Mt. Eisenhower: Taking Some Snapshots With My $97 Dollar Camera

As most readers of my blog already know, Mt. Eisenhower is one of the New Hampshire mountains that qualifies for inclusion on what I'll call the "NH48" list.  For anyone who might be unfamiliar with this list, it includes the 48 mountains in New Hampshire that rise at least 4,000 ft above sea level and meet the prominence criterion of rising 200 feet above any ridge connecting it to a higher neighbor. (Click HERE for more information about prominence).  Besides the mountains on the NH48 list, there are several other NH peaks (such as Mt. Hight in the Carter Range) that rise above 4,000 ft, but are excluded for failure to meet the prominence criterion.

It's now been over a decade since I moved to the beautiful White Mountain Region of NH, and had the good fortune of finding a home located within an hour's drive of nearly all of the major trailheads, including those for the NH48 peaks.

During my first few years of living in this magnificent part of the country, I frequently hiked to the NH48 peaks.   However, my nature is such that I easily become bored with doing the "same old, same old".  And so, I turned my attention to bushwhacking, and other hiking adventures that were new to me.  Nevertheless, I still enjoy occasional excursions to the high peaks, especially if it's to one that I haven't visited in a number of years.

When recently looking over my hiking log, I noticed that it had been over 5 years since I last hiked to Mt. Eisenhower (4,780 ft).  Although the weather looked a bit "iffy", I decided to go for it anyway.  My 7-mile (round-trip) route of travel would be a simple "out and back" hike using the Edmands Path, plus an additional little loop at the top of the mountain by using a combination of the Mt. Eisenhower Loop Trail and Crawford Path (see map below).

Map showing my route (click to enlarge)

Now, please allow me to explain why the title of my report contains a curious mention of the camera that I purchased several years ago for $97 dollars, brand new!

My only reasons for taking snapshots are to document my hiking adventures, and to share them with others via this blog and Facebook.  I have no lofty aspirations of becoming a bone fide photographer, or entering my pictures into contests, etc.  I have experimented with using several "high-end" cameras, and decided that I'm willing to forego the advantages of a larger and more technical camera.   I prefer the simplicity and convenience of a small "point and shoot" camera that easily slips in my pants pocket.  And so, that's the story of why I ended up using a $97 dollar Casio EX-H5 camera!  It has taken thousands of pictures, and it's still going strong after many years of use!

Here are a few simple snapshots taken with my little $97 dollar gadget during my recent trek to Mt. Eisenhower.

The Edmands Path lives up to its reputation of being the most moderate grade and best footing of any comparable trail in the Presidential Range.  This pathway is the result of the fine work done in 1909 by the master trail builder named J. Rayner Edmands.

Upon reaching this familiar sign, there was little need for concern on this particular day, even though the sky had darkened, and the wind was strong and gusty.

Although Mt. Eisenhower's summit was sunlit, the northern sky over Mt. Washington and beyond was dark and threatening.

The sky was less threatening, but very hazy, when looking southward toward Mt. Pierce and the Crawford Notch.

While descending the south side of the Mt. Eisenhower Loop Trail, I glanced over my shoulder to look northward.  Yup!  The sky still looked threatening in that direction!

While hiking along the Crawford Path, I continued to see the dark clouds wax and wane in the northern sky.

Just before beginning my descent back down the Edmands Path to the trailhead, I snapped a photo of Mt. Eisenhower's summit dome.  High above it, I could see several birds (think they were ravens) enjoying a ride on the thermals!

To sum it up, this was overall a very enjoyable hike.  Moreover, despite the gusty winds and threatening clouds, it never rained, and there was no thunder or lightening!

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