Tom, Field, and Willey on a Lovely Autumn Day--10/9/2016

**SISTERS HIKING FOR EQUALITY

My sister and I are hiking all 48 of New Hampshire's highest mountains during every month of the year -- that's 576 mountain ascents -- to raise money for Global Fund for Women.  Click on THIS LINK to help us support women's rights and equality across the globe! **

Mt. Tom, Field, and Willey

Mt. Avalon Trail, AZ Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, Willey Range Trail
10 miles
3,400 feet of elevation gain

10/9/2016

Sage didn't need to hike Mt. Tom for the Grid, but for some reason I still had to, so we created a plan.  I made my way up Mt. Avalon Trail and the AZ Trail up to Mt. Tom Spur to Mt. Tom, crossed over to Field and Willey on the Willey Range Trail, and went back down over Mt. Avalon and down on Avalon Trail.  I was excited for this one.

I started out ready to go and energized from the couple of small muffins I had earlier in the rather lengthy car ride to the trailhead.

The trail was colorful with the many autumn leaves on the ground and the orange and red leaves still in the trees above.

First crossing...

Such a gorgeous trail this time of year!

I was happy to make it to the Mt. Tom Spur intersection.  I turned right and headed over to Mt. Tom...

The path started out relatively flat...

...and then it got a little steeper...

...and soon enough, I was hiking up past the (cloudy) viewpoint and arriving at the summit.  One down, two to go.

It was mostly clouds up there at this point.

Once I got down from Tom at Mt. Tom Spur, I turned another right and started down the trail to find the intersection with Willey Range Trail.

I continued to Mt. Field.

There was a lot of green here.

Bog bridges!

One can't help but get excited at the sight of this sign.  Mt. Field was soon going to be within my eyes' reach.

I soon came upon the cairn signifying that I had arrived at Mt. Field.

There was actually a decent view now from the small viewpoint by the cairn.

Mt. Willey next!

Mountain conquered, mission accomplished--now I had to get back down.  I saw Mom and Sage as they were having a snack.  They had come up Mt. Field instead of Mt. Tom and had then come over to Mt. Willey.

By now, the clouds had cleared and the view was beautiful.  Willey's viewpoint was outstanding.

I zoomed in on all of the orange and red leafy trees down there.  There was a great multitude of them all shining like many individual grains of colored sand. 

The road was drawn with a white colored pencil--or at least that is what it looked like from my position.

Starting down the Avalon Trail!

I stopped by Mt. Avalon on the way down. 

The views were beautiful, as usual.

I am in love with the brightly colored fall trees...

I arrived at the intersection with Mt. Avalon Trail and the AZ Trail at last...time to continue...

The yellow-leaved trees provided a sunny archway.

So many colors...

The sun shined through the red and yellow leaves.  The red leaves became a vibrant pink while under the influence of the light.

Bright reds...

Almost there!

At the trailhead!

The parking lot had a nice view of the mountains and their leaves as well.

Amazing hike!  I enjoyed the experience; it was lovely and freeing.