Welcome to Clyde Sisler's Hiking & Paddling Site

Dare to be different!

I'm a full time U.S. traveler wandering around searching for great paddling waters and hiking trails.   This web site contains 10 years of trip reports, photographs, logistics, free and cheap camping areas, and more.   I hope you find something of interest to you here.

10/15/09:

What's New?

White Mountain National Forest, NH Crawford Notch, NH Photo Album has been updated.

White Mountain National Forest, NH Evans Notch Photo Album has been updated.

White Mountain National Forest, NH Kancamagus Highway (NH112) Photo Album has been updated.

White Mountain National Forest, NH Miscellaneous Photo Album has been updated.

White Mountain National Forest, NH Pinkham Notch Photo Album has been updated.

What's Been Happening?

Click here for previous trip summaries.

The Aidronacks in New York were a disapointment so I headed over into Green Mountains in Vermont. Anytime I think of fall foliage I've always thought of Vermont with all their red maples. I got there in mid-September, way too early for the foliage season. There was always exploring to do though.

I hit the southern part of the Green Mountain National Forest down by Bennington. Lots of dispersed camping with Somerset Reservoir and Grout Pond for paddling. These waters are surrounded by hardwoods which means good fall colors, when the time came.

Further exploration proved to be a disapointment though. Chittenden Reservoir was nice. Access to most of the rest of the Green Mountains was via paved roads which means they are populated. So my feeling about Vermont is it will be a great place to drive during the last two weeks of September and I might get there another year. I really wouldn't care to visit again at any other time of the year.

Made my way back into the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. They seemed to be a week or two ahead of Vermont for fall colors. Lots of gray overcast skies though. I spent those days visiting places I hadn't been for a long while. Lake Umbagog on the Maine Border is a place I'd like to paddle again, as are the Connecticut Lakes near the Canadiborder.

I was there 10 days and had 1 sunny day plus a couple of half days. On the sunny day I drove up The Mount Washington autoroad. Mount Washington lays claim to the world's worst weather. It sits 1000+ feet above everything else around it and in the exact location where 3 weather patterns come together. Average temperature is 34 degrees, highest wind speed ever recorded at 231 mph, average wind speed is 34 mph and they average 237 days a year of fog... so when you get a sunny day you scratch other plans and take the 8 mile, 4000+ foot drive to the summit. Bring a coat... the highest temperature ever recorded was 72 degrees.

I left New Hampshire by way of the Kancamagus Highway (NH112 below Conway and east of Lincolon), certinly my favorite drive in the country on a good fall day. The sun was shining when I left but up 1/2 way along the 26 mile road. I still got better shots of previous photos.

What's Next?

next stop of any note will be the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Then on into the Carolinas with maybe side trips into West Virgina and Kentucky followed by Georgia. I want to get into Florida for the winter at the end of the year. It will probably be too hot with too many bugs before then.