the Whites

        Half Ass Expeditions returns to the White Mountains of New Hampshire with an abbreviated team consisting of Bruce (Brrruce) McAnus and Timur Novasch. The rest of the Half Ass Expedition crew waited patiently at headquarters for updates as Novasch and McAnus attempt to knock off two more winterized 4000+ foot peaks. With sleds trailing, Timur and McAnus enter the woods right off the Kanc leaving the rental car behind in the empty parking lot. Just as they hit the trail the snow started to fall, freshening up the recently rained on snow cover.

Half Ass Expeditions 2010

        The weather had been extremely warm earlier in the week. When McAnus and Novasch arrived, the meltdown had left the rivers completely free of ice and swollen with spring-like runoff. The melted rivers were surprisingly easy to cross as long as your boots were leak proof. The temperature started to drop soon after the HAE Team arrived, however, and would not rise above 15 degrees for the rest of the trip. This would have a profound effect on the area's rivers and complicate the hike later on.

McAnus wading in the North Fork stream.


Camp #1


McAnus on the ground.

Approaching the south peak of Mt Hancock.


On the tree covered summit of Mt Hancock, South Peak

         The duo made it to the top of Mt Hancock's South Peak after an epic struggle. The viewless summit was a minor disappointment but the peak was officially bagged. The hike down was treacherous and steep. At one point, Timur was forced to slide on his butt gaining some pretty impressive speed. During his cascade down the trail, Timur imagined getting impaled on one of the many stumps lining the path. Meanwhile, McAnus staggered behind, using the small trees and the grip from his snowshoes to remain upright the entire way down.

        As the team descended, so too were the temperatures dropping. By the time the guys were back at Camp #2, the temps edged toward zero. Since Timur and McAnus were hiking in the White Mountains, they were forced to employ low impact camping techniques. This meant no big honkin' HAE campfire to stand around to keep warm. Yepper buddy, it was Survival Time.

McAnus at Camp #2

        At Camp #2, the team notices the change in the river next to the campsite. The now frigid temperature was not only freezing the river, it was raising the water level to dangerous crossing conditions. The current was now racing through a new ice flume that was clearly not solid enough to get safely across. It appears the guys were TRAPPED. Nothing to do at that point but become camp trash, lying about the shelter in typical HAE fashion. The stove was fired up and the team waited patiently for the river to freeze up. Since it was now below zero, Timur and McAnus hoped the stream would become solid enough to ford by the time they had to break camp.

The kitchen is OPEN.

        Alas, the rivers were freezing up and becoming safer to cross. As the waters began to freeze, the river sculpted and refroze in surreal shapes, flowing around incredible ice formations. From inside the Big Top, Timur and McAnus could hear the changing sounds of the water as it iced up and changed its course. It was so cold, my thermometer no longer worked. Our best guess at the temp was minus 10. This was a good thing as crossing the river was now not only possible, it was a cake walk. The team hiked out of the woods with no issues and we're dining at Mac's in no time.

Frozen rivers are easier to cross.