{"id":9794,"date":"2025-05-18T22:59:44","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T14:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/?p=9794"},"modified":"2025-07-19T05:59:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T21:59:36","slug":"20250518mt-major","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518mt-major\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiking Mt Major"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A brief post about my hike to Mt Major in May 2025.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5061.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5061.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Lake Winnipesaukee<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/splide.min.2.4.21.js\"><\/script>\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/splide-skyblue.min.css\">\n<script>\ndocument.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function () {\n\tvar secondarySlider1 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-1', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:133,gap:9,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:42,height:56,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider1 = new Splide( '#splide-major-1', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider1.sync( secondarySlider1 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider2 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-2', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:69,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:56,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider2 = new Splide( '#splide-major-2', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider2.sync( secondarySlider2 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider3 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-3', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider3 = new Splide( '#splide-major-3', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider3.sync( secondarySlider3 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider4 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-4', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:133,gap:9,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:42,height:56,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider4 = new Splide( '#splide-major-4', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider4.sync( secondarySlider4 ).mount();\n} );\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>For my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/08\/20240608monadnock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip to Mt Monadnock<\/a> last year, we had initially set our sights on Mt Major, only to switch to Monadnock given its more favorable weather. This time, my friends and I found a weekend when we were all free, and decided to finally try out Mt Major.<br \/>\nJust like Monadnock, there was a network of trails around Mt Major, but overall they were mostly a notch easier than their Monadnock counterparts, involving less elevation gain, which would be perfect for my buddies that, in their words, &#8220;not been the most in-shape recently&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>So on the morning of May 18, we reached the parking lot for Mt Major at 10:35am, and pulled into the last &#8220;compact&#8221; spot. The journey there was especially memorable for the tranquil drive stretching between Hooksett and Alton, where New Hampshire&#8217;s verdant countryside unfurled before us like a pastoral canvas, offering a serene prelude to our mountain excursion.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s GPS tracking of the hike:<\/p>\n<div class=\"mobile-hide\" style=\"width:100%;aspect-ratio:6\/5;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wikiloc.com\/wikiloc\/spatialArtifacts.do?event=view&#038;id=222511524&#038;measures=on&#038;title=off&#038;near=off&#038;images=off&#038;maptype=H\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"desktop-hide\" style=\"width:100%;aspect-ratio:3\/5;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wikiloc.com\/wikiloc\/spatialArtifacts.do?event=view&#038;id=222511524&#038;measures=on&#038;title=off&#038;near=off&#038;images=off&#038;maptype=H\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>We choose to head up Mt Major along the Boulder Loop Trail (orange blazed). The trail started out as a casual walk in the woods, before gradually transforming into rocky terrain (p3-5 below), as its name suggested. The &#8220;boulder&#8221; section wasn&#8217;t technical, I would rate that as somewhere around YDS class 1.5. There were a few muddy spots (p6), but the condition was overall favorable. <\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-1\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_105106.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_105106.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_110520.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_110520.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_111104.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_111104.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Rocky Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_112813.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_112813.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Rocky Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_113015.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_113015.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Rocky Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_114659.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_114659.jpg\" width=\"96.1%\" alt=\"Wet Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Wet Trail<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Many thanks to the exposed rocks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-1\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_105106.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_110520.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_111104.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_112813.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_113015.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_114659.jpg\" alt=\"Wet Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-1, #splide-thumb-1 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the trail.<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_105106.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_105106.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_110520.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_110520.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_111104.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_111104.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Rocky Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_112813.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_112813.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Rocky Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_113015.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_113015.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Rocky Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_114659.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_114659.jpg\" alt=\"Wet Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Wet Trail<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Many thanks to the exposed rocks.<\/span><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>On our way up, we encountered a few scattered raindrops (chances of rain were in the forecast), but luckily they ceased once we reached the top of Mount Major, where a magnificent panorama of Lake Winnipesaukee unfurled in front of us. The shape of Lake Winnipesaukee offered a vista of more than 180-degree of it from Mt Major, a view so broad to confine in one frame: it\u2019s almost as if the lake was encompassing the mountain. The few islands dotting its surface resembled delicate ornaments on a ribbon of water, donned by the majestic backdrop of misty White Mountains.<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-2\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_123120C9.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_123120C9.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><\/br>Lake Winnipesaukee<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5056.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5056.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><\/br>Lake Winnipesaukee<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5075.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5075.jpg\" alt=\"Mount Shaw across Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mount Shaw across Lake Winnipesaukee<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5060.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5060.jpg\" alt=\"Misty White Mountains beyond Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><\/br>Misty White Mountains beyond Lake Winnipesaukee<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_115116C9.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_115116C9.jpg\" width=\"66.67%\" alt=\"Summit Marker\" \/><\/a><\/br>Summit Marker<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-2\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_123120C9.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_5056.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_5075.jpg\" alt=\"Mount Shaw across Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_5060.jpg\" alt=\"Misty White Mountains beyond Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_115116C9.jpg\" alt=\"Summit Marker\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-2, #splide-thumb-2 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos from the top of Mt Major.<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_123120C9.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_123120C9.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Lake Winnipesaukee<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5056.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5056.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Lake Winnipesaukee<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5075.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5075.jpg\" alt=\"Mount Shaw across Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mount Shaw across Lake Winnipesaukee<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5060.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5060.jpg\" alt=\"Misty White Mountains beyond Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Misty White Mountains beyond Lake Winnipesaukee<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_115116C9.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_115116C9.jpg\" alt=\"Summit Marker\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Summit Marker<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DSC_5062_DSC_5074-13.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DSC_5062_DSC_5074-13.jpg\" alt=\"Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Lake Winnipesaukee<\/p><\/div>\n<p>From Mt Major, I launched my drone for an aerial tour of both Mt Major and Lake Winnipesaukee that complemented the views. Here&#8217;s a video:<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/efhilpU2VJ0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-3\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0056.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0056.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/a><\/br>Overlooking Mt Major<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0060.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0060.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/a><\/br>Overlooking Mt Major<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0064.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0064.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/a><\/br>Overlooking Mt Major<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0082.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0082.jpg\" alt=\"Mt Major from Road\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mt Major from Road<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-3\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0056.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0060.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0064.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0082.jpg\" alt=\"Mt Major from Road\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-3, #splide-thumb-3 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of Mt Major.<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0056.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0056.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Overlooking Mt Major<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0060.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0060.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Overlooking Mt Major<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0064.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0064.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Mt Major\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Overlooking Mt Major<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0082.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0082.jpg\" alt=\"Mt Major from Road\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mt Major from Road<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/DJI_0066_DJI_0079-14.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/DJI_0066_DJI_0079-14.jpg\" alt=\"Overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It was a windy day, as my drone flew against the headwind back from Lake Winnipesaukee. For a moment, it gave me warnings that it may not make it back due to the headwind (despite that was in my consideration and I left it ample reserve battery). It turned out to be a false alarm, and it returned with some juice to spare.<\/p>\n<p>After that, we decided to start our descent, for which we had two options, the more direct Mt Major Trail (blue) to the north, and the slightly longer Brook Trail (yellow) to the west. At that moment, my friend was feeling tired and hence looking for the fastest way off the mountain, which to him meant the direct Mt Major Trail, despite it would be steeper and rockier.<\/p>\n<p>It turned out that the top of Mt Major Trail came with an encore of the views of Lake Winnipesaukee. However, the pleasing views soon gave way to a section of trail made of wet rocks, requiring meticulous navigation.<br \/>\nThere I was overwhelmed by a swarm of bugs. It being the month of May, I anticipated their presence, for which I armed myself with a &#8220;shower&#8221; of DEET before leaving the parking area. My aromatic armament had kept the them <del>mostly<\/del> somewhat at bay, but was eventually outmatched by their sheer multitude here, relegating me to frantically waving my arms all over my head to disperse them, knowing full well that any pause would invite their immediate return. This aerial defense, however necessary, diverted my attention from the crucial task of finding secure footing on the slippery terrain.<br \/>\nFortunately, I noticed a different path to the right\/east, which turned out to be the &#8220;Ledge Detour&#8221; as marked on maps. It\u2019s as steep, but provided better traction while I was busy fending off an insect invasion.<\/p>\n<p>After leaving the insect-infested area, I found myself\u2014being something of an AI enthusiast\u2014formulating what I call the &#8220;soft-max bug attractiveness theorem.&#8221; This theory proposes that each person possesses a certain &#8220;attractiveness&#8221; to insects, where the distribution of bugs follows a soft-max function of everyone&#8217;s relative appeal within a certain proximity. I developed this hypothesis upon noticing that with my jacket off, my companions, who applied less DEET repellent than I, were more attractive to the bugs, but with my jacket on obscuring the repellent, I became their target.<br \/>\nUpon sharing this observation with my colleagues in AI research, they contributed several nuanced refinements. They suggested that individual insects should be assigned &#8220;temperature&#8221; parameters to differentiate between the single-minded pursuers and their more casually wandering counterparts. The theory soon evolved into a more sophisticated model where both humans and insects would possess vector embeddings, elegantly accounting for the asymmetrical nature of this peculiar form of &#8220;attention.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-4\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_122948.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_122948.jpg\" alt=\"Steep Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Steep Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_124404.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_124404.jpg\" width=\"90.7%\" alt=\"Trail on Rocks\" \/><\/a><\/br>Trail on Rocks<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">Looking up on the blue-blazed Mt Major Trail. The trail on rocks was in the background, where the rocks were very wet. An easier alternative was towards the left, just outside the frame.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_124904.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_124904.jpg\" alt=\"Trail on Rock Surface\" \/><\/a><\/br>Trail on Rock Surface<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_125351.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_125351.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_130711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_130711.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Trail<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_131109.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_131109.jpg\" width=\"96.1%\" alt=\"Improved Trail\" \/><\/a><\/br>Improved Trail<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">I was very surprised to find stairs along a trail in the US.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-4\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_122948.jpg\" alt=\"Steep Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_124404.jpg\" alt=\"Trail on Rocks\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_124904.jpg\" alt=\"Trail on Rock Surface\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_125351.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_130711.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails-s\/20250518_131109.jpg\" alt=\"Improved Trail\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-4, #splide-thumb-4 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the slideshow<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_122948.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_122948.jpg\" alt=\"Steep Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Steep Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_124404.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_124404.jpg\" alt=\"Trail on Rocks\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Trail on Rocks<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">Looking up on the blue-blazed Mt Major Trail. The trail on rocks was in the background, where the rocks were very wet. An easier alternative was towards the left, just outside the frame.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_124904.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_124904.jpg\" alt=\"Trail on Rock Surface\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Trail on Rock Surface<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_125351.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_125351.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_130711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_130711.jpg\" alt=\"Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Trail<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/20250518_131109.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2025\/05\/18\/thumbnails\/20250518_131109.jpg\" alt=\"Improved Trail\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Improved Trail<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">I was very surprised to find stairs along a trail in the US.<\/span><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>Apart from the bugs, the descent wasn&#8217;t remarkable. We got back to the parking lot at 1:20pm, by which time it was a lot emptier. After that, we drove back home and concluded the day.<br \/>\nEND<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A brief post about my hike to Mt Major in May 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[427,2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9794"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9794"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9794\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9858,"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9794\/revisions\/9858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}