Green Corner

After a serene afternoon spent trooping through the forest, watching chipmunks climbing up and out of our way, learning to identify the surrounding trees and even stopping to eat a handful of dark brown fungi growing on a mossy rock that was identified as both tasty and safe to enjoy, we stopped under a crooked old pine tree whose growth was stunted by the thinness of the air. Excited for the scenic views promised us all afternoon, we burst above the trees and scrambled up a sheer rock face. I looked back over my shoulder and a breathtaking panorama of the White Mountains fully clad in their fall colors caused me to slip, almost tumbling back the way we came. The next thing that hit me, quite literally, was the wind. It instantly dried out the moisture clinging to my body and reminded me that, despite the 80 degree weather down below, winter was on its way. After a quick lunch behind a large windbreak, we strode towards the highest of the peaks that lined up to form the Franconia Ridge.

Phillip Exeter’s Outing Club has offered me some of the best weekend trips of my life. Between the many day hikes on nearby trails and the memorable overnight backpacking trips, I have bonded closely with an unlikely group of people. Consisting of a wide variety of Exonians interested in everything from quantum theory to cross country, members of this group constantly surprise me with their love and knowledge of the outdoors. Each trip, and there are many to choose from, provides us with an excellent excuse to be free of the Exeter Bubble. Casting aside homework and other responsibilities of Exeter to conquer a more immediate and tangible mountain is one of the most liberating things I have experienced, and I would strongly recommend the experience to any reader, regardless of any misgivings they have about hiking ability or schoolwork.