6/17/03
North Sugarloaf 2310’ and Middle Sugarloaf 2539’ in the Little River Mountains

3.4 Miles 1000’ Elevation gain

Kevin, Judy and Emma

We made a camping trip to Dry River Campground, just southeast of Crawford Notch. After making our obligatory stop at Chocorua Lake for a pee and some quick shots, we made our way toward Crawford Notch and spent the afternoon setting up camp at Dry River and then hiking in to our favorite watering hole about a mile from camp on the Dry River. For supper we drove up through the notch to Zealand Road and climbed the Sugarloafs for a sunset dinner. The views again were outstanding while we ate and watched in amazement as the setting sun lengthened the shadows crossing the surrounding hillsides. As darkness began to fill the valleys the last light of the setting sun still touched the mountaintops as though they were painted with lasting sunshine from the waning day. In the peace and tranquility of these scenes it seems as though even Emma can appreciate the serenity as she perches herself on a rock and watches the display of light and shadow. The valleys are slowly swallowed by the night and the hilltops grasp at the fading light of day, trying to prolong it, desperately trying to fight off the inevitable darkness. As these scenes unfold we turn away with heavy hearts for we must make the journey back down to our car, waiting like faithful steed, before the darkness completely engulfs us. Though we have headlamps for the night woods, prudence dictates it is safer to be out from under the trees before the inky blackness overtakes us. Back down at the car now, we take in the evening sky as the Milky Way begins to glow above us. We make our way back down through Crawford Notch to our waiting camper at Dry River, like returning to our cabin deep in the woods from a dreamworld life we can only half recall. As we crawl into the warm embrace of our sleeping bags and the chill of the night lets go, we are soon dreaming of that fairy tale cabin in the wilderness where we spent so many past lives together.