Last Look at Fall with Isis on Kearsarge

Isis on Mt. Kearsarge

Since the foliage was past peak in the White Mountains, I decided to take foster dog Isis for one last look at fall a bit further south and west on Mt. Kearsarge (2,937 ft.).  Isis was along for a small group hike this fine fall day that felt quite a bit more like summer.  A few days of rain earlier in the week had left the trails rather slick, so we opted for the steeper route to the summit via the Winslow Trail and reserved the longer Barlow Trail for the slippery descent.

Umbry and Isis on the trail

My friend Karen hiked with Isis while I trekked along with foster dog Umbry who is residing with me temporarily while waiting for his adoptive home.  Isis, who was initially quite shy when she first entered her foster home, has made great progress and steadily increased her level of confidence.  She quickly accepted both Karen and me and also interacted well with fellow hikers on the trails.



Happy to be hiking

With portions of the well worn trails resembling streams at times, Karen and I were grateful that Isis had impressive leash manners that allowed us to climb slowly yet steadily and remain on our feet.  Of course, this lovely Labrador retriever mix showed us just how much she loves water by happily splashing through even the deepest of puddles along the route.

Time to start back down the trail

At the summit, Isis displayed more interest in enjoying the views and taking a nap than she did in posing for photos.  After a few pictures, some snacks and a water break, Isis was refueled, rested and ready for the descent.  Thankfully, Isis was equally capable of walking politely on her leash during the entire way down the Barlow Trail.  She did not display any signs of any shyness with her tail wagging the entire trip back to the trailhead at Winslow State Park.  Click here or see below for a video of Isis making her way down the Barlow Trail.

Slow and steady on the descent

A full album of photos from the hike is available online here.  To learn more about Isis and other dogs currently available for adoption or if you would like to consider becoming a foster home for a homeless dog in need, please visit Almost Home Rescue.

See you on the trails!

Quina Hikes with the Big Dogs on Mt. Kearsarge

Quina on the summit of Mt. Kearsarge

On Sunday, May 27, 2012, Quina and I enjoyed a spectacular day traveling to the summit of Mt. Kearsarge (2,937 ft.) located in Wilmot, New Hampshire.  The 2.8 mile round trip was ideally suited for this young terrier mix who recently arrived from an overcrowded shelter in Arkansas thanks to the life saving, volunteer efforts of Almost Home Rescue of Maine.

Quina may be only six months old, but she has proven that she can hike with the big dogs.  Quina has spent approximately five weeks in her current foster home where she has quickly become well socialized with the 7-year old child and four dogs who share her temporary living quarters.  

Meet and greet with Bailey and her family

Her foster family indicated that Quina has not had much experience with walking on a leash or riding in a car, so I was extremely impressed with her leash manners and with how quickly she settled in for the ride to Winslow State Park.  Having previously hiked Mt. Kearsarge with former foster dog hiker Bertie, I elected to take a reverse route to the summit by traveling up the longer Barlow Trail and descending via the shorter, steeper Winslow Trail.  The holiday weekend brought many human and canine hikers to the trails, so Quina and I had plenty of opportunities for meeting and greeting.  She was consistently friendly and occasionally yet understandably a bit cautious with the people she encountered.

Climbing high on the Barlow Trail

Quina happily accepted a number of welcoming compliments from fellow hikers such as, "Oh - look what a cute dog!"  She was equally excited about pats on the head from people of all ages.  Two young girls, ages 4 and 6, spent several minutes talking to and petting Quina at the summit as we took a break from photos and enjoyed the views.  The young girls' father was amazed at how calmly Quina accepted the attention by sitting patiently while the sisters took turns patting her head and talking excitedly about their hopes of having a dog of their own in the future.

Hiking with the big dogs - literally!

If you or someone you know is looking to add a canine member to your family, sweet Quina would be a wonderful addition.  You can view a full album of photos from Quina's hike.  Additional information and an application for adoption are available on her profile at Petfinder.com