A Weekend at High Cabin

Alex and I have had our eye on High Cabin since we first explored Mount Cardigan last winter. It's located two miles up and sits a 1/2 mile from the summit. Back in the beginning of October Alex surprised me and  had booked a weekend at High Cabin. He had gotten one of the last open weekends for the winter as it generally books up very early. Initially I was concerned... some of the concerns being, temperature inside the cabin at night and our ability to carry in everything we needed, including wood! When we visited the cabin last winter we were able to duck in as the previous guests had left the door unlocked upon their departure. Recalling that it was toasty warm even on a frigid day,we figured we would survive! There was also some wood there (we assumed the group didn't use everything they brought) as well as some pots and pans & dishes. The cabin has a carry in carry out policy for everything you bring, I guess people choose to leave some things, too many things in my opinion!

So, our research and preparations ensued. My concerns quickly turned to excitement. One of our big preps was making a sled to carry up the wood and other supplies in. We looked online and learned how to make a pulk.

Saidie approved, and so did we. We put this thing through the wringer getting up there and back and it stayed in one piece. We used 1/2" PVC pipe and if we ever use it again we'll swap it out for 3/4" or 1" for a little more rigidity.

We arrived at Cardigan Lodge on Friday afternoon. Side note: Alex and I stayed at the lodge last year and had the best experience. Even if you are coming up to hike for the day you are welcome to go in the lodge, they have a small supply store to purchase any last minute items you may need for your hike, fill your water bottles, grab a snack etc.  Anyways, we checked in, got the combo for the door and for the propane in case we needed another tank and asked where we picked up the wood. The gentleman described it being under the deck on the side of the cabin, but that the box inside the cabin should be full. Wait, WHAT? There is wood already there? YES. This is something that AMC has yet to update on their website and something that reservations failed to tell us. A huge win for us because in hindsight, I'm not sure we would have made it!

We still used the sled to carry up our hiking boots, a box of wine, a pot and a pan. We set off for the cabin around 3:30 and with our two mile journey ahead of us, we expected to arrive at 5:30. We were wrong. While the sled glided effortlessly over flat terrain, figuring out how to move the sled over tricky terrain and getting it up steep parts was challenging and time consuming. I didn't remember the rocky parts of the trail, and that's probably because the snow pack was maybe, triple last year? I think we were working with a good base of 7"? and that might even be generous!

And so, we were still on the trail at dark. Some parts were too steep to skin up and resulted in carrying the skis. Alex did an amazing job hauling the sled up. I helped out where I could pushing it with my pole from the back (at least I like to think I was helping). We had been on this trail before so knew where we were going which helped ease my nerves as dark hit. The cabin is not difficult to navigate to, but there's just something about the darkness...

We struggled, we fought but worked together and made it to High Cabin just before 7pm. Alex quickly got the fire going, I got some water boiling and made us hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps.

 

I was so glad we had enough water to drink and cook with that night. Melting snow for water is not something I would have had the patience for after our journey there.

 

The cabin got so warm and cozy. We relaxed, drank wine, had a delicious meal and played cards. We have tried quite a few dehydrated meals and different brands. Mountian House has some great meals but this was our first time trying Backpatker's Pantry. Their Kathmandu Curry was a winner and one we will definitely buy again.

A new purchase since our last hut trip were a pair of Baffin Base Camp Booties. On our previous trip we brought our slippers that had a hard bottom, we wanted something a little lighter and more flexible to pack better. We also didn't want to break the bank. They seem very durable and while not a hard bottom they are tough enough to go outside in. They kept my feet super warm. I do wish they compressed down more to pack better. Alex used a compression sack with them and said it worked great.

The cabin has 12 wooden bunks with mattress pads. We doubled up on the pads which actually made sleeping very comfortable! The cabin stayed warm for most of the night, almost too warm. It did get chilly in the cabin in the early morning but it was manageable. At the warmest the cabin got up to 70 degrees and the coldest was around 50 in the morning.

 

In the morning we did a few chores including melting snow for water. We were hopeful the nearby stream would be running as ones about a 1/2 mile down the mountain were... but this one was frozen. Melting snow was time consuming as all the snow had debris in it from the trees. We had to melt and then filter. Luckily there was a coffee filter there, a little torn up so we put a paper towel in the and it worked just fine.

Later that morning we put on our hiking boots and micro spikes and headed  partway down the trail where we met friends coming up, David and Crew!

We went back to the cabin, grabbed our skis and went for a run down the Alexandria Ski Trail and skinned back up the Holt trail. Check out a movie David made of our run! The lack of snow was definitely a disappointment, but what's new on the East Coast. As we were almost back to the top we met up with Kristen, Bob and Sarah who were just arriving. 

We headed back to the cabin and got settled in. Everyone was so happy with the accommodations! That night we had a delicious pasta dinner. Drank lots. Played cards. Told ghost stories and had the best evening around the table in-front of the hot wood stove.

Alex and I saved a real breakfast for Sunday morning when everyone was there. We brought some Canadian bacon and pre-cooked bacon we had at home, as well as a dozen eggs cracked and stored in one of our Alex Bottles. This worked perfectly! Because you can open the bottle in the middle we wouldn't have to worry that cleaning it out would be difficult. The Alex Bottle was on Kickstarter and I learned about them through Protect Our Winters Instagram account, a cool company and definitely worth checking out. I get lots of compliments on mine! 

After breakfast we headed out to the summit of Mount Cardigan via Hurricane Gap Trail that runs next to the cabin. A quick 1/2 mile up led us to 360 degree views. It was unseasonably warm for January and a relatively calm day.

After some photos with the selfie stick we headed back down the side of the peak, which was the trail we thought we came up on. With a few wrong turns and back tracks we eventually found our way back to the cabin (good thing we had a map!). It just reminded me that even if your think your going out for a short hike up and back on the same trail, always good to be prepared.

After a quick clean of the cabin it was time to head back down to reality. We had a fun run down the Alexandria trail and back to Cardigan Lodge. The snow was actually better than the day before as it softened up a little bit with the warmer temps. Alex had what I hope was a fun run with the sled! It did some barrel rolls and we had to strap the gear back on, but only once.

We all had such a positive experience for our first time at High Cabin and talked about making it an annual weekend. Until next time High Cabin!

Christmas Day & A Weekend Getaway

With a new year about to begin and reflecting back on 2015 I have realized that many moments, adventures & trips spent outside are what I remember most and what has made me happiest. While planning some of those adventures I often  found myself reading articles or finding different blog posts were helpful in planning. I've decided to share some of my adventures here, with a little bit of lifestyle mixed in. Thank you for stopping by & reading. Enjoy!

Christmas Day 

Alex and I hosted Christmas Day with my family at our apartment. My Mom, Dad, my sister Kristen and her boyfriend Bob all came over for an afternoon of apps, drinks, presents and a great dinner. The meal was a joint effort from many and came out perfect. Kristen made the twice baked potatoes. Mom made a Mushroom Medley Tart and an amazing Port Wine Demi Glaze for the Beef Tenderloin Roast that Alex cooked perfectly! In a joint effort, Alex roasted parsnips, carrots & brussels sprouts which I glazed with butter and maple syrup. I also made a signature cocktail which I named a Pray For Snow Sparkler and put together a Hot Chocolate Bar!

I have many things from my Grandparents house in our apartment - this chalkboard is one of my favorites. The glasses on the table below & the ones uses for cocktails were also my Grandmas.

Pray For Snow Sparkler; Muddled ginger in a shaker, added fresh lemon juice & Creme De Casis, shake with ice then pour over champagne. Topped with a dash of angostura bitters & pomegranate seeds

This was the first time I baked camembert and I don't think I will eat it cold again! I scored the top of the cheese & popped in some garlic cloves & rosemary, baked on 300 for 30 min right in the wooden box it came in. So delicious, I will add more than 4 small cloves of garlic next time!

I found a great recipe for home made mocha hot chocolate which I amended a little bit: 1 C. unsweetened coco powder, 10 oz bag milk chocolate chips, 10 oz bag dark chocolate chips, 1 vanilla bean, 2 Starbucks Via packets, blend in blender until you have very fine powder!  Kahlua and Peppermint Schnaps were perfect additions.

Everyone got to go home with their mug from the hot chocolate bar

Center cut beef tenderloin with garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper & butter

How could I forget to previously mention Moms home made Chocolate Eclair Wreath!
This has been a tradition at our Christmas for as long as I can remember.

This is our cute cat Saidie who positioned herself perfectly under her ornament that says "Meowy Catsmas"

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Weekend Getaway

A few weeks before Christmas Alex and I decided it would be fun to get out of the city the day after Christmas. Usually our first thought would be "where do we want to ski?!" However, with lack of snow so far (my Christmas Cocktail is not working fast enough) our thought was more "should we go hike?" We thought about renting this adorable Yurt we found on Airbnb...but we weren't sure that we wanted to think about meal prep and bring supplies. When planning weekends or a night away three main things often play a factor in our planning: budget, distance from home and looking for a place with charm or character. The White Mountains are always a top go to spot for  many of our weekend getaways. Franconia notch is about  2:30 hours from Boston with Crawford Notch  @ 2:45. We spent some time up there this summer and visited the AMC Highland Center Lodge for the first time & talked about wanting to stay there since! Originally looking at the price ($102pp/night was the member rate) it was seemingly more than we wanted to spend. When you factor in that dinner and breakfast is included in the price, we thought it was worth it. 

Highland Center Lodge is perfectly situated in Crawford Notch. It has the Southern Presidentials sitting on its east and the Willey Range to its south west. So many hikes and routes to choose from! Also a hike away are some of the AMC High Huts. You can also connect to the Bretton Woods Xcountry trail network from the lodge (I believe they require a day pass). If you are not an overnight guest at the lodge you can not park there, but there are a few lots 1/4 mile or less away. It makes a great beginning point for a hike to fill up water bottles, use the restroom and purchase last minute supplies or gear in their store.

Staying at Highland Center Lodge is not a place I would recommend for everyone. It is a very communal space from the sitting room, to the library, to shared bathrooms (they do have some rooms with private bathrooms, more $) Dinner is buffet style and served in a large dining room where you will often share tables with other guests. We love it. You get to meet and interact with lots of people who are there for the same reason as you, to enjoy the outdoors. It is a very warm, welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. Not to mention the inside of the lodge is beautiful.

I loved all of the rooms names. I think we got placed in one of the best with Mt. Eisenhower!  In the picture of the lodge above it is the top doghouse window on the far left which looked out to the Willey Mountain Range. 

 

Just after we checked in and settled I was kicking my self for not bringing wine and cheese. We left the room to explore the lodge and in the large living room they were having a social which was free for guests. It included these delicious little spicy chicken wings, cheese & crackers, & wine for sale. Perfect!

Having stayed in a few of AMC's lodges and huts before one of my favorite things about them is the library with a great collection of books and journals. You could stay occupied in there for hours.

I choose to read up on a very old edition of winter hiking and camping. Alex chose to read... his cell phone. Just kidding, he did eventually pick up a really cool journal on the New England Ski Museum. 

We loved our stay at the Highland Center and would definitely go back for another stay.
Thanks for reading my first blog post! Next up I'll write about our (little) hike the next day!