Mountain: West Quarry
Date: Sunday, March 5, 2017
Trails: Brook Trail, Mt. Major Trail, Joe Quarry Trail, Marsh Crossing Trail

Nancy and I will finish our Belknap 12 today on this cold, windy Sunday. This is the third time we hike up the Brook Trail to the Mt. Major Trail intersection. The trail is pure ice, like a stream frozen in place, beautifully sculpted in places. I wonder what it would be like to see the freezing process in time lapse. Really, how do those waves of ice develop on the downward side? Our microspikes work very well, both up and down. I wear a thin base layer and two mid-layer shirts and use light gloves almost the entire day which is rare for me. Every time I warm up, the wind kicks up and my hands become cold very quickly. Though surrounded by a windbreak of sparsely set trees the wind is evil. I actually have to put on a hat on the lower, flat portion of the Brook Trail. I guess my body isn't working hard enough to keep me warm. The crunching sound our microspikes make on some of the ice sounds hollow. Other times it actually sounds like the sound of tree toads singing in vernal pools in April.

I am anxious about the two water crossings, fear the cold may have covered all the rocks with a layer of ice, making stepping on them to cross a brook a hazardous affair. But no - the deep cold of the past two days has frozen the water that was not actually flowing and after testing and stepping gently the ice holds and we are able to cross the brook with ease. That is a relief and the day feels cold enough that the ice won't melt before we return on our hike back to the car.

I feel very strong when we start out. Good energy, strong legs, and a pace slow enough to keep my asthma under control. We soon arrive on the ridge and take the Joe Quarry Trail. I simply love ridge trails and am deep in a state of happiness just looking around me. All the snow and ice has melted off the steep ledges. We step lightly up and down the hills and almost walk by the East Quarry summit sign as it was just tacked to a tree standing on a small boulder next to the trail. Luckily, Nancy saw it and we stop to take some pictures.

Afterwards we push on toward out ultimate goal of bagging West Quarry. We arrive at the 1,980-foot peak at 11:22 AM, having left the parking lot at 8:45 AM. We take some pictures and then Nancy points to the sign and yellow blazes for the Marsh Crossing Trail that we had missed seeing last weekend. We decide to do a loop by heading over to the Mt. Major Trail via the Marsh Crossing Trail, perhaps a bit shorter with less steep ups and downs.

The Marsh Crossing Trail presents us with a short, steep section of ledges before leading us on a fairly short tramp through a marsh. We see lots of beaver activity so the marsh must be an active one in the spring and summer. We find a spot where the ice is thick enough to hold us and cross a small stream. A tenth of a mile later we reach the intersection of the Mt. Major Trail. We stand for a moment, looking back on the Marsh Crossing Trail - there is no sign indicating the trail intersection, just a tree with a yellow blaze tucked back and not visible from the Mt. Major Trail. No wonder we missed it last week.

The slog back on the Mt. Major Trail feels long to me. My breathing is becoming more difficult and is sapping my energy and strength on the return hike. I am too tired to really celebrate when we reach the car. All I want to do is take my boots off and sit in my car in the sun with Nancy and eat my sandwich. It tastes delicious. We did it - We are officially Belknap Range hikers!