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Cabin Weekend at Armington LakePiermont, NHMarch 20th - 22nd, 2009 |
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Nestled in the woods along the shores of Armington Lake and just a stone's throw from the White Mountain National Forest, Armington
Cabin was a perfect home away from home for our weekend adventure. We arrived on Friday night well past midnight, after a short
15-minute hike in from our parking spot. The rustic, one-room cabin - owned by the Dartmouth College Outing Cub - had a wood stove
for heat and cooking, 3 sets of bunk beds and a 3-person loft for sleeping, a table with wooden benches and chairs for dining,
a nearby outhouse, and no electricity. It was everything we were hoping for!
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We settled in for the night, and although we lit the fire, the cabin remained very chilly. Saturday morning we
woke up early and feasted on pancakes and eggs cooked over the wood stove. Many of us wandered outside to drink our
coffee in the snow and enjoy the bright sunshine. Then we were off for a day of exploring.
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Our first destination was the lake, which was still completely frozen. Nora brought her Nerf football, so we played football on the ice, goofed around, shared stories, and got to know each other a little more. Below, Neta, Samantha and David engage in a little silliness. 
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Gymnastics on the lake... David and Kim (left) and Kim, Neta, and Samantha (right). It was fun because being from New York City, Neta and Samantha were new to winter camping and had never been out on a frozen lake before. 
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After leaving the lake, we went for a really long walk along the main road, which was in fact just a small dirt road with no cars. We
were in search of the trailhead for the Appalachian Trail (AT), which passes nearby.
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We played in a big field along the way, and stopped on the banks of a stream to rest and snack on some gorp. Some of us wrote in our
journals while others told stories and watched the water flow. Kim, Ashley and Nora (at right) stayed behind at the stream while the others continued
on in search of the AT.
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We never actually found the AT, but on the way back we stopped again at what had now become our favorite stream. At right, David glances
down at the water while enjoying the warm afternoon sunshine.
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By the time we got back to the cabin, tree hugger Kim was feeling the love! She's embracing one of the big trees in
the clearing between the cabin and lake. We enjoyed sitting outside under the trees to drink coffee or tea when whe had spare time.
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Later, Ashley David and Kenzie relax by the fire pit. It was a nice way to wind down after a full day of wandering
in the wilderness.
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Our next order of business was dinner. Cooking on a wood stove required some patience; it took 3 hours just to make pasta
and fried vegetables, and later we managed to fill the cabin with smoke from burnt popcorn. But we were plenty hungry and
dinner was worth the wait! Neta and Samanta took over cooking duties while we chatted, played music, and enjoyed a sing-along
with Abby and her guitar. Then we sat down to a huge family-style candlelight meal - we pretty much felt like a family by now -
after which we hung out and played cards and games. In contrast to the prior night, the cabin had become exceptionally toasty
warm, and we all shed our extra layers.
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Sunday morning we woke up on our own, made breakfast, and relaxed. Some went on hikes while others sat by the lake. Abby treated
us to more of her guitar playing, which we all enjoyed. From the time we set foot in the cabin Friday night to the time we left
on Sunday, we encountered nobody else the entire weekend. We felt like we had the entire wilderness to ourselves. The evenings
were pretty cold and there was a little snow overnight on Friday, but the warm, sunny days are what we will remember. On the way
home, we stopped in Brattleboro, VT, for coffee and to celebrate our amazing weekend.
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