I’ve heard a lot about Mount Cardigan being a favorite among hikers. It’s not a 4000-footer, but it is on a different list, the 52-with-a-view. There are several lists in the New England of peaks to bag (Peak-bagging), and until now, I thought I’d done several of the 52 WaV, but I’ve only done one, Mount Kearsarge. Mt. Kearsarge was one of my favorite hikes, before I became a more seasoned hiker and realized there were other exciting mountains to hike! Actually, I used to think that hiking 4000-footers was out of my reach. I thought they were too far away from Hooksett, where I lived when I first started hiking them, and I just didn’t know how to begin. Huiyeng opened up that world to me and made me realize it was attainable. Finding the Hiking Buddies Group on Facebook was also a game-changer. When Huiyeng had other plans, I could still hike! Not only could I bag a peak that was on my list, but I could meet other hikers and feel a sense of community and accomplishment afterward. This past Sunday, I hiked Mount Cardigan with my amazing Yogini friend, Venera, who is also an avid hiker. Venera and I met in the yoga community. She leads yoga hikes, and I lead snowshoe yoga (Snowga) experiences. Our paths naturally crossed, and I am so grateful they did! She’s a great person and a nurturing guide to mountain trails. Mount Cardigan was the perfect place for us to forge our hiking and yoga partnership. We may be working together to offer more yoga hikes that are open to others, so stay tuned!
While hiking together and talking about everything yoga, we ran into a number of backcountry skiers and many of them had dogs. Even better was that most of the dogs were sporting super cute jackets. It was like a doggie fashion show!
Several of the back country skiers were using split boards, which I had never seen before. They are so cool! The skiers (and their dogs) walk up the mountain wearing the split board like skis with skins and then it fastens together to become a snowboard! One guy even had a pair of ski crampons! They looked kind of like large staples with wide teeth that fit right over the ski. I love that I learned something new during the hike. Every hike is a new experience, and with every hike I learn something new. I love that!
Beyond the gadgets, and beyond even the dogs, what is amazing about hiking is the magic. Being surrounded by natural beauty and incredible views is uplifting and rejuvenating. We all need a daily dose of Vitamin N (Nature), and this is a way of getting a mega dose!
