camino de Santiago, and the Laugavegur Trek).  They are also responsible for the creation of the Terrifying 25 list, which they both now fully manage (and they moderate the Facebook page),
and, last year, they began the GraniteGals podcast.
A lot can happen in ten years!

When I first started documenting our hikes, the girls were of course not old enough to have blogs or their own online presences.  There is a minimum age of 13 in our house for participating directly in/with social media.  When Alex turned 13, she was allowed to start her own blog so she could be the one keeping track of her own hiking -- that blog is Alex in the White Mountains.  She's been documenting her hiking (and Sage's) since January 2016.  Now that Sage is 13, she too has her own blog in which she documents her own hiking (and Alex's).  That blog is Sage's White Mountain Treks.  From here on out, the girls will take turns writing the trip reports for their hikes...except, of course, when each hikes solo, and then that particular solo hiker will write her own trip report of her experiences.

This blog will continue to exist mainly as a way of keeping track of the Grid peaks, and as a way of having a published record of all the girls' hikes dating back to 2008.

Another transition is public speeches -- Alex joined me on our talks earlier this year at the AMC (Sage was supposed to as well, but she caught pneumonia and was out of commission for most of February).  Now that they are teenagers, it is appropriate both Alex and Sage speak for themselves about their childhood adventures.  I have been the spokesperson for years, but now they are the appropriate ages to have their own public voices.

Thanks to everyone who has followed us over the years, and thanks to those who read UP and then kept track of all our subsequent journeys.  We have always appreciated your support, and I am glad we have had an influence on some parents who want to facilitate their children's love of the outdoors.

Alex in the White Mountains
Sage's White Mountain Treks
GraniteGals podcast
Terrifying 25

Jackson. November 1, 2016

Jackson-Webster Trail, 5 miles roundtrip, 2150 feet of elevation gain.

Alex's trip report of this hike is here.

This was supposed to be a fast and easy hike - we usually knock off this peak in three hours or less.  Both girls have a ton of schoolwork to finish over the next couple of weeks before they leave with their dad for a pre-Thanksgiving vacation, so this week's hike and next week's hike were/are supposed to be easy-speedy.  We knew there would be ice on the trails, since we keep up with current trail condition reports on various social media sites, but we figured we'd wear traction and be fine.  Unfortunately, there wasn't enough ice to warrant wearing traction...yet there was sufficient ice to slow us down tremendously.  It's that frustrating in-between season right now.

Alex's solo adventures are on hiatus until late spring.  I am a strong supporter of hikers going solo once they have the appropriate navigation and safety skills under their belts (Alex has these skills), but I am not a fan of solo hiking during winter or almost-winter.  That sentiment is strictly for me and my children -- I know of many hikers who solo in winter and I do not feel that makes them negligent.  The risk factor with solo hiking during winter skyrockets though, and it is something I am not comfortable with when it comes to me or mine.  However, for any of you reading this who are skilled solo winter trekker -- hike your own hike, have fun, and stay safe. 

Our hike began easily enough...though I was noticeably slower on the first section than I should have been, thanks to my recent consumption of far too much Halloween candy.

Here comes the ice...there, so hiking becomes tricky, but not there enough to wear microspikes without smashing the spikes into rocks.

We averaged a mile an hour for our ascent, which for us is pathetic, but oh well, safety first.  Finally, we reached the section near the top where you can see the summit.

We climbed up the ledge (too busy watching my step to take photos, sorry!) and were immediately greeted by the resident gray jays.

The sun was out and the scenery was gorgeous!  It felt warm up there; we could linger without getting cold.

I love this shot

Jackson's summit, with the southern Presis and Washington in the distance...

The girls on Jackson...

The girls plus gray jays on Jackson...

Views...

We stayed on the summit far longer than we had intended.  It was such a gorgeous day, and it was warm up there, so we just didn't want to leave.  We finally made ourselves (carefully) descend and ended up getting back to the car two hours later than we had planned.  Oh well.  With hard work, both girls finished all the schoolwork they had to do for the day anyway, so it all worked out.

Hope everyone is enjoying the season of almost-winter.

Alex's First Solo 4K, and Alex Finishes Tecumseh for the Grid

Don't forget, we need your support for Sisters Hiking for Equality!  Please donate, and "like" the girls' Facebook Page.

Alex has both solo hiked her first 4K and finished Tecumseh for the Grid!  Well done, kiddo.  Her trip report is here.

Sage and I hiked Tecumseh that same day, but we kept at least half a mile behind Alex so she could have her solo experience.  We had ways of communicating with Alex during the hike, and Alex had a way of keeping herself safe when she finished the hike and was waiting for us.  All went well, and this is likely the first of many solo hikes for Alex.

Both Alex and Sage are capable hikers; Sage may begin hiking solo too, after she turns 13 (13 is the age of many new privileges in our family).  Still, watching Alex disappear into the Tecumseh woods by herself was an emotional experience for me.  I was not afraid for her -- the girl knows what she's doing -- but I couldn't help thinking of the first time she ascended Mt. Tecumseh.  We didn't know it at the time, but that first ascent was the beginning of a certain way of life for all three of us.  It was the beginning of a journey that led to the publication of my memoir, UP: A Mother and Daughter's Peakbagging Adventure.  It eventually led to our highpointing adventures.  It was the beginning of our itch to hike not just in NH, but in different parts of the country and the globe, and it is responsible for the fundraisers past and present my daughters have run in order to raise thousands of dollars for girls and women worldwide.

We owe a lot to Mt. Tecumseh.

On with the hike.

Sage and I watched Alex go...

...then, fifteen minutes later, we began our own ascent.

The drought in NH is obvious...where's the water that usually fills this creek bed?

Up...

Viewpoint...

Up the "stairmaster" section...

The "stairmaster" section is now actually full of stone steps.  Eight years ago, when we first hiked this trail, there were no stone steps that we can remember.  The caretaker(s) of this trail has/have been slowly filling the path with stone stairs over the past several years.  The girls and I later joked that it seems the steps will eventually stretch all the way from the road to the summit.

Up on the ridge, after the stairmaster section...

Sign for the summit...

We reached the summit and there was Alex.  She was finishing up her fifteen minute break up top; I snapped a few photos of the view, and then I got a picture of her and Sage.

They were trying not to become blinded by the sun, hence their squinty expressions.

Alex finished her sandwich and began her descent.  Sage and I hung about and ate for a while, then, after fifteen minutes or so, we headed down.

Alex reached the viewpoint in what seemed like two seconds (she texted me).  Sage and I had barely begun going down the stairmaster section.  By the time we reached the viewpoint, Alex had finished her hike.  It was interesting to see how quickly she descended using her own speed, without having to stop and wait for me.  She was fast...I think she got down in less than forty minutes.

With that, Alex is finished with Tecumseh for the Grid.  Sage still has to hike this peak during the month of June, then she too is finished with Tecumseh. 

By the way, it may seem like Alex is getting most of the focus these days.  That's inaccurate, but I can see how one might get that impression.  Alex has a blog and a voice online now because of her age.  When Sage turns 13, she'll also have her own blog and her own independent voice.  We need to follow all the social media rules, so since the girls are two years apart, it means Alex gets a two year head-start on blogging and social media.  Sage understands and doesn't mind.

We'll hike again on Sunday or Monday.  No solo peaks for Alex this time around, since we'll be doing a set of mountains we've only done a couple of times before.

Happy hiking!