Mountain Wandering

MOUNT WEETAMOO: 4/6/16

Mark Klim and I enjoyed a very interesting bushwhack to the highest summit in the trailless Campton Range on the southern frontier of the WMNF. After 30+ years of bushwhacking across the Whites, this was my first visit to the Campton Range, which is pretty close to home. Guess it was always just under the radar. Thanks to Mark for the suggestion after he read about it in the old Sweetser's guide.

The evening before I scouted out our route from a ledge on Dickey Mountain. Mount Weetamoo is the summit on the right; East Weetamoo is on the left. Our route would ascend from the inner bowl-like valley of Chickenboro Brook to the col between the Weetamoos.

Based on a couple of trip reports on the web (Weetamoo and its spur, East Weetamoo, are "300 Highest of New Hampshire" peaks), we approached via the gated USFS Chickenboro Rd. off Sandwich Notch Rd. This provided a pleasant mile-long warmup.

From a bend in the road we whacked downhill through open hardwoods to a beaver meadow at the head of Chickenboro Brook.

The meadow was a very scenic spot. From its north end we enjoyed views of Mount Weetamoo and adjacent ridges.

As we made our way through rough terrain along the east side of the meadow, Mark spotted a big old log that allowed us to walk a little ways out into the frozen wetland.

There's still a bit of water at the south end of the meadow.

On the rough slope above the meadow is a wild jumble of boulders and caves.

Anybody home?

A mini-cave.

Early April's "second winter" had refrozen this tributary of Chickenboro Brook.

We made a long ascent up a slope through endless hardwood forest.

Along the way we crossed several more small brooks.

Higher up the cover from the recent snow dusting was pretty consistent on this north-facing slope.

We came upon some fresh moose tracks.....

....and then a recently occupied moose bed.

We sidehilled up and across the slope. The footing was slippery in the thin snow cover.

We decided to head directly up into the spruces, even though we were a little east of the col we were aiming for.

We emerged on the ridgecrest in this glade of gnarled old beeches. We had a moose sighting here.

With the woods up here, it was love at first sight!

We moved slowly through this fairyland forest.

A mountain meadow with Mount Weetamoo in sight ahead. (To minimize impact, we walked around the lichens.)

The broad hardwood col on the east side of Mount Weetamoo.

A magnificent solitary spruce.

Lunch break in another little meadow.

Battered old yellow birches. Perhaps their tops were snapped off during the 1998 ice storm.

Heading up towards Weetamoo through more meadows.

Great whacking!

Our favorite spot of the day, totally unexpected - a spacious open meadow of fallen ferns high on the mountainside.

The moose like this spot, as well.

Wide open!

Mark checks out the view from the top of the meadow.

The Ossipees in the distance beyond the Squam Range.

A peek at Sandwich Dome to the NE.

We visited this ledge on the eastern sub-peak.

The northern views here are mostly obscured, though we got this peek at Black Mountain, Mount Kancamagus, Mount Carrigain and the tip of Mount Washington just peering over.

Cannon Mountain seen through the "V."

In the late 1800s Mount Weetamoo was a favorite destination for trampers staying at hostelries in nearby Campton. Around 1874, Charles E. Fay (soon to become a founder and president of the AMC) and a Mr. Anthony from Providence, RI, discovered the potential of the mountain as a viewpoint. They built a path up from the Robey farm high in the Chickenboro Brook drainage, and cleared the views at the summit. Moses Sweetser's classic 1876 guidebook to the White Mountains devoted two pages to Mount Weetamoo, with a description of the path and detailed account of the view. In 1879, as reprinted in the book Mountain Summers (edited by Peter Rowan and June Hammond Rowan), stalwart AMC tramper Marian Pychowska wrote that "The top of Weetamoo is very picturesque with its fine rock and the growth of spruces, and mountain ash covered with scarlet berries." The path up Weetamoo was abandoned before it could make an appearance in the AMC White Mountain Guide, but the summit remains ledgy and partly open, with restricted views. The photo below shows Stinson Mountain to the west.

Dickey Mountain can be glimpsed to the north through a gap in the branches, with Scar Ridge beyond.

Mount Tecumseh and its high spurs.

The first page of the summit register explains why there is a register.

We searched out a magnificent clifftop outlook at the south edge of the summit plateau, with views stretching all the way to Mount Monadnock.

A serious dropoff in front!

Darkly wooded Campton Mountain anchors the west end of the Campton Range.

The south half of the Squam Range is seen across the Beebe River valley. Much of the land in the foreground is part of a 5,435-acre tract purchased by the Conservation Fund in 2014, ensuring that it will remain open for public recreation. The actual summit of Weetamoo is within this tract.

From a nearby ledge the view expanded a bit more to the north along the Squam Range, with Red Hill in back on the left.

A side view of the cliffs.

On the return trip we crossed a small frozen bog in between the summit knobs.

Back at the fern meadow, we paused to admire the scene under increasingly gray skies.

Wonderful old trees on this ridge.

Back to the col between the Weetamoos.

We descended north from here, enjoying great open woods.

A yellow birch twister.

Hardwood heaven north of the col.

A fallen giant.

We followed a trace of an old woods road for the final descent to the floor of the valley.

Spooky woods on the broad plateau at the head of Chickenboro Brook.

Where spruces go to die.

We crossed Chickenboro Brook at a pretty little beaver meadow.

Mark checks out an ancient beaver dam. What an interesting area!

LOON POND MOUNTAIN CASCADES: 4/12/16

After a couple days of gloomy weather, I went for a late day "backyard" exploration to some "lost" cascades on the western flank of Loon Mountain. In the late 1800s/early 1900s these were a popular easy hike destination for guests staying at the many inns in North Woodstock.

This path along the East Branch of the Pemi has become unsafe since Tropical Storm Irene. The river was rocking today.

A random mossy boulder in the woods.

The cascades are located on Horner Brook, not on Loon Pond Brook as one might surmise from their name. They were described in the 1890s Guidebook to the Franconia Notch and the Pemigewasset Valley, by Frank O. Carpenter, a stalwart AMC hiker and trail builder who summered in North Woodstock.

In recent years the cascades were "rediscovered" by waterfall sleuths/photographers Chris Whiton and Erin Paul Donovan. The flow was strong following a day and a half of rain.

The brook has sculpted some picturesque rock formations.

The upper part of the main cascades.

A small, solitary cascade just above.

This old logging road may have been part of the old Loon Pond Trail, originally opened in the late 1800s, which led up Horner Brook past the cascades, and then on to a view ledge on the South Peak of Loon Mountain. From there it descended to beautiful Loon Pond. Later the path was extended down along Loon Pond Brook and Little Loon Pond to the East Branch and the road beyond. This entire route was abandoned by the mid-1960s.

I followed Horner Brook down below the cascades. As Frank Carpenter wrote, "the mossy brook is very lovely and delightful."

View of mountains around Lincoln from an old powerline cut.

SANDWICH NOTCH EXPLORATION: 4/13/16

After a great initial ramble in the trailless Campton Range last week with Mark Klim, I wanted to return for some more exploration. The recent snow was all melted, and on a gorgeous, crisp spring day I enjoyed a marvelous bushwhack loop that took in three fine viewpoints plus many other interesting sights along the way.

I set out early in the morning on Chickenboro Road (off Sandwich Notch Road), so that I could be back to Lincoln in time for an evening meeting.

An unofficial mountain bike trail helped me get partway towards the start of the bushwhack up onto the long NE ridge of Mount Weetamoo.

I headed up a drainage to a col in the ridge, passing this boulder sculpture.

Morning light.

A natural gateway leading to the ridgecrest.

From the top of wooded cliffs, a peek at Mount Weetamoo.

Farther along I found some more open clifftops.

A better vista of Mount Weetamoo.

I could see a more open crag below, and made my way down to it.

This perch offered an excellent open view of Mount Weetamoo across the upper bowl of Chickenboro Brook, the inner sanctum of the little Campton Range.

Stinson and Carr Mountains out beyond the mouth of the valley.

A fine spot!

The next section of the ridge was cloaked in hardwoods.

Black cherry trees, which are common on hardwood ridges in the Catskills but not as much in the Whites.

An elder in mossy repose.

Lots of beeches.

A ridgetop boulder.

A giant oak at the edge of a rocky/ferny opening.

Beneath the towering oak was this diminutive twisted beech.

The Pileateds have worked this tree over pretty thoroughly.

More openings along the ridgecrest.

Reminiscent of ridges in the Catskills.

The next hump on the ridge looms ahead.

The woods go dark for a while.

A ridgetop sphagnum bog at 2300 ft.

From a ledgy spot, a glimpse of the east peak of Mount Weetamoo.

The eastern portal of Sandwich Notch, between Dinsmore Mountain and the Squam Range.

Not much left of this antler.

I dropped steeply off the ridge into a little hanging valley with a meandering brook.

I continued across through deep, wild spruce forest in search of some potential view ledges.

I had to circle around to get up onto these rugged outcrops.

A seldom-visited spot for sure, though someone once left their mark here.

The ledge from below.

This ledge opens a vista spanning the many spur ridges of Sandwich Dome. The summit itself is hidden behind Black Mountain.

Sachem Peak, Jennings Peak and the lower Black Mountain.

The cliffs and ledges of the upper Black Mountain, which is ascended, roughly, by the Algonquin and Black Mountain Pond Trails.

Another nice view to the east.

Lower Hall Pond and Mount Israel.

I headed for higher ledges through more stands of spruce.

From the brink of a cliff, there was an even better view of the Sandwich ridges.

The view north through Sandwich Notch was a stunning surprise.

Upper Hall Pond nestles on the floor of the notch, with Mount Tecumseh and the Osceolas beyond.

To the east, Middle and Lower Hall Ponds.

Secluded Middle Hall Pond was still mostly frozen.

Sandwich Mountain presiding over Upper and Middle Hall Ponds.

A finger of hardwood forest in the hanging valley.

A scene along the brook, which drains into the Hall Ponds.

An open glade that would be filled with ferns in summer.

Approaching a col in the ridge.

Nice woods at the col.

Descending from the col into the Chickenboro Brook valley, I encountered a number of ice flows on a shady slope of conifers.

A steep descent, slow and careful going down through here.

Yay for hardwoods in sight below!

Hardwoods, acres and acres of them, always a delight in early spring.

An old yellow birch.

A chaga tree.

I followed a branch of Chickenboro Brook down to the floor of the valley.

Farther down, the brook tumbled through a scenic little gorge.

Part two of the gorge.

The branch emptied into the main stream at an old beaver meadow.

I wondered who placed these wooden bars, and why.

The frogs were croaking in this pool - spring has arrived in the valleys!

CATSKILLS - ELM RIDGE TRAIL: 4/17/16

After a fun night at the Four Thousand Footer Club annual awards ceremony in Stratham, NH and a stay-over in historic Sturbridge, MA, , Carol and I headed to New York State for our spring vacation in the nearly snow and ice-free Catskill Mountains. For a short part of the drive we followed the scenic Taconic State Parkway. Our favorite stop is this rest area with a view west to the eastern Catskill peaks.

After getting settled in our rented condo in Hunter, we took an easy late day geocaching hike on the Elm Ridge Trail, which provides a southern approach to the Escarpment Trail and Windham High Peak.

There are several stone walls along the lower part of this trail.

Interesting ledges and cliffs rise in the woods as you approach the ridgecrest.

This cliff band marks your arrival at the top of the trail.

The blue-marked Escarpment Trail, 24 miles long, is a Catskill classic.

The Elm Ridge Lean-To is nicely situated on a shelf above the trail.

The clifftop behind the shelter offers a bird's-eye view of the open hardwood forest.

Evening light on the first of several great weather days we enjoyed.

Interesting terrain surrounds the shelter.

On the way back to Hunter we took a short walk up to the open fields above Colgate Lake for a gorgeous view of the Blackhead Range. Left to right are Thomas Cole, Black Dome and Blackhead Mountains.

Blackhead Mountain and the peak called "Arizona." A great way to start our week in the Cats.

CATSKILLS - DOUBLETOP MOUNTAIN: 4/18/16

With a beautiful but very warm forecast on tap for Monday, I opted to head for one of the more remote of the "trailless" Catskill 3500 peaks, 3860-ft. Doubletop Mountain. This entire route out of the Dry Brook valley in the southern Catskills is on private land. The first mile is on the state-maintained Seager-Big Indian Trail, which has an easement from Furlow Properties, part of a large tract owned by the Gould family. The bushwhack route up the mountain itself, as well as the northern of the two summits, is also on Gould family property. Prior to the hike I called the property caretaker (the name and number are listed on the Catskill 3500 Club website) and received permission for the hike. Thanks to the landowners for allowing access to this beautiful area.

The mile-long approach along the trail leads up the quiet valley of Dry Brook. On this dry streambed there was abundant coltsfoot in bloom.

Coltsfoot lit up in the morning sun.

This trail provides very pleasant walking.

Dry Brook, whose name comes from the German "drei brucke," which means "three bridges."

A cascade and pool by the confluence with Flatiron Brook.

I was expecting to bushwhack all the way up the north ridge of Doubletop, but after whacking up a steep slope from the trail I unexpectedly came upon a well-beaten herd path. That explains why the caretaker had requested that I "stay on the trail as much as possible."

A nice stand of hemlock.

Classic Catskill hardwoods. In some areas the path was hard to follow, especially on the descent.

A typical Catskill ledge band, which you encounter on most any ridge climb. The Catskill sandstone is very photogenic.

An ent-like yellow birch. According to the map that accompanies Dr. Michael Kudish's amazing book, The Catskill Forest: A History (now back in print), the upper two-thirds of Doubletop's north ridge is cloaked in first-growth forest that has never been cut.

On one of several small shoulders along the ridge, the darkly wooded crest of Doubletop could be glimpsed ahead.

The upper part of the climb was rather steep.

A rock beside the path offered a view north to Eagle Mountain and distant ridges.

Gnarled trees at 3700 ft.

Just above here the herd path entered the fir forest.

Herd paths converged on the small clearing at the north summit and the canister maintained by the Catskill 3500 Club. Eight people had signed in the previous day (Sunday).

The summit register.

Intro page to the register.

A recent entry from a pair of well-known New England peakbaggers.

I continued across the broad, flat summit, heading for possible viewpoints on the south summit.

Some wild conifer forest up here.

I followed a herd path and then bushwhacked on the south summit, looking for views. The south summit and slopes to the south are on state land in the Big Indian Wilderness Area. This wonderful open shelf of ridge hardwoods was a fine spot for a late lunch.

Sweet glades.

The top of this boulder would have provided a view, but it was inaccessible without climbing gear and skills.

After some futile view searching, I settled in for a late lunch.

After some post-lunch scrounging around I finally found a good westerly view from an uplifted rock.

From here, Graham Mountain, another 3500-ft. peak, has an elongated profile. It, too, is owned by the Gould family. Behind on the left is the flat crest of Balsam Lake Mountain.

A close-up of Graham, with several ledge bands visible on its slopes.

Dry Brook ridge is seen through the gap between Graham and Doubletop.

The wide crest of Balsam Lake Mountain, sporting an historic firetower.

Remote backcountry to the SW, with views extending out to Pennsylvania.

The rather precarious perch that provided these views.

I took another break on this inviting dry grassy slope with filtered views.

A sharp dropoff on the south side.

Easy bushwhacking across the slope.

Late in the day I found Doubletop's best viewpoint, at the SE corner of the south summit.

Looking out over a southern spur of Doubletop.

Peering into the secluded valley of High Falls Brook. On the horizon I spotted the monument on High Point in New Jersey.

A great view of the Burroughs Range: left to right, Wittenberg, Cornell, Slide, Balsam Cap, Rocky, Lone, Table and Peekamoose.

A closer view of the southern half of the range.

Looking down from the ledge.

Panther Mountain through the trees to the left of Eagle Mountain.

The approach to the outlook.

Glade behind the outlook.

On my way back towards the north summit I stumbled upon this wreckage from the 1983 crash of a small plane.

On the descent I caught this unique view of Eagle Mountain. All told I was able to spot 30 of the other 34 Catskill 3500 peaks from various vantages on Doubletop.

Ledge overhang along the north ridge.

An evening view of the waterfall at the base of the mountain. All in all, it was a satisfying trip to a wild Catskill peak.

CATSKILLS - PECOY NOTCH: 4/19/16

Carol and I enjoyed a hike to Pecoy Notch, the deep gap between Twin and Sugarloaf Mountains, on a sunny and breezy afternoon. The Pecoy Notch Trail is one of our favorites, offering a variety of scenic attractions.

We love the attractive Forest Preserve trail signs.

More classic Catskill hardwoods.

One of several interesting boulders beside the trail.

The site of a geocache called "Hemrock."

Great walking.

The best-known attraction on the Pecoy Notch Trail is Dibble's Quarry, seen here with Twin Mountain in the background. We found a tricky geocache in the woods above.

Suitable for a queen and king.

Cascade above the trail's brook crossing.

More cascades below, near another geocache.

A high-elevation beaver meadow and Twin Mountain.

Pecoy Notch in sight ahead.

The Blackhead Range glimpsed through the trees on the moderate climb to the notch.

Sunny woods in Pecoy Notch.

The junction with the Devil's Path, the classic Catskill hiking route.

Looking south through the notch.

Heading a little ways up the rugged Devil's Path towards Sugarloaf for the last cache of the day.

Great spot for a geocache!

That's a big trackable!

On the way down I scrounged around the slope for a view of the wild cliffs and talus slopes on the SW face of twin Mountain.

Rugged terrain up on the west side of the notch.

Heading back down.

Late afternoon sun streams into the woods.

Relaxing at Dibble's Quarry.

Kaaterskill High Peak, once thought to be the highest of the Catskills. In fact, it ranks #22 in elevation among the 3500-foot peaks. Still, an impressive mountain.

Stately hardwoods rise to sandstone cliffs.

CATSKILLS - NORTH DOME & MOUNT SHERRILL: 4/20/16

On a spectacular spring day I joined Laurie Rankin, Secretary of the Catskill 3500 Club and one of the most accomplished and knowledgeable hikers in the Catskills, and Rick Brockway, outdoor columnist for the Oneonta, NY Daily Star, for a memorable bushwhack traverse of two of the trailless high peaks. For the ascent of North Dome we used a seldom-traveled route up the mountain's long south ridge, then we traversed across Sherrill and down a SW ridge to a parking area on Shaft Rd. off Rt. 42. We enjoyed magnificent views from outlooks on both peaks.

We began our adventure at a parking spot on Broadstreet Hollow Rd. low down on the SE side of North Dome, at a point where a sliver of state land extends down to the road. After an initial pitch we followed a broad and gentle ridge NW up to the south ridge of North Dome.

A bear tree along the way.

Open hardwoods were the rule on this 8 1/2 mile mostly bushwhack route.

Early-blooming Dutchman's Breeches.

A few patches of squirrel corn were in bloom. We also saw some blue cohosh. All three of these flowers prefer enriched hardwood forests and are uncommon in the White Mountains.

One of many naturally sculpted rocks in the forest.

Climbing a steeper pitch up to the crest of the south ridge.

Many sections of this ridge were gentle and some were nearly level. The woods were mostly red oak up to 2800 ft.

Rick ponders a route through one of the many ledge bands found on Catskill ridges.

The ridge provided a long and mellow ascent route, quite a contrast with the usual very steep, cliff-banded approach from the Devil's Path up the east side of North Dome.

Twin black cherry trees.

The massive ridges of West Kill Mountain could be glimpsed from the east edge of the ridge.

Tree-on-rock.

A gorgeous day and a beautiful ridge for a bushwhack.

An unusually shaped rock - Laurie thought it could be a lizard's head.

The ridge goes on and on...

No herd paths on this crest.

This portal provided passage through another ledge band.

Mushroom rock.

A crazily twisted tree at 3500 ft.

A park-like glade.

Into the conifers, but mostly pretty open.

We passed through this glade as we neared the SE viewpoint.

After five hours of leisurely whacking we reached the great ledge perch on the eastern brink of North Dome, looking down Broadstreet Hollow to the Burroughs Range on the horizon. An amazing spot.

Looking north to Rusk Mountain and Hunter Mountain rising above the Spruceton valley; West Kill Mountain on the right.

This photo and the next show West Kill and its enormous south ridge.

West Kill south ridge, cont'd. That would be a most interesting bushwhack route. The ponds and fields in the valley are at the private Timber Lake Camp.

Hunter Mountain (L) and West Kill Mountain (R).

Wittenberg, Cornell, Slide and Panther.

Great airy spot for a late lunch.

Rick and Laurie take in the views.

Parting shot at the viewpoint.

We followed a herd path across the broad, flat crest of North Dome.

The survey marker at the summit.

Signing in at the canister. Laurie has been to this peak around 18 times and plans to finish her Catskill "grid" (hiking each peak in every month) later this year.

We were able to follow a herd path for a short distance heading west towards Mount Sherrill, but it soon faded away.

Back into the ridge hardwoods.

Descending towards Sherrill.

This is known as the "Boy Scout Cave."

Laurie navigated us right down to the narrow North Dome-Sherrill col.

Starting the steep climb up towards Sherrill. Through here there is a discernible herd path, as in places there is only one logical route up through a ledge band.

Up we go.

A couple of good scrambles, akin to the Devil's Path farther east on this same range.

Rock and tree sculptures define the Catskill ridges.

There always seems to be a way up through the ledges.

We reached the SE viewpoint on Sherrill around 5:00, and gazed back at North Dome, whence we had come.

The lower perch opened a stunning vista down the wild valley of Peck Hollow to the southern Catskill peaks.

Fir, Big Indian and Doubletop.

More peaks off to the east. The hour was late, so we could spend only a few precious minutes at this vantage point.

Laurie and Rick at the Sherrill summit canister.

Me and Rick, 3500 Club aspirants. (Photo by Laurie Rankin)

Weaving through the gnarled hardwoods on Sherrill's summit plateau. The herd path petered out quickly as we aimed for Sherrill's SW ridge.

Magnificent hardwoods.

Wonderfully open woods on a shelf along Sherrill's SW ridge.

Descending to another shelf.

Spring was springing.

Could it be any more open?

Towards the bottom of the descent we dropped down through a gorgeous hemlock forest to an old bark road that Laurie and her husband Tom had discovered a few years ago.

We followed the old road for a while, lost it, then picked it up again and continued down to a nameless creek on the floor of the valley.

We crossed the creek in an area of old pastureland and were soon back at our cars, just before dark.It was quite a day!

CATSKILLS - DIAMOND NOTCH & WINDHAM PATH: 4/21/16

On a sunny and somewhat hazy Thursday we took a relatively easy hike in to Diamond Notch in the Hunter-West Kill Wilderness. This 3 1/2 mile round trip on the Diamond Notch Trail features cascades, nice woods, a lean-to, and the wild, narrow cut between West Kill Mountain and Southwest Hunter known as Diamond Notch.

Starting from Spruceton Road (itself a scenic journey by car), you pass several cascades on the West Kill along the easy-graded trail.

Stream scenery is best when the leaves are off the trees.

Carol gets the shot at another small cascade.

Diamond Notch Falls is reached by an easy hike of just under a mile.

The Diamond Notch Trail meets junctions with the Devil's Path on either side of a bridge over the West Kill, just above the falls.

The trail is rather rocky as it approaches Diamond Notch, with the slope of Southwest Hunter (aka Leavitt Peak) rising on the left.

Approaching the V-shaped notch.

Mossy rocks.

Broken talus on the Southwest Hunter side.

There's a great open stretch of trail in the heart of the notch.

A hazy distant view of Wittenberg, Cornell and Slide.

A fine sitting rock, where I later took a snooze in the sun.

More talus below the trail.

Looking up at the steep slope of West Kill Mountain.

The trail hugs a narrow shelf along the steep slope.

Peering down to the bottom of the cut.

Farewell to the sitting rock after an hour's sojourn.

The Diamond Notch Shelter was in excellent shape.

View of Diamond Notch Falls from the topside ledges.

An even higher view from up on the trail. (Photo by Carol Smith)

The first trout lilies of the season for us.

"Forever Wild"

Later that afternoon we walked and geocached on the Windham Path, a scenic, town-managed recreation path in the town of Windham.

This was a fun series of geocaches.

The path is well-graded and of gentle grade, and offers numerous views across the fields.

Thomas Cole Mountain, Camel's Hump and the Caudal, in the Blackhead Range.

Windham High Peak.

Along the Batavia Kill.

Bloodroot was blooming in profusion along one section of the trail. After this walk we enjoyed an excellent dinner at the Cave Mountain Brewery in Windham with Tom and Laurie Rankin of the Catskill 3500 Club, a great way to top off the day.

CATSKILLS - KAATERSKILL FALLS AREA: 4/22/16

On a muggy Friday with scattered thunderstorms we visited the iconic Kaaterskill Falls, perhaps the most famed location in all the Catskills. A new path and viewing platform have been constructed at the top of the falls, accessed from a trailhead on Laurel House Rd. Construction will be ongoing through this year, but luckily on this day the parking area, trail and platform were all open.

This is the distant view from the ledges at the top of this towering cataract.

Looking down to the bottom. Extreme caution is urged here, especially when the ledges are wet.

Where the brook falls over the brink.

This is a popular tourist spot, but there is very dangerous terrain off the paths.

The new platform is the best spot from which to view the falls.

You get a clear look at the big upper drop.

Looking across Kaaterskill Clove at Roundtop Mountain.

We then returned to the Laurel House Road trailhead and walked most of the way west along the Kaaterskill Rail Trail, finding a fun series of geocaches along the way.

This was a very pleasant stroll.

Portions of the rail trail are reminiscent of the Lincoln Woods Trail in the Whites.

A spur path off the rail trail leads to a newly cut vista providing a spectacular angle on Kaaterskill Falls.

Just as we settled down for lunch here, a thunderstorm rolled in and sent us scurrying back to the car.

After the minor storm went by, we spent some time relaxing by South Lake. We were enjoying the Catskills so much we decided to stay another night before heading home to New Hampshire.

CATSKILLS - VLY & BEARPEN MOUNTAINS: 4/23/16

On Saturday, our last day of vacation, I took a solo hike to two more Catskill 3500-foot peaks, Vly Mountain and Bearpen Mountain, located outside the NW edge of the Catskill Park. Both summits are in the Bearpen Mountain State Forest, though the slopes are largely privately owned. I approached from the end of County Route 3 on the north outside Prattsville, where a parking spot is shown on the NY/NJ Trail Conference map. The hike begins with a steadily ascending slog up a hardpacked woods road/snowmobile trail to the Vly/Bearpen col, rising 1150 ft. in 1.3 miles.

On the lower third of the climb the land on the right is owned by the New York City Dept. of Environmental Protection. There are NYCDEP parcels scattered in various places around the Catskill Park; many are open for public recreation.

Slow and steady gets the job done on this kind of climb. The upper part is in the state forest.

At the col, the well-worn herd path to Vly Mountain leaves on the left at some bright blue blazes. This path originally developed along a blazed property line, but these new, overly profuse and bright blazes seem intended to mark the trail.

Vly Mountain doesn't seem to get a lot of love, but I really enjoyed this path as it wound up through several ledge bands with some light scrambling.

By poking around off to the side I was able to find an occasional vista.

Another ledge band.

The path traverses a flat shoulder with the summit in sight ahead. The route climbs 500 ft. in the last 0.3 mile.

A look back at Bearpen Mountain, the day's second objective.

A dancing pair of gnarled hardwoods.

Black cherries, a common denizen of the hardwood ridges.

This sentinel boulder is the site of a cool geocache titled "I Spy on Vly."

A guardian of the summit plateau.

The small clearing at the 3529-ft. summit.

The Catskill 3500 Club canister.

Signing in is one of the rewards on the "trailless" peaks.

A nice spot for a break just south of the summit.

A patch of first growth (never cut) forest surrounds the summit of Vly. The mountain's name is a Dutch word for swamp or marsh.

From a rock on the south side I found a little framed vista of the Burroughs Range.

A well-camouflaged geocache hidden off the herd path on the way back to the col.

Skies were clearing as I headed up to Bearpen Mountain from the col on a steep continuation of the snowmobile trail

A herd path cuts off some of the distance on the snowmobile trail, but I veered off too soon on the wrong path and ended up bushwhacking up a steep slope to gain the correct one.

Once I found the correct path, it provided delightful walking on a high hardwood shoulder.

Farther up, the route rejoined the snowmobile trail, and I stepped aside for a couple on an ATV.

The 3600-ft. summit of Bearpen is exceptionally flat, and it's hard to tell where the actual high point is.

The Princeton Snow Bowl ski area operated on Bearpen in the 1950s, and some of the rope tow equipment is still rusting in the woods at the top.

The tops of some of the old ski trails are still open and provide views such as this look at Windham High Peak and the Blackhead Range.

The best views are from a couple of excellent ledge perches near the summit, including this one overlooking the lesser-known western Catskills.

The Bearpen Range stretches away to the north.

Nice spot to enjoy some sun.

I relaxed and tried to identify the many unfamiliar peaks and hills to the NW and west.

The Plattekill Ski Area can be seen on the left.

Cool jutting ledges.

A nearby ledge opened a vast view to the north.

On this clear day I could see the ridges of the southern Adirondacks lining the northern horizon.

The Huntersfield Range is prominent to the NE.

The snowmobile trail leading back along the ridge.

A truck chassis from bygone days.

On the way back I scrounged along the south edge of Bearpen's eastern shoulder and found a partial view of Doubletop, Graham, Belleayre, and Balsam Lake Mountains.

Peering SE to Vly Mountain.

Nice late afternoon light.

This hunter's cabin is a landmark in the Bearpen-Vly col.

A last look at Vly on the way down from the col.

HEDGEHOG MOUNTAIN: 4/28/16

On this gorgeous spring day my good friend Dave Stinson and I I undertook a spring trail maintenance trip on the west half of UNH Trail. Recent snow added a bit of difficulty.

A recent hiker (called a "bear-booter" by one wag) broke trail up above the loop junction.

There was a covering of 2-3" of wet snow on this north-facing trail. This made for slippery footing on the descent.

Mounts Paugus and Chocorua from Allen's Ledge.

View across the Albany Intervale.

Cleaning waterbars with a couple of inches of wet snow = extra fun.

Mount Washington beyond Mount Tremont, from the final approach to the summit of Hedgehog.

The broad Oliverian Brook valley sprawls to the south from the summit.

Nice westerly view from this near-summit ledge.

The Sleepers and the Tripyramids.

The mighty Mount Passaconaway. Nowhere does it look more imposing than from the Hedgehog ledges.

A blowdown Dave took out last week, requiring multiple cuts. That's some dedication at age 75. Thanks, Dave!

A waterbar we call "the double," mostly melted out by the end of the day.

GUINEA & BLACK MOUNTAIN PONDS: 4/29/16

On a cloudy-to-sunny Friday I spent a long, leisurely spring day visiting ponds and meadows on the quiet south side of Sandwich Dome. It was a day filled with gentle trail walking and fine lowland scenery. I started late morning at the Bennett Street trailhead for the Flat Mountain Pond Trail and by the time I'd climbed less than a mile, the sun had burned through the clouds and ruled the skies for the rest of the day.

At the top of the initial climb I turned left on the Guinea Pond Trail and followed it westward along the grade of the old Beebe River Logging Railroad, which operated from 1917 to 1942. Blue sky, bare hardwoods, gentle grades and good footing made for a most pleasant walk.

Straight as an arrow.

The crossing of the Cold River. This can be a tough one in high water.

Shortly beyond the Cold River the trail comes to a scenic beaver pond with a view of Mount Israel. Lots of bird activity here - a Hooded Merganser, Tree Swallows, Yellow-rumped Warblers and a wave of exuberant Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

A bypass around the pond begins with a tricky crossing on logs and a remnant bog bridge. For a teetering moment I thought I was going to topple in and become a Swamp Thing.

From the other end of the pond, there's a view of Mount Whiteface and South Flat Mountain.

Heading east, the point where the bypass diverges left is not well-marked. But soon enough it's obvious that the main route leads into the pond.

A beautiful hardwood glade just past the western end of the bypass.

In another mile I reached the shore of Guinea Pond via a side path off Guinea Pond Trail. The side path was impassable a few years ago due to flooding, but had only one wet spot, easily negotiated, today.

I worked my way out a short distance for an open view of the pond and sprawling Sandwich Dome. There were Hooded Mergansers here, and an Osprey.

Beyond the spur to the pond, the Guinea Pond Trail crosses a stream flowing off the slopes of Mount Israel.

The railroad grade then makes two crossings of the Beebe River, both of which would have required wading today (and on most days). These crossings can be avoided with an unmarked bypass to the left (going west).

A remnant piece of rail at the start of the bypass.

A peaceful scene along the Beebe.

I went farther west on Guinea Pond Trail to check out a "temporary" relocation around beaver flooding that takes you across and back over the nearby powerline swath.

The sign at the west end of the relo.

View at the east end of the relo.

Then it was back to the Black Mountain Pond Trail, one of my favorite walks in the Whites.

Into the Wilderness.

This crossing of the Beebe River was easy today.

Meandering through wild woods.

Last time I was here this was a meadow; now it's a pond again.

Why it's a pond again.

Beavers at work.

A short bushwhack brought me to this nice spot on the far side of the pond/meadow, where I sat a while and watched a beaver patrolling its domain.

Open hardwoods march down to the shore of the pond.

Back to the trail for a scenic section of ledges and cascades along the dwindling Beebe River.

Nice cascade and pool.

And another.

A fine hardwood section with good footing.

While wandering around off-trail, I literally stumbled on this artifact from the Beebe River logging railroad days. I replaced it where it was hidden in the turf.

Another beaver meadow near the trail.

Gnarled tree crowns line this nearby ridgecrest.

Into the spruces.

A sign points the way to a scenic side path.

The craggy drop of Mary Cary Falls.

I scrambled (carefully) up to the top of the falls, gaining views of an upper drop not visible from below.

A view back down the valley to Dinsmore Mountain from a ledge near the top of the falls.

It was late in the afternoon, but I was too close to Black Mountain Pond to not pay a visit. This tent pad on the hillock above the pond is maintained by the Squam Lakes Association.

It was 5:10 pm when I arrived at the picturesque pond, with the ledgy face of Black Mountain looming across the water.

Evening sun illuminated the rocky shore. It was an all-too-brief stay of 20 minutes, as it was 6 miles back to the car from here.

Back down to the Beebe River crossing.

A neat ledge along the Guinea Pond Trail.

Evening at the beaver pond along the Guinea Pond Trail. Didn't have to pull out the headlamp until the car was just a half-mile away.

SANDWICH NOTCH RAMBLE: 5/3/16

This 12-miler on a gray day had a little bit of everything: ponds, beaver meadows, waterfalls, historic sites, and an obscure viewpoint. The route consisted of hiking trails, a ski trail, some road walking, fisherman's paths and some bushwhacking.

I started from the Smarts Brook trailhead on Rt. 49 and followed the Smarts Brook and Tritown Trails...

...and then the Atwood Ski Trail.

The ski trail is used by mountain bikers and along the way there were junctions with several other mountain bike trails with clever names ("Uncle Wiggly" was another) and spiffy signs.

This part of the ski trail was quite well-worn.

The ski trail reaches Atwood Pond by a ledge with a nice view over the water.

An old beaver dam at the pond's outlet.

I followed the ski trail out to Sandwich Notch Road, then followed an old woods road and path back in to the best sitting ledge at the pond, right across the outlet from the first ledge I visited.

This spot had a wide-open view over the small, still pond.

Next I checked out the cellar hole at the 1830s homestead of Ezra and Polly Atwood, off Sandwich Notch Road. There are dozens of historic sites in Sandwich Notch that are described in a booklet published by the Sandwich Historical Society, which can be purchased at http://www.sandwichhistorical.org/excursions-61---70.html. The Sandwich Notch publication is the 69th Excursion, 1988. A previous version was published in the 16th Excursion, 1935.

Nearby are the remnants of a barn foundation.

Pleasant walking along Sandwich Notch Road. On the two road walk segments I saw just one vehicle, the only folks I encountered all day.

One of the steep paved pitches where, if you're driving, you hope no one is coming the other way because you can't see over your hood. Motoring over the Notch road is always somewhat of an adventure and is best done with a high-clearance vehicle.

The short, steep side road to Upper Hall Pond had not yet been opened for the season.

The peaceful scene at Upper Hall Pond, looking across at rugged spurs of Mount Weetamoo in the Campton Range. The calls of two loons echoed off the mountainside.

Remains of a former private camp at Upper Hall Pond burned by the Forest Service after this inholding was acquired for the WMNF.

Not a bad spot for your front yard.

A swampy meadow to the south of Upper Hall Pond.

I followed an obscure fisherman's path down to Middle Hall Pond. Just above Middle Hall Pond the brook that flows between the ponds plunges over an impressive but officially nameless waterfall.

A closer look at the lower part of the waterfall.

Rugged rocks beside the falls.

Side view, partway up.

The upper falls.

Converging sluices.

Looking down from the upper falls.

The inlet brook slides its way into Middle Hall Pond.

Middle Hall Pond from the inlet.

This beaver-gnawed tree is ready to topple.

Middle Hall Pond is a small and secluded gem nestled at the foot of the Campton Range. In the middle it's 56 feet deep.

View from a sitting rock on the south shore.

Leaving Middle Hall Pond.

The unofficial, orange-blazed fisherman's path between Middle and Lower Hall Ponds passes by this interesting ledge.

Next to it is an enormous mossy rock face.

Nice hardwood forest along the path.

The view from the SW shore of Lower Hall Pond, with Black Mountain and Sandwich Dome obscured by clouds.

The inviting viewpoint.

Following more fisherman's paths and an old logging road, I passed another viewspot on the NW side of Lower Hall.

Looking down an inlet brook drifting towards Lower Hall.

The Moses Hall Place, the only remaining house in Sandwich Notch, is set on a small private inholding. This house was actually built in 1877, after the Sandwich Notch community had mostly faded away. The older original house at this site is now a woodshed.

Next was a 3/4 mile walk up the Algonquin Trail.

A beaver meadow just off the trail a short way in.

Another beaver meadow at the 3/4 mile mark.

Near here I followed the trace of the 19th century North Road to another historic site behind the location of the Durgin Farm.

Traces of a barn foundation.

One of many stone piles found along the North Road, which ran from Sandwich Notch Road near the height-of-land past Guinea Pond to Mount Israel Road. The Sandwich Notch community flourished in the early to mid-1800s, and was mostly abandoned by the time of the Civil War. For more images of historic sites in Sandwich Notch, visit photographer Erin Paul Donovan's gallery.

I followed the trace of the old North Road until it petered out, then bushwhacked to this neat spot.

Just beyond was a beaver meadow tucked in among steep slopes.

Looking back to the south.

Rugged ledges behind the meadow.

Leaving the beaver meadow.

A last look back.

Above the meadow the inlet brook plunges over a lofty cascade.

Bushwhacking north, I crossed this pretty plateau of hardwoods.

Another beaver pond farther up the little valley.

A gorgeous hardwood stand with lots of white ash. Might be a likely spot to find some Dutchman's Breeches flowers in a week or two.

I continued up onto a spur ridge of Black Mountain adorned with several ledgy meadows.

I gained a view of the Campton Range from the uppermost meadow.

There was lots of moose sign up here.

At 6:30 pm, it was time to bushwhack down through a hardwood valley to the Smarts Brook Trail. I was familiar with this route, having snowshoed it in January.

One of numerous cascades on a tributary of Smarts Brook.

The largest of the cascades, which I'd seen as an ice flow in January.

This and the other cascades were in good flow after the previous day's rain.

A ledgy waterslide.

Dusk at the beaver pond by the Smarts Brook Trail. I was able to hoof it out the last 1.5 miles without resorting to the headlamp. It was a most interesting day!

CARR MOUNTAIN WATERFALLS: 5/6/16

This Friday was a two-part hiking day: after doing a five-hour trail work trip on the Hurricane Trail at the base of Mount Moosilauke, I drove over to Warren for a late afternoon/evening adventure. I took the Carr Mountain Trail and a spur to Waternomee Falls, then bushwhacked up Clifford Brook to several more waterfalls and features described by writers in the late 1800s.

Here is the 100-foot waterbar on my adopted section of the Hurricane Trail (between Gorge Brook Trail and the Carriage Road).When building drainages, the Dartmouth Outing Club goes all out!

It's trout lily season in the hardwoods!

Beautiful spring scene along the Hurricane Trail, which in this section follows an old road roughed out by the Dartmouth Outing Club in the 1930s for access to the Ravine Camp from the Carriage Road.

A beech blowdown before...

...and after.

It's the last season for the old Ravine Lodge, which will be torn down and rebuilt starting this fall.

Carr Mountain from Rt. 25 in Warren. The ravine I explored is in the center-left.

A quarter mile above its start on Clifford Brook Road, the Carr Mountain Trail crosses a field by a house, with the mountain in sight ahead.

A different kind of historic artifact. Also a geocache site.

The start of the spur trail to Waternomee Falls, a mile up the Carr Mountain Trail.

A fine cascade at the spur trail's crossing of the south branch of Clifford Brook. I found another geocache here.

Waternomee Falls, seen from a spot just off the end of the spur path. Still another cache to find. From here I bushwhacked up along Clifford Brook, slowly and carefully due to rocks and holes in places.

The next cascades upstream.

"Bear Slide Cascade," a name that appeared in an 1888 article by J.H. Hillman that was reprinted in historian Robert Averill's The Moosilauke Reader, Vol. Two. Maybe my all-time favorite waterfall moniker. During their exploration, Hillman's friend slipped and "came uncomfortably near taking a slide as some careless bear is imagined to have done."

Another angle.

Relaxing briefly at the top of the cascade.

This may be what was called "Middle Cascades" by William Little in his 1870 History of Warren.

Next I came to the base of the biggest waterfall, called both "Hurricane Falls" and "Silver Cascades."

Presumably this is what J.H. Hillman called "Diamond Rock."

Higher up I found a perch with a close view of the main drop of Hurricane Falls. I had done this bushwhack on a hot, humid day in 2008 when the flow was meager. The falls were much more impressive today.

Looking down on Diamond Rock.

A bird's-eye view.

This might have been J.H. Hillman's "Table Rock."

At the top is a cascade that might be what writers called "Wolf's-Head Falls."

A view from the top. The combined Hurricane-Wolf's Head Falls drop a good 150 ft. in elevation.

Lingering ice in a crevice.

The cascades kept coming.

This pothole was called "Diana's Wash Bowl." Supposedly surveyor Benjamin Leavitt stopped by here in 1765 when laying out the town boundary for Warren.

This might be the "curious grotto" that Hillman called "Devil's Den."

I continued up to "The Harrows," where two branches of the brook join. In their 1880s exploration, J.H. Hillman and friend continued up along the left branch of the brook for a rough bushwhack up to the top of Carr Mountain.

Here I exited the ravine and bushwacked down a broad ridge through open hardwoods, passing this interesting boulder.

The downhill bushwhacking was excellent, far easier than the gnarly terrain in the ravine.

A cascade on the south branch of Clifford Brook, perhaps there are more along this stream for another exploration.

SPRING MOUNTAIN LEDGES: 5/10/16

On a gorgeous sunny spring day I enjoyed a great bushwhack on the wild back side of Mount Tecumseh. From the Mill Brook valley I went partway up the Bald Mountain ridge to a wildflower-rich col, then I whacked up the hardwood-cloaked Haselton Brook valley and ascended to impressive granite slabs on a spur called Spring Mountain. Hardwoods, flowers and ledges are hard to beat for a fine spring day.

For perspective on this trip, in the photo below the Spring Mountain ledges are on the middle of the three ridges seen across the Haselton Brook valley from Bald Mountain (taken on a previous bushwhack).

After an initial approach on forest roads, I bushwhacked NE through open hardwoods along the lower part of the Bald Mountain ridge.

A storm-scarred maple, still hanging on.

Along the ridge I would find an occasional patch of Dutchman's Breeches at the base of a tree.

A view out towards Carr Mountain from a ledge atop the first bump on the Bald Mountain ridge.

The SW spur of Green Mountain (L) and Hogback Mountain (R).

On several trips I've admired the open maple forest in this col. A week ago fellow Haselton Brook enthusiast Ray "Jazzbo" Caron passed through here and reported many Dutchman's Breeches leaves, though no flowers yet. I added this to the day's itinerary in hopes that these uncommon (in the Whites) flowers would be in bloom.

As Ray reported, there were extensive patches of Dutchman's Breeches all across the col.

This is one of the most extensive occurrences of this plant - which is typical of enriched hardwood forest - that I've seen in the Whites.

And some of them were in bloom!

From the col the enriched forest wrapped around a bit on the eastern base of the ridge.

I dropped downslope to head up the valley, soon passing this beech with an interesting foot print.

"Hardwood Heaven" - a Catskill-like patch of forest.

An isolated Dutchman's at the base of a white ash.

This is an excellent valley for hardwood whacking.

A shelf fungus tree.

Several miles up the valley, Spring Mountain could be glimpsed through the trees. This spur was named by late 19th century guidebook editor Moses Sweetser after mineral springs and an accompanying building that were located at its base in the mid-1800s. A route over this spur was one of three Sweetser described to Mount Tecumseh from the Mill Brook valley.

I dropped down to cross Haselton Brook, at the foot of Spring Mountain. Perhaps this rocky outwash was deposited by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.

Nice sunny spot for a brookside break.

View back across the brook.

For the ascent to the ledges I first followed a tributary brook along the north side of the spur, passing this unusual rock.

It's an attractive little stream. Higher up it is steep and there must be some tall cascades. I could hear them up on the ledges.

The ascent started in this glade with a tangle of hobblebush.

One of the treasures from the sky sometimes found on a remote bushwhack.

Above the hobblebush, the spruce-woods climb up Spring Mountain was steep but mostly fairly open.

It does go up!

About 500 ft. up I came to the base of the first ledge band.

This spur has a number of huge granite slabs, much like its ridgemates Welch and Dickey.

The slabs are steep yet grippy, at least when dry.

Looking across to the next ridge to the south, a wild-looking crest which rises to the summit of the SW spur of Green Mountain.

The sweep of the Bald Mountain ridge, lower half, is seen across the Haselton Brook valley. Carr Mountain, Mount Kineo and Mount Cushman are sprawled in the distance.

The upper half of the Bald Mountain ridge rises to West Tecumseh.

Another wild ridge rises close by to the north.

Quite the granite expanse.

Above the first set of slabs I peered into this tunnel-cave amidst a jumble of broken ledges. I wondered if this could be the "Walker's Ice Cave" described in the 1890s guidebook to Franconia Notch and the Pemigewasset Valley by Frank O. Carpenter.

A ledge on the north edge of the ridge provided a bypass around some difficult terrain in the broken ledges, where I hit a dead-end and had to temporarily retreat. I first visited this ridge in 1995, on snowshoes with two friends. Somehow we found a way to scramble up through the broken stuff that day, but today a work-around seemed prudent.

Looking down into a flume-like formation.

Ascending the second band of ledges.

The southwestern view expands.

After a tussle with some scrub I emerged on the third ledge band, where the ridge flattens out just below 3000 ft. Today the view extended all the way to Stratton Mountain in southern Vermont.

Mount Moosilauke over Bald Mountain.

Looking up to the col between Mount Tecumseh and Green Mountain.

West Tecumseh beyond the deep, dark ravine on the north side of Spring Mountain.

Not a bad place to hang out in the afternoon sun.

Heading back down the lower slab.

It is amply steep!

Back down through the spruces.

There are trout lilies galore in this valley.

I scooted back across Haselton Brook.

On the far side, along the ghost of an old woods road, I stumbled on this little pool hemmed in by what appears to be an old manmade rock enclosure, now covered in moss. I wondered if this might be a remnant from the old mineral spring house.

Another view.

Heading home down the long valley through the hardwoods.

Near the mouth of the valley I visited the old Elkins Farm cellar hole from the 1800s, thanks to intel from Ray Caron and a local resident who I met on my way in this morning. The Elkins Farm was recommended in the late 1800s Sweetser guidebook as the best launching point for the three different routes up Mount Tecumseh. George Elkins, "a quiet, tireless and trusty young man," sometimes guided parties up the mountain. If these walls could speak, there would be some interesting tales from that bygone tramping era.

FLAT MOUNTAIN FLUME: 5/17/16

On a fine spring day I enjoyed a bushwhack exploration with Mark Klim in search of a flume on the east side of the col between Flat Mountain (north) and Sandwich Dome. It was discovered in 1899 by Nathaniel L. Goodrich and friends while trying to reach Flat Mountain Pond from Waterville. Goodrich, who went on to become a renowned AMC trailman and Waterville historian, mentioned it briefly in two publications. The flume is there, but not easy to get to.

Recent good news from the Wonalancet Out Door Club was posted at the trailhead for the Flat Mountain Pond Trail on Bennett Street.

Onto the Bennett Street Trail.

It passes through a fine hemlock forest.

A mossy trailside spring.

This cascade on Pond Brook might be what was called Fan Fall in the 1901 Wonalancet Out Door Club guide to the Sandwich Range.

Soon we came to the start of the new relocation, completed just three days earlier by WODC volunteers, around the washout on Bennett Street Trail.

Freshly greening hardwoods along the relo.

Good axe work.

After the relo, the trail passes Great Falls.

A closer look. This and Fan Fall have beautiful pools at their bases.

The trail continues along a wide stretch of Pond Brook.

Then it turns left and climbs alongside a tributary. There's lots of nice brook scenery in this area.

Rock steps on a steep pitch approaching Flat Mountain Pond Trail.

The upper junction of Bennett Street and Flat Mountain Pond Trails.

The Flat Mountain Pond Trail follows the grade of the old Beebe River Logging Railroad (1917-1942).

A scenic crossing of Pond Brook.

An open beaver pond/meadow marks the renowned hairpin turn on the old railroad grade.

Two summits of the northern Flat Mountain rise above the meadow.

The SW summit of the northern Flat has some interesting view ledges, but they are guarded by fierce scrub.

The land of the pointed firs.

A high ridge of Sandwich Dome.

Nice spot for a lunch break before starting the bushwhack.

An amber pool on the stream we followed up towards the flume.

Not far above we came upon a fine ledgy cascade.

Near here we found some old cairns. In the middle of nowhere, leading nowhere.

The whack up this valley was generally scrappy, but we did find one stretch of good open woods.

A spooky cavern along the dwindling brook.

A can left over from the logging railroad era.

Another artifact.

We ascended to a big ledge high in the valley, with the NE ridge of Sandwich Dome looming nearby.

The Ossipees under a puffy cloud sky.

Sandwich is a massive presence.

A peek at the southern Flat Mountain.

Above the ledge the terrain was very rough, necessitating a lot of weaving up, down and around to circumvent obstacles.

After some thrashing around, we caught a glimpse of the opposite wall of the flume.

A slow and careful descent in precipitous terrain brought us to the bottom of the flume.

Looking up at the south wall.

This is what Nathaniel Goodrich wrote the flume about in his 1952 history of the Waterville Valley:
"At the top of the high col between Sandwich Mountain and Flat Mountain there is a deep narrow flume in the solid rock, suggesting a spill-way for melt water dammed by the glacier against the range. But also, they say, it may be the result of earthquake action. These matters are not for the amateurs."

On the north side is a chaotic jumble of rocks.

We wondered when someone last stood on the floor of the flume.

Big fallen rocks blocked passage up through the ravine.

A pool in the small brook at the bottom.

Climbing out of the flume - which was easier than dropping in.

On the way back down the valley we paid another visit to that nice cascade.

After completing the descent down the valley, we took a much-deserved break by the beaver pond/meadow at the hairpin turn.

Mark admires the scene.

Peaceful view from a tall boulder.

Shallow water and deep muck.

Heading out on the Flat Mountain Pond Trail.

Another leftover from the logging days.

Forest Service notice about the upper Gleason Trail.

Descending the lower Gleason Trail.

FLAT MOUNTAIN POND RAMBLE: 5/20/16

After a 4-mile approach via the Flat Mountain Pond Trail from Whiteface Intervale, I made an interesting bushwhack loop near the north end of Flat Mountain Pond. Highlights included a visit to Hedgehog Camp (Camp 12) of the Beebe River Railroad; birch glades and partial views on a shoulder of East Sleeper; an outstanding clifftop vantage on a shoulder of the northern Flat Mountain; and the beautiful pond itself.

The trail starts from a parking area off Whiteface Intervale Road.

Just 0.4 mile from the trailhead a short side path leads to a good view of Sandwich Dome and the southern Flat Mountain from the edge of a large beaver pond.

At 0.9 mile there's a vista of Mount Whiteface from a high bank above the Whiteface River.

This section of trail is on private land with a conservation easement.

There used to be a bridge for the crossing of Whiteface River at 1.6 miles; now only an abutment remains.

The best crossing is about 30 yards upstream.

The trail soon crosses the East Branch of Whiteface River.

Spring, with its nascent greens, is a great time to walk this delightful section of trail.

The rocky river is your constant companion.

Leaning yellow birches.

Looking downstream from a break spot.

The river cascades through a tumble of giant rocks.

It levels on a high plateau between the southern Flat Mountain and the West Spur of Mount Whiteface.

Another mellow stretch of walking.

Looking into the woods.

Here the trail crosses the nameless brook that drains the remote basin between East Sleeper and the Whiteface West Spur.

After recrossing the main river you climb through an area of high hobblebush.

That's the trail! A brief very rocky stretch.

Near here I left the trail and after some searching I found the old railroad bed that leads about 3/4 mile out to Hedgehog Camp, the most remote on the Beebe River line. This logging railroad, run by the Woodstock Lumber Company, was built in 1917 and its heyday ended around 1924, though the tracks remained until 1942.

The grade is still obvious nearly a century after it was in use.

Artifacts are visible in several places along the grade. (A reminder that it is illegal - and unfair to future wanderers - to remove any of these artifacts from the National Forest.)

A twisted crosscut saw blade.

A pailful of moss.

Several pieces of a stove.

And another piece.

Bed frames.

Shovel blades, a sled runner and more.

Scat (coyote?) and what looks like a piece of coal.

A beautiful open stretch of the railroad grade.

Abandoned pieces of rail.

This open glade seems to be the main site of Hedgehog Camp (Camp 12). This camp was consumed by the great slash-fed forest fire that burned 3,500 acres around Flat Mountain Pond in July 1923. The men in the camp had to flee for their lives as a "seething, roaring hell of destruction" came upon them. One older man did not make it; he was found with a note pinned to his coat: "John Gray died July 13."

I'm not sure what this item is.

A 1920-vintage broken bottle.

G.S. Blodgett Co. is still in business today, making ovens.

A stovepipe joint of some kind?

The tip of a sled runner.

Unidentified...

I enjoyed a lunch break at the nearby brook, the stream that flows between East Sleeper and the West Spur of Whiteface.

A grassy opening in the lower part of the Hedgehog Camp area.

A rusted wheelbarrow.

Perhaps this was a watering hole for the horses.

From here I bushwhacked NW up onto the southern shoulder of East Sleeper, passing this patch of Painted Trillium.

I soon emerged into a vast open birch glade, a legacy of the 1923 fire.

Awesome whacking before the ferns come up!

Park-like.

Looking across to the West Spur of Whiteface.

Gorgeous opening.

The south ridge of the West Spur.

The Ossipees in the distance.

Above the glades I entered dense spruce woods and sought out a ledge I had visited in 2008 with a neat view of Flat Mountain Pond and the SE ridge of Sandwich Dome. In eight years the vista had grown in significantly.

The Ossipees and Lake Winnipesaukee.

The southern Flat Mountain.

Back down to another birch glade.

A natural lawn.

From here, the bushwhack down towards the area north of Flat Mountain Pond was almost entirely through conifer forest. But the woods were open, somewhat like the forest in the eastern Pemi Wilderness.

I came out along a railroad spur that runs north from the north end of Flat Mountain Pond to this pretty beaver pond.

Lost Pass from the beaver pond. The northern Flat Mountain is on the left, the SW spur of East Sleeper is on the right.

I took to the woods again and headed up onto the south ridge of the northern Flat Mountain.

A random mini-cave.

Late in the afternoon I arrived at a favorite clifftop viewpoint.

I especially like the vista of the Sleepers and Whiteface. This trailless south-facing area is some of the wildest country in the Sandwich Range.

Looking down on the cliff.

West and East Sleeper summits peer over East's sprawling spur ridges.

A portrait of Whiteface.

The southern Flat Mountain.

The eastern gateway.

Next I bushwhacked down to the shore of the northern pool of Flat Mountain Pond.

The West Spur and summit of Whiteface.

Sandwich Dome and its SE ridge from the north end of the pond.

Parting shot before heading back down the Whiteface River valley for home.

LIVERMORE PASS RAMBLE: 5/23/16

With a 1:00 pm start on a sunny Monday the Livermore Pass area beckoned as you can reach a wild and remote area in just two miles from the Kancamagus Highway end of the Livermore Trail. Livermore Pass is a broad gap between Tripyramid's Scaur Peak and Mount Kancamagus. On this trek I could combine a trail section I wanted to check the condition of for the AMC White Mountain Guide with some backcountry bushwhacking.

From its trailhead high on the Kanc, the Livermore Trail follows a grassy logging road at first.

About a third of a mile in it crosses a wildlife opening with a glimpse of the Livermore Pass area ahead.

At 1.7 miles the trail approaches the climb into the pass, overlooked by some gnarled old hardwoods.

The start of the steep climb, which doesn't last too long.

Here the Livermore Trail clings to a narrow, steep, gravelly sidehill along the edge of a gorge. This is a tricky section in winter.

Looking down into the gorge.

The last bit of climbing is in a dry rocky brookbed.

Up in the pass the trail skirts a small high-country meadow.

A sign marks the 2900-ft. high point of the trail.

The trail through the pass feels like it's a million miles from nowhere.

I wanted to visit the northern of two beaver ponds on the high plateau south of the pass. These are accessible in winter via the Kancamagus Brook Ski Trail and offer views of the Tripyramids. The ski trail is way too swampy for summer hiking, so I bushwhacked across from the pass through dry and surprisingly open woods. I made frequent compass and GPS checks in this flat, confusing terrain.

Why the ski trail is not good for hiking.

More of the same in the other direction.

The ponds can be seen resting on their high plateau from North Tripyramid (with deep snowpack) and from the North Slide.

These days they are more swamps than ponds.

Love takes many forms.....

From a couple of visits on snowshoes years ago I knew there were good views of the Tripyramids to be found here. I worked my way around through the dry woods behind the shore and came to the edge for the view. From this angle you can see why Scaur Peak (on the left) was once called the "Fourth Pyramid."

A closer look at the "Tris."

Scaur Peak, a gentle soul among summits.

I was in the neighborhood, so I continued on a gentle whack up to 2980-ft. Flume Peak. I remembered birch glades from a snowshoe visit many years ago and was not disappointed.

A great old yellow birch near the summit.

Wonderful open woods.

The summit area features beautiful meadowy glades.

A bed of dried ferns beckoned for a snooze.

Evening light on the husk of a fallen giant.

Back down through the glades.

I stopped by for another look at the beaver pond.

Dropping down out of the pass.

DOWNES BROOK/EAST SLEEPER: 5/26/16

On a very warm sunny day I took a long and interesting hike up the Downes Brook valley to Sleeper Ridge, and on to the remote wooded summit of East Sleeper. The power of Mother Nature was on display at two big old landslides and a massive blowdown from 2012's Hurricane Sandy.
From the Kancamagus Highway, it's a long way to the top.

One of the ten crossings of Downes Brook in each direction. Several of these are quite wide and time-consuming. I slipped on a wet rock and took a spill at the first crossing, which did not bode well for the remaining nineteen. But the rest were made without incident. This is most definitely not a high-water route.

Into the big W at 1.5 miles, after the first four crossings.

At 2.3 miles the trail crosses the tributary that drains the Passaconaway Slide. More on this later.

At this crossing are some slabs that make a nice spot for a break.

This small gorge is just downstream from the sixth crossing.

Some interesting jointed ledges.

A relic from a logging camp site of the Conway Lumber Company's Swift River Railroad (1906-1916). As always, a reminder that it is illegal - and unfair to other history buffs - to remove historic artifacts from the National Forest.

Peavey heads and sled runners.

Another crossing. Care is required at some of these to pick up the trail on the far side.

A washed-out spot along the bank.

The brook is your constant companion up this long, remote valley.

Looking down at a cascade from a tricky spot on a high bank.

Not much for footholds here.

Knowing that there would be no views on East Sleeper, I made a short bushwhack to the base of a huge slide on the north ridge of Mt. Whiteface. This is after the ninth crossing, 4 1/2 miles up the valley. According to a 1958 dissertation on White Mountain Landslides by Edward Flaccus, this and two adjacent slides fell in 1920 or 1921.

Downes Brook at the base of the slide.

Heading up over gravel and loose rock.

A down-look at Downes Brook.

I climbed far enough to get a view out to the north.

The vista includes Mt. Washington, Mt. Tremont, Wildcat and Carter Dome. Ledgy Potash Mountain is visible closer in.

The long north ridge of East Sleeper looms across the valley.

A pretty fine spot for a lunch break.

Looking up towards the top of the slide. Back in 1995 I climbed to the top of the slide and made a gnarly bushwhack to the Rollins Trail on the north ridge of Whiteface. Not today.

One of numerous small cascades along the upper Downes Brook Trail.

A pretty stretch of trail.

This mossy, rocky side stream probably issues from a small beaver meadow on a plateau to the west. A few years ago I snowshoed up to that beaver meadow, and found a view across to the ridge of Mt. Whiteface. In the latest Google Earth image, the meadow is surrounded by a ring of blowdown and likely won't be visited anytime soon.

Blowdown cuts near the top of the trail were a preview of what was to come up towards East Sleeper.

The tenth and final crossing of Downes Brook.

A suitably weathered sign at the ridgetop junction.

A picturesque wet meadow just south of the junction.

Seen from another angle.

These almost looked like old timbers from a former logging road.

A sluggish stream feeds into the meadow.

The Kate Sleeper Trail, named for the dynamic innkeeper who founded the Wonalancet Out Door Club in 1892, has long been noted for its quiet wooded beauty.

Hurricane Sandy had other ideas.

The devastation in this area between the junction and the summit of East Sleeper is remarkable.

Equally remarkable is the blowdown clearing done in 2013 by volunteers of the Wonalancet Out Door Club.

On this remote trail, all the work was done with hand tools - crosscut saw and axe.

In some places the ridge of Mt. Whiteface can be glimpsed through the tangle.

The clearing of this half-mile of trail took several days: http://www.wodc.org/trails13.htm

Wow!

It would be virtually impossible to bushwhack through the area south of the trail.

This Google Earth image shows the extent of the blowdown.

Amazing work!

The only glimpse of a view through the blowdown that I could find was this peek at Whiteface, its flat West Spur and the Ossipees.

The summit of East Sleeper was mostly unscathed, still cloaked in the classic open fir woods of this ridge.

The flat summit, reached by a spur path, is marked by a small sign.

I hung out for an hour enjoying the cool shade and the solitude - maybe a record for an East Sleeper summit stay?

On the way back along Downes Brook Trail I visited another logging camp site. A previous visitor had set up a sort of mini-museum.

It's always interesting to see a tree grown up through a barrel hoop.

Late in the day I made a side trip along the brook to the lower slabs of the Passaconaway Slide, the route of the long-abandoned Downes Brook Slide Trail.

The north spur of Mt. Passaconaway.

Rhodora blooming in a crack.

The big lower slabs are still quite open, even though this slide fell in the early 1890s. They are very slippery when wet.

Looking across at Potash Mountain.

Last sun on the slide, time to head home.

BETWEEN THE SLEEPERS: 5/31/16

After a 3-mile approach up the Sabbaday Brook Trail, I did a bushwhack loop in the spacious side valley on the north side of the Sleepers in the heart of the Sandwich Range Wilderness. Highlights included an ascent of the huge Irene slide on West Sleeper and a visit to some gorgeous glades high in the valley, one of the more remote areas in the Sabbaday drainage.

Sabbaday Falls was in good flow on a quiet morning.

Looking down the flume below the falls.

The three wide crossings of Sabbaday Brook in the first mile are never easy, even with lower water levels.

The start of the long, pleasant section of Sabbaday Brook Trail up the east side of the valley, following an old tote road from the Swift River Railroad days of the early 1900s.

A peaceful scene along the brook.

The site of Monahan's Camp of the Swift River Railroad (1906-1916). This was a large camp located about three miles up the valley.

Part of what looks like an old cookstove from the Monahan Camp.

A sled runner, mostly buried.

An old tote road leading away from the camp.

Mossy rocks on Sabbaday Brook at the trail's fourth crossing.

The trail leads into the inner sanctum of the upper valley.

A fine patch of purple violets at a wet spot along the trail.

A burly yellow birch, off-trail.

I took a break a little ways up the brook that drains the valley north of the Sleepers.

There is a formidable growth of hobblebush in the lower part of this side valley.

I popped out onto the brookbed a tenth of a mile downstream from the base of the West Sleeper slide. Torn and twisted trees continue for some distance downstream from here.

A wide swath of rocky rubble leads upstream to the base of the slide, providing an interesting wide-open approach.

In some areas revegetation by pioneer tree species - yellow and white birch and pin cherry - is well underway five years after the slide.

The brook meanders through the rubble.

Rocks and trees deposited by the slide.

The ridge of East Sleeper in view ahead.

Here I could sense that the slide was just around the corner.

The slide fell at a right angle to the brook and slammed into this bank at the bottom, turning its swath of destruction downstream.

Looking up from the base of the slide.

A closer look from an upper shelf. I first visited this slide in June 2012 when it was very new and went about 1/4 of the way up. Today I wanted to go to the top.

Spring greens on the slide and the ridge.

The best distant view is from the wide lower part of the slide and includes Mt. Tremont, Carter Dome, Bartlett Haystack, the Baldfaces, Potash Mountain and South Potash.

Heading up. The steep grade, hot sun and loose rock and gravel footing made for a slow climb.

A different angle on the view.

Ledge slabs halfway up.

Getting up near the top.

Down-look.

Steep!

Mt. Passaconaway pops into view above the north ridge of East Sleeper.

That is a long spur ridge.

A bottleneck near the apex.

The uppermost swath.

The slide started at this gouge during the torrential rains of Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Elevation here is about 3150 ft. The base is at 2500 ft.

Mount Passaconaway.

I wanted to head into the upper part of the valley, and did not relish the idea of descending the loose slide, so I headed SE down a steep wooded slope. In places the footing was rather treacherous with half-buried loose rocks.

Evidently there is a large bruin residing in the area.

Lush glades in late afternoon light.

After crossing the Sleepers branch of the brook some distance above the slide, I climbed up to an old tote road Cath Goodwin and I had discovered on a 2007 snowshoe bushwhack up this basin to the Sleepers. This led me deeper into the valley.

High in the valley on that snowshoe trek we crossed an open area that we thought looked like a potential old logging camp site. I had long wanted to come back and have a look in the summer. It still looked like a potential spot, but there were no artifacts to be found.

It's a lovely glade, though it was here that the swarming black flies were at their most heinous.

This looked like White Baneberry.

Red Trilliums were still in bloom at 2800 ft.

I continued up to 3000 ft. to see these amazing glades that we snowshoed through on our 2007 trek.

Park-like and beautiful in any season.

Almost looks like a ski trail.

Heading back down the old tote road, which had petered out a bit below the glades.

An old shed; there was evidence that moose traveled the more open sections of the tote road.

From the road I had a peek at the slide.

The Fool Killer is glimpsed through the trees.

Another glimpse of the slide.

Farther down, the road had been overwhelmed by head-high hobblebush. It was a push through the tangle to get back to the trail, but I knew the walking would be easy from there on out.

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