A wicked hard hike in New England...

[Mags]

Thought I'd share what I did over Thanksgiving
Weekend. May be good for a few laughs... Still
sorting out my CDT photos..needed a break!


-Mags


Jerimoth Hill in Rhode Island has a rather curious
history [1]. At 812 feet, it is not exactly mountain
that towers over the country side. The summit is a
non-descript pile of rocks in a wooded area within
minutes of the Connetcicut border. The elevation gain
is five feet from the road on a path that is perhaps
100 meters long. But this modest hill is the high
point in Rhode Island. As such, it is a "must-do"
summit for people interested in reaching the high
point in each of the fifty states. [2]

The "curious history" aspect of this summit is that
Jerimoth Hill was described as the "hardest high
point" [3] to reach of all the fifty states. Mt.
Washington may have 200+ MPH winds, Denali may be
remote and high and Ranier may be a classic in world
mountaineering... but how may summits have gun-toting
New Englanders who will bash you over the head?

High winds, white out condtions and remoteness may
make doing other summits difficult but dodging bullets
is a bit more of a challenge.

For years, the High Pointers allowed posing by the
highway summit sign as an adequate substitute for
reaching the high point. Posing by a sign was deemed a
bit less dangerous than dealing with armed locals.

Jerimoth Hill lost this rather dubious "honor" in 2005
when new land owners allowed access to the true summit
on weekends. No longer would intrepid hikers have to
contend with gun-toting New Englanders. The new owners
have even made an improved path to the "summit".

This past Thanksgiving, I visited my home state. Have
not celebrated Turkey Day in RI since 1998. The
thought of Mom's home cooking after four months of
eating Ramen on the Continental Divide Trail sounded
to good to pass up. And after a month of camping in
the desert of New Mexico, celebrating Thanksgiving in
Utah (as I have done since 2001) did not sound too
inviting!

Used my visit as a chance to climb the highest point
in Rhode Island.

With me for this arduous climb was my good friend Tim.
Tim and I went to the same Catholic elementary school,
ended up working at the same hospital as orderlies in
our early twenties, and made rather large bar tabs
(with our good friend Leo) in our early twenties as
well. (At least I think we did..the years 20-25 are a
bit hazy for me. Pitchers of beer along with
Jaegermesiter and "kamikaze" shots put those years in
a bit of a fog.)

Tim took me on my first backpacking trip. He also
joined me for the last week of the Appalachian and
Pacific Crest Trails. And Tim was there for that fated
climb up Jerimoth Hill.

I arrived at the Geoffroy household for 8am. We then
suited up for the hike.

Provisions were packed. Equipment checked. Tim said
his last goodbyes to his wife, step-son and one-year
old daughter. A grave moment....

(Actually, I think the extent of the prepartion was me
finishing my coffee and Tim asking if I wanted to
drive. Reckless, I know).

Drove for five minutes and reached the summit sign on
the highway. Walked across the road and found the
trail. Was thankful for the time I spent on the CDT
this past year, otherwise I think would have been lost
on this twisty path. (OK...so there were more signs in
100 meters than I saw on the entire CDT this year!)

We reached the summit...without a support team or
oxygen. Reckless still!

The summit was a pile of rocks. A register was signed.
We posed, took photos. Jerimoth Hill was conquered!

After this difficult trek, Tim and I celebrated. How
else do two Rhode Island boys celebrate climbing a
summit in the morning? By going to a Rhode Island
diner, of course. Home fries, eggs, corn beef hash.
Lots of coffee. A fitting end to a most difficult
adventure.

Pics of this epic triumph at: http://snipurl.com/14mpd

[1] http://www.quahog.org/attractions/index.php?id=69
[2] http://highpointers.org/
[3] http://snipurl.com/14mp6

[rickb]

That was wicked cool Mags.

But the link that led to your website was reallly wiked pissah. Even your gear list was a a treat to behold. I liked the shirt

I do a great deal of my mountaiineering in RI these days. While the exposure takes some getting used to, the rocky ridgeline at the Norman Bird Sanctuary outside of Newport is serioulsy high on my favorites. Thanks for the tip on a new place. Do you know where one can hire a guiide?

[Frosty]

Don't make fun of RI hiking. Consider:

1) Hundreds of people hike the entire AT every year. Only a handful, if any, complete RI's North-South Trail every year.

2) The AT is blazed throroughly and effectively. The N-ST is sometimes blazed, though trail junctions are usually left unmarked.

3) The is a large and active support network of Trail Angels along the AT. As Mags said, in RI the locals rarely bop you over the head with guns any more.

4) The AT has guidebooks and maps that are updated regularly. The N-ST does have a guide book, but it is a tad out of date, apparently having been written before the last glaciation period rearranged the landscape.

5) The AT has several hundred shelters and even more campsites, and you can even download their GPS coordinates. The N-ST has few established camping areas, and the guidebook is sometimes less than specific as to their location. For instance, in describing the only legal campsite within 29 miles, the guidebook has this to say: "Concerned this site could become an attractive nuisance, a number of people at RIDEM have asked that I not disclose its precise location here. Therefore it is up to you to find it on your own." (I am NOT making this up. It's on page 165.)

From the above, we can draw the scientific conclusion that hiking Rhode Island's North-South Trail is much more difficult than hiking the Appalachian Trail.

[Lone Wolf]

I attempted the North-South Trail a few years back. Got lost after 10 miles. The blazes and markers just stopped. I think locals got rid of them. The guide book was vague too. I was born and raied in Rhode Island.

[Lone Wolf]

I am presently in training for an attempt at this major peak. I will attempt the summit winter of 07. www.americasroof.com/fl.shtml

[woodsy]

George Mallory would be in awe at such a difficult and challenging route.

[Mags]

Tim and I were going to hike this 80 mile trail just before he joined me for the road trip on my move to Colorado (1999).

Ordered the maps from the NST people. Was ready to go!

But as LW and Rick can tell ya, southern New England in the summer gets downright nasty. Hot, humid, buggy. Blech!

So what did we do? Went to the beach that Friday. And for some reason, Tim spent the rest of the weekend with his girlfriend rather than hiking through the deer tick and mosquito infested woods of RI in the summer with me...

As a weird twist of fate, Tim now lives within minutes of Jerimoth Hill AND on the road that the NST goes on (marked with blue blazes).

The trail starts at a beach and ends in the woods at the Mass border..and the mid-state trail. From there, you can hook up to the M&M trail(and I believe) connect all the way up to Monadnock in southern New Hampshire.

Parts of the NST go through some the last rural areas in RI and is actually pretty nice (Arcadia Mgmt Area, George-Washington MA and a few others). Most of it is road (Rhode?!) walking though. Being RI, it actually goes by a few Dunkin Donuts!

Finally. I think I have the only NST patch in Colorado. It is on my day pack. A little home state pride.

Maps of this epic trek:
http://outdoors.htmlplanet.com/nst/nst_map00.htm

And a pic of the NST patch:
http://www.pmags.com/gearpics/pack_front.JPG

Some day, will have to tackle this epic trip in full.

[hrm]

Mags,

I read your AT journal/log in 2000. It was probably -the- inspiring factor in my 2001 thru-hike. Thanks for this update. Can't critically say why I enjoy your prose, but it probably has something to do with the fact that you were raised in Rhode Island and I'm a momma's boy ... my mom's from Rhode Island. We -- my three sisters, mom, and dad, and I -- all drove from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island every Thanksgiving; sure is nice to be a human and have the visceral flood of memory and scene come on when reading the simple words, "Thanksgiving in Rhode Island."

[Brushy Sage]

Did you sign or read the register. What kinds of comments did people leave at the summit? Thanks.

[TJ aka Teej]

Originally Posted by Mags

Jerimoth Hill in Rhode Island

812 Feet! I get light headed just thinkin' about such dizzying heights!
Kludos, Mags!

TJ < perhaps naturally light headed

[atraildreamer]

Originally Posted by Mags

The trail starts at a beach and ends in the woods at the Mass border..and the mid-state trail. From there, you can hook up to the M&M trail(and I believe) connect all the way up to Monadnock in southern New Hampshire.

Parts of the NST go through some the last rural areas in RI and is actually pretty nice (Arcadia Mgmt Area, George-Washington MA and a few others). Most of it is road (Rhode?!) walking though. Being RI, it actually goes by a few Dunkin Donuts!

Ken Weber, outdoor writer for the Providence Journal, has this trail, and many others in his book: "Fifty Walks in RI".

[atraildreamer]

Here is a link to some RI humor:

http://www.donbousquet.com/donsfavorites5.html


Don Bousquet's proposed new RI motto on highway signs:

"Welcome to Rhode Island...Keep your smart remarks to yourself!"

[Mags]

Frosty: You make the NST sound a bit like an 80 mile version of the CDT (with Dunkin' Donuts added, of course! )

HRM: Thanks for the kind words!

Brushy: Yep, signed the register. Had people from Michigan, Texas, Colorado (not me!) and all over. The High Pointers are a serious bunch. Spending vacation time to hike Jerimoth Hill! Who woulda thunk it!

AT Dreamer: A yup..remember that book. Not much use for it in CO....

Finally, I will be starting my guide service for Jerimoth Hill....all the hiking I have done has lead up to this momentous event....

[The Solemates]

Was there Labor Day this year. Currently at 27/50HPs, averaging 12 a year. Its quite an addiction.

[Gray Blazer]

Originally Posted by L. Wolf

I am presently in training for an attempt at this major peak. I will attempt the summit winter of 07. www.americasroof.com/fl.shtml

Try Chisengut Hill near Brooksville, FL. Not as high (274 ft) but more of a dramatic climb as it is 200 ft higher than the surrounding area. It has a historic hotel on top that has housed famous celebrities from the past.

[Tramper Al]

I have hiked the North-South Trail End-to-End. I did not find it terribly difficult to follow, though pretty much EVERY southen New England Trail is more difficutl to follow than is the AT. The guidebook is quite specific, though of course there may be the odd relocation after publication.

The NST does connect with the Massachusetts Midstate Trail, yes. That in turn, however, connects to the Wapack Trail in southern New Hampshire, terminating near the summit of Pack Monadnock, NOT Monadnock. There is no designated long distance trail connecting the two, though I have plotted a route.

I have also hiked Jermimoth Hill, first in summer, and then this year on New Year's Day for a Winter ascent. My then 17-month-old son free-climbed the summit cone solo. Always fun.

[Mags]

Originally Posted by The Solemates

Was there Labor Day this year. Currently at 27/50HPs, averaging 12 a year. Its quite an addiction.

One of the praises I hear about high pointing is that it allows you to see places that you would normally not go to. I mean, who the heck would go "hike" the intersection of two highways in Delaware ?!?! But, after "hiking" this high point..you can go to the shore and get some fresh seafood. Mmmm.......

Not too interested in high pointing at this point, but I can see the allure of it.

As a side note, by doing the long trails you can hit a good portion of the high points on the trail or a short side trip (relatively speaking in some cases!). I tallied up my high points, and I am up to 11. All without being a person who is "officially" going for the high points. Had to do RI because it is my last New England high point..and I am from the state afterall!

Good luck on your high (and in the case of some of the states - not so high) adventures

Not sure if you did Mt. Elbert or not yet (in my current neck of the woods), but if you do, give me a shout. Can let you crash at Casa Mags. Putting up Sly a bit before he does the Colorado Trail.

Tramper Al: Thanks for the clairification! The details in my brain were fuzzy about the connecting routes.. (Fuzzy about those details among other things!)

[atraildreamer]

http://www.rigreenways.org/paths/nst-data.htm

http://outdoors.htmlplanet.com/nst/nst_map00.htm

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by atraildreamer

http://www.rigreenways.org/paths/nst-data.htm

http://outdoors.htmlplanet.com/nst/nst_map00.htm

Don't forget the guide book.

I can't find a website for Great Swamp Press in Carolina, RI, but it is available at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/North-South-Tr.../dp/0971362505

[atraildreamer]

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=...ad27&layer=DRG

Click on the above link to locate one backpack site. The red + is centered on the location, as marked on the map on page 36 of the 2001, first edition.

You can go to the left side map menu and reformat the map to your liking.

Just a thought:

N-S Trail to the Mid-State Tail in Massachusetts to the Wapack Trail in NH... any connecting trails from there to the AT, or is here a direct connection already? Could make a nice hike!