This wonderful one year old mixture of Labrador retriever, giant Schnauzer and possibly Scottish deerhound is known formally as Pedro. His foster family feels that he both resembles and responds better to his nickname Roscoe. And so for our journey to the summit of Mt. Cardigan (3,155 ft.) on Sunday, April 29th, I chose to address him informally as Roscoe.
Roscoe meets Emma and samples some treats
We had the opportunity to encounter several hikers - both human and canine - on our trip to the summit. Roscoe was a perfect gentleman when greeting everyone he met. He also displayed exquisite leash manners throughout our hike along the loop comprising the Manning, Mowglis, Clark, Cathedral Forsest and Holt trails which begins at the AMC Lodge located in Alexandria, New Hampshire. I was very impressed with how well Roscoe responded to commands and instinctively waited for me to be walking right alongside him before proceeding further up the trail.
Just below the summit of Firescrew Mountain
A few of the hikers we encountered had traveled a reverse loop with an ascent up the Holt Trail, and they strongly cautioned that it was NOT dog friendly. A partial description of the upper section of the Holt Trail in the AMC Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide reads, "The upper ledges are very steep, and the scramble up these ledges is much more difficult than on any other trail in this section and one of the most difficult in New England...",
Time for only a few windblown photos from the summit
While there are likely a number of canine hikers who have successfully climbed the Holt Trail (in addition to the very agile German shepherd mix we met at the summit on Sunday), Roscoe and I want to pass along this word of caution to others who may be contemplating that route. There are plenty of other more dog friendly ways to reach the summit of Mt. Cardigan. Roscoe needed very little assistance on the route we selected which included a stop at the summit of Firescrew Mountain (3,064 ft.). Our only complaint from the otherwise perfectly gorgeous day was that the high winds at the summit of Mt. Cardigan made it very chilly and difficult to take more than a few photos. We continued further down the trail for a short break just below the summit before completing the second half of our loop.
Roscoe making it difficult for me to say goodbye
Roscoe was rescued from an overcrowded animal shelter in Arkansas thanks to the all volunteer efforts of Almost Home Rescue of Maine. He currently shares his foster home with two adults and a 7-month old Labrador retriever mix. To learn more about Roscoe, share his information with a friend or apply to adopt him, please visit his profile here on Petfinder.com. In addition, you can view a full album of photos from his hike. A short video clip from Roscoe's hike is provided below and can also be viewed online here.
One good hike with a foster dog certainly deserves another. Bertie, a dog who is searching for her forever home after being rescued from an overcrowded animal shelter, bagged her second peak in two weeks last Sunday, July 31, 2011 when she reached the 3,121 ft. summit of Mt. Cardigan. This very popular hiking destination is located in the towns of Orange and Alexandria, New Hampshire and is part of the Cardigan Mountain State Park.
"Timber!"
Bertie proved once again that she is the perfect companion in the car and on the trail. She playfully greeted fellow hikers and their canine companions throughout our journey along the West Ridge Trail. We met a very tall, dark and handsome Bernese mountain dog named Timber. He was rather impressive and very friendly. We couldn't help but wonder how passersby may react to hearing his guardians call out to him, "Timber!".
Bertie was especially interested in meeting and greeting the young children we encountered along the way. She is obviously very comfortable interacting with people and animals of all ages and sizes. In addition to the many dogs Bertie has met on her hikes up Mt. Kearsarge and Mt. Cardigan, she also currently shares her foster home with a mixed breed named Joey and three cats.
Time for a close up of that spotted tongue.
While I would certainly welcome the opportunity to hike with Bertie a third time, I am hopeful that this adorable Chow Chow/Spaniel mix will next cross my path on a hike where she is in the company of her new family. Be sure to visit and share Bertie's profile on Petfinder.com and help find her a home. Additional photos of Bertie's journey are available in album on the Foster Dog Summit fan page and a short video clip of her at the summit of Mt. Cardigan appears below.
Rescue organizations such as Canine Guardians for Life, Inc. rely on the availability of foster families to ensure a safe and healthy stay for dogs who are waiting for their forever homes. If you are not ready to make a long term commitment to adopt another pet but would like to consider hosting a dog temporarily, we invite you to learn more about becoming a foster family for a dog in need of rescue.
