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Wilderness Heals Hike Photo Gallery
- For the first time in Wilderness Heals history the Hike was held at the end of July instead of at the end of June. Though there were reservations at first about moving the date a month later into the summer those quickly went away once the hiking season was underway. The date change allowed us to offer many more training hike opportunities, increase recruitment and fundraising time and the very strong possibility of less black flies during Hike weekend!
- In 2007 we had four different routes to offer women. Our Backcountry Camping leg this year camped at the Imp Tent Site. Though this route and team was our smallest, a team of four, really enjoyed living in the woods for three days, cooking on small stoves and watching the sunsets. The Southern Presidential Exploration leg spent two nights at the Mizpah Springs Hut. Seven women made up two teams but both teams hiked together all weekend summiting Mt. Jackson, Mt. Pierce and Mt. Eisenhower. Our two largest legs spent time on opposite ends of the White Mountains. The Pemi Ridge Traverse took four teams of women from Crawford Notch to the Zealand Falls Hut on Friday night, crossing the Pemigewesett Wilderness to spend Saturday night at Galehead Hut enabling Sunday to be a short relaxing hike down to the trailhead. Our fourth leg, Northern Presidential Adventure, spent day one at the Madison Springs Hut, then crossed half of the Presidential Ridge to spend the second night at Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Three out of the four teams summited Mt. Washington, and three out of the four teams completed the full traverse on Sunday to hike down to the reception in Crawford Notch.
- The reception, though off to a late start, ended the weekend with stories, prizes, lots of smiles, good food and funds raised reaching just above $80,000!
The uplift of the event, however, was what sustained us through the unfortunate fire which struck our confidential shelter in the beginning of August. Luckily everyone got out of the building safely and unharmed. But as these things go the aftermath lingers and we’re still working to get everything settled. As with most tragedies many people from the City and community have really come out to support the Stone House and help us rebuild our shelter, both in the metaphorical and physical sense. As the Hike Moto states ‘finding resources you didn’t know you had by overcoming challenges you didn’t know you could’ we are handling this one step at a time.
- Thank you for your continued support!
- Viewing the pages of this year’s Spiels recap one can easily come to the conclusion that the 2006 Wilderness Heals event was an amazing experience for everyone involved.
- We once again had four distinct hiking routes to match a variety of hiking styles and abilities. Including the backcountry camping option with a team of eight and for the first time one leg stayed at the Carter Notch Hut. Where the three teams prepared their meals together.
- Another first for the event, which we hope will continue, was the participation of two Stone House residents.
- From The Elizabeth Stone House thanks to everyone who participated in Wilderness Heals 2006. Looking forward to seeing you in 2007!
- Wilderness Heals 2005 was an astounding success for all who participated. For the first time ever, event organizers established and followed through with four different hike route options. Each route specifically named and outlined for the unique challenges they possessed. The weather was insatiably hot and humid, which led to a number of confrontations for the women, especially after this past winter and training during the cold, snow, and rain. It seemed as if the first beautiful weekend was the weekend of the Hike. With it came all the effects of summer, 90+ degree weather, humidity and no wind.
- Zealand Notch Exploration – two teams of women, two nights at the same hut with the affordability of taking the second day leisurely and exploring the area around Zealand Falls, became one. Southern Presidential Traverse – the quintessential hike for Wilderness Heals. Since the beginning of the event, women have been hiking the Presidential range and varying on the weather and hiking teams summiting Mt. Washington, New England’s highest peak and considered one the most difficult climbs. Even though no one summitted Mt. Washington this year, missing views of the Cog, tourists in their sandals and shorts exiting their air conditioned vehicles, the three teams of women who participated in this leg jelled together, many experiencing the views of the Whites for the first time. Rugged Mountain Trek – although the first day seemed relatively easy this leg of the event held its name true on the second day when the three teams trekked from Galehead Hut to Greenleaf Hut. All teams of women left just after breakfast and many did not arrive until after dinner at 6pm. Certainly our most challenging hike route this year, but well worth the experience. Lastly, our Backcountry camping group, the ‘is it going to happen or not going to happen leg’ finally became a reality when six women committed to spending two nights in the woods, pitching a tent, cooking their own meals and sharing stories by a campfire. Calling the Osgood Tent Site their home for two days the women proudly stated ‘what happens at Osgood, stays at Osgood’, leads one to believe they had a great time.
- Memories of the reception and all the wonderful stories, tears and hugs are shrouded in the memory of the bus backing into a ditch and leaning against numerous trees in the White Mountains National Forest. Leaving half the hikers stranded at the Highland Center, relaxing on the couches waiting for three hours until a new bus arrived. It didn’t completely drown anyone’s spirits though, because singing was still a part of the ride back to Riverside.
As summer 2005 comes to a close, along with it Wilderness Heals 2005, the events of this past year will soon fade into sweet, laughable images of another successful Hike for The Elizabeth Stone House. Thank you for being a part of it.
