Today’s episode is all about Kasandra and her two mountain loving pups Maggie and Radar @vermont_trailpups2, also known by their trail names, Grublet and Sneasel, from Vermont! Maggie has officially completed a NH 48 and is starting her second round along with her little brother.
The NH 48 is a list of 48 of the highest peaks above 4,000 feet (1219 m) located in White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire. The first of the mountains worth noting here is Mt. Washington, the tallest on the east coast at 6288 ft (1917 m), and known for its unpredictable weather. A few more that Kasandra mentioned were Mt. Isolation, Wildcat Mountain, Owl’s Head, and Mt. Pierce which was both Maggie and Radar’s first peak in the NH 48. To see a complete list of the NH 48, check out 4000footers.com.
Closer to home in Vermont, they also enjoy summiting Camel’s Hump in the Green Mountain Range. They also have plans to backpack the 273 mile (439 km) Vermont Long Trail, which runs from Massachusetts in the south to the Canadien border in the north. It is the oldest long distance trail in the United States. They will also be competing in the annual Green Mountain Iron Dog competition, an obstacle race for police K9 and the public.
Her go-to gear list for both dogs includes Howling Dog Alaska Distance Harness for Radar, Ruffwear High & Light harness for Maggie, and long lines for both. While Radar is preparing to backpack with his hand-me-down Ruffwear Approach pack, Maggie is retired from carrying but has a Groundbird Gear pack. When hiking in the rugged Presidential Peaks, they use boots from DogBooties.com as well as Musher’s Secret paw wax. Oh, and never forget the treat bag!
Kasandra’s shout outs include her parents and their dog Sully from Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue @yankeegoldens, Emily and Autumn @emilyandautumnjourney, Samson & Nellie @theadventuresofthemutts, Amy and Audrey @ames_audrey_adventures, Beta @hikernugget, Tybee & Tango @pawsonpeaks, Gryphon & Edgar @vermontpaddlepups, For The Love of Dogs Vermont Dog Rescue @fortheloveofdogsvt, and Great Dog Rescue New England @gdrne.
Though I have not had a chance to completely research it, there are several reports of dogs becoming sick and a few fatalities from blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in the news recently. Here is some good information to know from the ASPCA website:
Pet Safety Alert: The Rising Dangers of Blue-Green Algae
Thanks for listening!
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