Mountain Wandering

ROCKY BRANCH VALLEY: 6/2/16

On a cool, cloudy and mostly bug-free day I took a long walk up this fine remote valley in the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness. The middle 4 miles of the Rocky Branch Trail took huge hits from Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. That section was just reopened last fall after major work by the WMNF Saco Ranger District, including 17 trail relocations.

On the drive over I stopped to check out the view of the lower Montalban Ridge area from Bear Notch Road.

Heading north from the trailhead at the end of Jericho/Rocky Branch Road, much of the Rocky Branch Trail follows the grade of the Conway Lumber Company's Rocky Branch Railroad, whose crews cut this valley over a century ago.

One of many log jams deposited by Tropical Storm Irene.

Rocky Branch Shelter #1 is two miles in from the trailhead.

An interesting old sign on the side of the shelter.

There are three tent platforms nearby.

A path leads from the shelter down to the river, where you can see that the Rocky Branch is....rocky.

Trail junction near the shelter. Go left for Giant Stairs.

A piece from what might have been a stove from the Rocky Branch Railroad.

The trail skirts the edge of this log jam.

There are some fine sections of railroad grade walking.

A peek across the valley at Maple Mountain at the southern end of Rocky Branch Ridge.

Into the Wilderness at the crossing of Upper Stairs Brook.

A neat relocated section along a bank high above the river.

View down to the Rocky Branch.

Sidehill switchback construction. Great work by the Saco RD trail crew.

Log cribbing on a lower switchback.

The first of four crossings of the Rocky Branch. I found these to be easier than those I'd done recently on Downes Brook and Sabbaday Brook in the Sandwich Range.

A peek downstream at the "Baby Stair," a trailless ledgy knob with a great view up the valley.

These are probably the biggest gravel slides along the riverbank. More on these later.

The wild spur of Giant Stairs known as East Stairs.

Another crossing, with good step stones.

A strenuous scramble up a washed-out bank.

Another trailside riverview.

And another gravel bank washout.

The view where I took a break at the fourth crossing.

By chance I ran into AMC cartographer Larry Garland, who was heading in the other direction, collecting GPS data on the relocations with his powerful satellite receiver. We're both working on the next (30th) edition of the White Mountain Guide, so this gave us an unexpected chance to compare notes in person.

A beautiful stand of sugar maple.

More deposits from Irene, with a bit of Montalban Ridge peering over in the distance.

Cascades in the river seen from an open spot on the trail along a high bank.

A mucky stretch just before reaching the former site of Rocky Branch Shelter #2.

The remains of Rocky Branch Shelter #2, which was recently dismantled and burned by the Forest Service. There are plans to place three tent pads nearby.

A familiar junction to Isolation-baggers.

I bushwhacked a short distance up to some open fern meadows. The birches in this area grew in after a series of forest fires scorched the valley in 1912-1914.

South Engine Hill across the valley.

Mount Chocorua on the horizon.

The trail makes a rough crossing under this little cascade.

A zoom on East Stairs. Some interesting view ledges up there.

I made a short bushwhack to take a close look at the big gravel slides.

Impressive!

Farther along, I left the trail and bushwhacked through open woods up to the top of the gravel slides.

A view of North Moat and Big Attitash Mountains.

I worked a route around to an open vista down the Rocky Branch valley.

Big Attitash Mtn., Mt. Langdon and the Baby Stair. There is lots of interesting country out here along the Rocky Branch.

MOUNT OSCEOLA: 6/6/16

This day looked like the pick of the week, so I opted for a moderate afternoon/evening hike from Tripoli Road so I could enjoy the views from this old favorite for a long time.

Some cribbing work at the start of the trail.

This rocky little stream was in good flow after a heavy rain the previous day & night.

Those familiar with the Mount Osceola Trail know that the lower third is a rockfest worthy of Woodstock.

More rocks.

And still more.

There is one smooth gravelly section in the middle of the climb.

A welcome break from the rock-hopping.

Extensive erosion control work was done on the trail in 2015. The lower section was worked on by the WMNF Pemi District trail crew. The upper half was handled by the AMC trail crew, with the support of a $5,000 donation from the AMC Four Thousand Footer Club. Thanks to all who made contributions!

This rock waterbar was built to last.

The AMC crew built this little staircase at a spot where there was a potentially dangerous eroding scramble along a side-sloping ledge.

More good work.

The familiar sloping slabs on the upper switchbacks. These are often icy in late fall and spring.

This SW view over Breadtray Ridge along one of the switchbacks has opened up in recent years.

A hazy look at Mt. Moosilauke.

The western Pemi Wilderness from the north view ledge, reached by a side path at the true summit, where the first fire tower was located.

North to Mount Washington.

The scrub has grown up around the north view ledge, so now you have to stand to see the view.

On to the expansive main ledge with its classic view east over the Osceola Brook ravine to the Sandwich Range.

The high peaks of the Sandwich Range, with remote Lost Pass on the right.

The Tripyramids, with the North Slide prominently displayed.

Clouds and shadows made for dramatic views, especially looking across towards East Osceola.

Sandwich Dome beyond Waterville Valley.

Peering into the Osceola Brook ravine. There was once a rough trail up through this basin, variously known as the Osceola Brook Trail and the Ravine Path. On this day Osceola Brook was cascading over ledge slabs following a three inch rainfall.

The summit benchmark.

There is also a reference marker pointing to the summit benchmark.

A short distance down the trail towards East Osceola I found this peek at Middle Osceola and the tip of West Osceola...

.....and this Pemi vista.

I had the summit to myself for most of 2 1/2 hours - an advantage of starting out later in the day.

The mighty Carrigain and its trailing Signal Ridge.

Late afternoon light.

It was hard to leave.

This northern view was obtained via a very short bushwhack from the trail.

A sunspotted vista west to Middle Osceola and beyond.

The beaver pond on Cheney Brook can be seen at the lower left.

Evening glow on the slope above the parking lot.

WONALANCET RAMBLE: 6/9/16

On a cold, cloudy, windy, late fall-like day (and downright wintry at higher elevations), I enjoyed a leisurely loop hike on the wonderful network of trails maintained by the Wonalancet Out Door Club. The primary mission was to check a recent relocation on the Blueberry Ledge Cutoff. I nixed a plan to climb Mt. Whiteface from there as it would have been quite uncomfortable on the exposed upper ledges. Instead I pieced together a trek along nine different trails, most of which are lightly used and soft underfoot.

The WODC has traditionally used blue for its signs and blazes.

I paused to take in the classic view at the Ferncroft trailhead, with Mt. Whiteface looking rather uninviting.

Classic signs on an elder tree.

This trail, a lesser-used gem, is a longtime favorite of mine.

The lower part of the Cutoff follows the Wonalancet River.

Then it climbs up onto a slope and peers down into a ravine known as "The Gorge."

Passing through a stand of tall sugar maples.

Last year, at the Wilderness boundary, WODC volunteers laid out a long switchback to bypass a steep, eroding pitch on the trail.

Great walking on the relocated section, which makes the trail nearly 0.3 mile longer but more enjoyable.

A mossy ledge on the upper part of the Cutoff.

The uppermost of the Blueberry Ledges, where the Cutoff meets the Blueberry Ledge Trail.

There are limited views here, including Green Mountain and Ossipee Lake.

Mt. Shaw and Black Snout in the Ossipees.

Pale corydalis was in bloom at the ledges.

I took an extended lunch break here, waiting to see if the weather would improve enough to make it worthwhile to continue up Blueberry Ledge Trail to the great upper view ledges and the south summit. I didn't feel like making the climb only to be forced by the cold wind to retreat off the ledges without any time to enjoy the views, if there were any. After an hour, there was no sign of any clearing, so I decided to head down for some wandering on the lower Wonalancet paths.

Signs at the junction. From here I headed down on the Blueberry Ledge Trail.

The trail intermittently crosses ledges for the next 0.4 mile.

Good walking on the granite slabs.

A peek at Mt. Chocorua.

Next up was a short stint on the McCrillis Path.

This lovely moss-lined footway follows an ancient town road.

I soon turned left onto the Tilton Spring Path.

More good woods walking on a less-used path.

From the Tilton Spring Path I made a bushwhack south through open woods into the Tewksbury Brook Preserve, a 400-acre conservation parcel owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. (Not to be confused with former major league pitcher and New Hampshire native Bob Tewksbury.)

The objective was a sizeable beaver wetland visible on Google Earth.

At this meadow I savored the day's one extended sunny break, along with a view of Mt. Whiteface.

The mountain's great south cliff was well-displayed.

Perhaps this is Tewksbury Brook.

A breached and bleached old beaver dam.

An overgrown old beaver lodge.

I returned to the trail and continued to Tilton Spring, which did not appear inviting.

I took the Pasture Path to the gentle ledgy summit of Mt. Katherine (1380 ft.), named for Wonalancet innkeeper and WODC founder Katherine Sleeper Walden. In the 1901 WODC guidebook is a picture showing this flat summit completely open with a panoramic view.

Mt. Katherine still offers a classic vista of Mt. Chocorua beyond the fields of Wonalancet.

A long south ridge extends out from Chocorua.

Another WODC trail offered a descent to the road.

Going in the uphill direction on the Red Path, a recent relocation ducks into the woods from a gravel road at this blazed telephone pole.

A field along the Red Path.

A short road walk along Rt. 113A led past the classic Wonalancet Union Chapel.

The chapel has an interesting history.

The Gordon Path starts up this picturesque private driveway. Several landowners in Wonalancet graciously allow trails on their property.

Farther along, the Gordon Path traverses a small hemlock ridge on a needle-cushioned footway. Very pleasant walking!

At the Ferncroft trailhead I made a short side trip on the Old Mast Road and Wonalancet Range Trail to pretty Spring Brook.

A chilly evening at the fields of Ferncroft. In the morning several Bobolinks were singing on the wing over the tall grass. It's no wonder many rate this as their favorite trailhead in the Whites.

OLIVERIAN BROOK/SQUARE LEDGE/WALDEN TRAIL RAMBLE: 6/14/16

On a cool, breezy June day I made a 12 1/2 mile loop on the eastern flank of Mt. Passaconaway, taking in the Oliverian Brook valley and the summits of Square Ledge, Nanamocomuck Peak and Wonalancet Hedghog. This trek featured a variety of views and some of the wildest terrain in the Sandwich Range. My friend Linda Moore joined me for the Square Ledge portion of the hike.

This nice spot on Oliverian Brook is about a mile in on the trail.

Into the Wilderness at 1.7 miles.

Just beyond the Passaconaway Cutoff junction. a relocation around a muddy area on the Oliverian Brook Trail was cut on National Trails Day in 2005.

The step stone crossing over the west branch of Oliverian Brook was easy today.

Linda admires a hardwood corridor on the Oliverian Brook Trail.

Another peaceful scene on Oliverian Brook.

The trail makes a shallow crossing of the brook.

White ladyslippers.

This broad valley has a remote feeling. No motorcycles were heard out here.

Fine open woods.

Hobblebush lines the brook, deep in the valley.

The crossing of Oliverian Brook at the start of the Square Ledge Branch Trail.

We ran into Karen Dugre on the Square Ledge Branch Trail. She had come in from Ferncroft to do some redlining.

Karen gets ready to head back south on the Square Ledge Trail.

Wilderness trail sign.

A rusted bucket at the site of the Conway Lumber Company's Lambert Camp at the base of Square Ledge. Please remember that it is illegal to remove such artifacts from the WMNF.

A sled runner.

A shallow bowl, once used for ??

A small talus slope.

The trail gets steep and rugged as it ascends to Square Ledge.

A strenuous ledge step, where knees came into play for both of us.

Made it!

Linda, a scat enthusiast, checks out some fisher poop containing porcupine quills.

The trail ascends under a long line of wooded cliffs.

Amazing terrain out here.

A lofty rim.

Emerging through a portal at the top of the steep climb.

At the somewhat overgrown outlook atop the main Square Ledge cliff, with Mt. Paugus in the background.

There is an airy ledge perch nearby, with a 200 or 300 foot drop below. Not recommended if you don't like heights. Peregrine falcons sometimes nest on Square Ledge, at which times hikers should keep back from the edge. The cliff is not listed as closed to rock climbing this year, so presumably there is no nearby nest.

Mt. Paugus, from base to summit.

Looking down the Oliverian Brook valley to the Moats.

Paugus Pass at the head of the valley.

A solitary ladyslipper near the cliff edge.

The wonderful spruce-woods walk along the narrow crest of the Square Ledge ridge.

Looking across at Wonalancet Hedgehog, where I would end up a few hours later.

Mount Passaconaway looms impressively from the outlook (reached by an obscure side path) near the summit of Square Ledge.

Looking up the ridge to Nanamocomuck Peak and the headwall of the west branch of Oliverian Brook valley.

North to Mt. Carrigain and Green's Cliff.

Linda takes in the views.

The trail descends past more rock faces.

Along here we wet Vin Marquis, a mailman from Connecticut and a customer at my store.

Linda headed down the Passaconaway Cutoff, and I continued up the Square Ledge Trail, passing this sled runner at another old logging camp site.

The Nanamocomuck Slide, which fell during the Hurricane of '38, spills down to the trail.

A quick scramble partway up rewards with a close-up of Mt. Passaconaway...

...and a northern view past Hedgehog Mountain all the way to a (socked-in) Mt. Washington.

The cliffs of Hedgehog shine brightly.

The Square Ledge Trail climbs steadily above the slide.

At the Walden Trail junction, the trail signs were once affixed to this thick old yellow birch.

New signs are in place.

I decided not to continue up to Mt. Passaconaway; instead, I turned left onto the Walden Trail to start a loop over the SE spurs of the mountain. The loop started with a gentle wooded ridge walk towards Nanamocomuck Peak. The fascinating Walden Trail was opened in the early 1900s by the Wonalancet Out Door Club and was named for famed sled dog breeder Arthur Walden.

This section of the trail is a lovely gentle walk, quite the contrast with its several steep and rough pitches.

Great walking through sun-dappled ridgecrest forest.

Approaching the flat 3340-ft. summit of Nanamocomuck. The peak bears the name of the great chief Passaconaway's eldest son.

I made a short bushwhack down to the top of a rock slab on the east flank of Nanamocomuck, gaining a nifty view of Mounts Paugus and Chocorua beyond the upper Oliverian Brook valley.

A closer look at Chocorua and Paugus, the latter displaying its gravelly SW cliffs.

In contrast with the mellow walk on the west side of the peak, the descent off the east side of Nanamocomuck is "wicked steep." Many rock steps were built on the Walden Trail by the Wonalancet Out Door Club in a major reconstruction project from 1997-2001.

One of several tricky ledges on the descent. I will confess to going down on my butt several times.

This spot required some undignified maneuvers.

The trail drops through this rock cut.

Then it meanders through a beautiful, lush col between Nanamocomuck and Wonalancet Hedgehog.

On the steep ascent to Wonlancet Hedgehog, there is a peek back to Passaconaway peering over Nanamocomuck.

The tips of South and Middle Tripyramid poke up to the right of the north ridge of Whiteface.

This boulder rests on the summit of Wonalancet Hedgehog.

A side path leads to a great south-facing clifftop outlook on the Hedgehog.

An expansive view over the Lakes Region, with the fields of Wonalancet in the middle distance.

A profile of Mt. Whiteface.

Wonalancet Range neighbors Hibbard Mountain and Mount Wonalancet.

Squam Lake and Mt. Kearsarge in the distance.

Farther down the trail a side path leads to an eastern outlook to Mts. Paugus and Chocorua.

The trickiest ledge on the very steep eastern descent off Wonalancet Hedgehog. I tossed my poles down and descended backwards.

The trail junction known as "Four-Way."

Trail signs in Paugus Pass.

A tiny pond north of Paugus Pass.

The Oliverian Brook Trail descending from Paugus Pass, starting the 4.4 mile trek back to the trailhead on the Kanc Highway.

GREELEY PONDS: 6/16/16

We took a leisurely afternoon hike to one of our favorite places on Carol's first day of summer break. The weather was gorgeous and there was hardly anyone around, though the black flies made their presence known.

This abutment is from an old footbridge that once spanned the South Fork of Hancock Branch along the Greeley Ponds Trail.

The crossing was an easy rock hop today.

Nice woods approaching Mad River Notch.

Big maples at the height-of-land in the notch.

A favorite trailside boulder, one of three erratics featured in a Greeley Ponds Earth Geocache.

A screened view of Upper Pond from the trail above the shore.

Carol takes in the classic view across Upper Pond to the East Osceola cliffs.

Looking north along the pond. At the trailhead we chatted with retired N.H. Fish and Game staffer Don Miller and his daughter Heidi, who had watched a helicopter land here on the pond (with pontoons) and stock it with trout this morning.

Carol was ready for the black fly swarm.

Neat boulder up in the woods behind the pond. It actually shows up on the latest Google Earth image.

This appears to be the site of the Greeley Ponds Shelter, which was removed around 1970 due to overuse. The boulder bears the mark of many campfires.

East Osceola's ridges seen from another shoreside vantage.

The west knob of Mount Kancamagus, with its K2 Cliff, overlooks Upper Pond on the east side.

The section of trail between the ponds is a very pleasant walk.

Heading towards Lower Pond, the trail passes this rubbly runout from an 1892 slide off East Osceola.

The Kancamagus west knob from the gravel "beach" at the NW corner of Lower Pond.

Here there be leeches...

A pair of Tree Swallows have a nest in this tall snag. Also of note, I heard and saw what I believe was a singing Philadelphia Vireo (fairly rare) in a tree along the shore.

Looking south over Lower Pond. This pond is more open and expansive than Upper Pond, and also much shallower.

The view north from the south end of Lower Pond.

Another pleasant trail section leads south from Lower Pond to a crossing of the Mad River.

Another view of Lower Pond.

A profile on the K1 Cliff of Mt. Kancamagus.

I made a short bushwhack to a satellite wetland north of Lower Pond.

Peering up at East Osceola's Painted Cliff.

One of many ladyslippers along the trail.

CHENEY BROOK BEAVER POND: 6/21/16

Paid a late afternoon/evening visit to a beaver pond off the East Pond Trail with impressive views of Mount Osceola. I'd been to this beaver pond along Cheney Brook quite a few times before, but almost always in winter, when it is easier to access. I figured the Osceola views would be fine on this sunny day with evening sun lighting up the slopes.

The first 0.8 mile of the East Pond Trail off the Kanc Highway follows one of the early lines of J.E. Henry's East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, dating back to the 1890s.

At the end of the railroad line the trail crosses Pine Brook, whose many branches drain the vast northern slopes of Osceola. Several of the branches originate on large slides.

Cheney Brook, crossed partway along the bushwhack to the beaver pond. The whack, though not long (about 0.3 mile each way), is quite scrappy and the terrain is confusing.

The first view of Osceola, from the edge of the swamp east of the pond.

The Split Cliff is on the left and the upper part of the 1995 Dogleg Slide is on the right. The white streak in the middle is a fresh slide that has fallen within the last two years.

Looking south to the gap between Osceola and Scar Ridge, through which the East Pond Trail passes.

East Scar Ridge, generally considered one of the more miserable bushwhacks in the Whites. From this angle it's almost picturesque.

The full spread of the Osceolas, including East Peak on the left.

I sat and admired this view for quite a while.

Another angle, including Middle Peak and West Peak.

A pair of beavers was patrolling the pond.

Hello there!

Typical woods on the whack to and from the pond. It's easier to get there in winter when you can snowshoe across the frozen wetlands.

Rocks in Cheney Brook.

Evening light in a spruce grove.

Cheney Brook Beaver Pond seen from East Osceola.

MOUNT ADAMS LOOP: 6/24/16

Although that wasn't the original plan, it turned out to be a perfect day for a loop over Mount Adams, second-highest of the Presidentials, using the lofty ridges on either side of King Ravine. On this 10+ mile trek I enjoyed sunny skies, a refreshing breeze, a dearth of bugs, and endless alpine views. The route went up via Link/Amphibrach/Randolph Path/Spur Trail/Lowe's Path, and down via Air Line/Scar Trail/Scar Loop/Valley Way/Fallsway.

Even on a Friday, the Northern Presidential trails were busy enough so that at 9:00 am the Appalachia parking lot was full and I had to park on the shoulder of Route 2.

I started with a stroll along the Link to Memorial Bridge, where this rock pays tribute to the great Randolph trail-builders of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Just upstream from the bridge is beautiful Cold Brook Fall. (In Randolph, a waterfall is named a Fall, not a Falls. One of the quirks of this iconic mountain town.)

The Amphibrach is one of the most pleasant trails on the Northern Presys, an area where good footing is in short supply. I sought out a couple of geocaches on the lower part of this trail.

Coldspur Ledges on Spur Brook, just above its confluence with Cold Brook, reached by a side path at the junction with the Monaway.

Randolph Mountain Club trail crew members Brian Behr and Rowan Kamman were digging out a drainage by the trail junction known as the Pentadoi. Nice work! The AMC Four Thousand Footer Club made a significant contribution towards work along the Randolph Path. The RMC's Randolph Paths guidebook notes that the Pentadoi is the "Greek name given to the five-way intersection of the Randolph Path, King Ravine Trail and Amphibrach, 2.5 mi. from Appalachia."

Cascades below the Randolph Path's crossing of Spur Brook.

RMC signage.

Cascade and pool at the start of the Spur Trail.

The Spur Trail is classic Northern Presys, steep and rocky. From the Randolph Path to Crag Camp it climbs 1300 ft. in 0.9 mile. RMC trail crews have put many hours of work into erosion control on this trail.

The trail crosses Spur Brook by the Hincks Trail junction.

Not far below Crag Camp is the first viewpoint on this eastern spur of Nowell Ridge.

It was quickly evident that this was going to be a special day up high in the mountains.

King Ravine and Mount Madison from Lower Crag.

In another 0.1 mile the trail reaches the RMC's Crag Camp, seen here from the nearby Upper Crag.

King Ravine headwall from the Upper Crag.

Down-look to the lower floor of the ravine.

Welcome/bienvenue!

A cozy camp.

Room with a view.

Crag has a nice deck for sunning and admiring the view.

Ferny woods above Crag Camp.

The original objective for my hike was the Knight's Castle, a crag with a cool name and a great view from the rim of King Ravine.

This is one of the great perches on the Northern Presidentials.

Crag Camp below.

A wide view to the northeast.

Knight's Castle is a worthy destination in its own right. My original plan was to come here, hang for a while, then meander back down over a series of lower elevation trails. The spectacular day prompted a change in plans. Onward and upward to get above treeline!

This cairn marks the point where the Spur Trail breaks above treeline.

Looking across at Mt. Madison, Durand Ridge and John Quincy Adams. A fantastic day in the alpine zone.

Mount Adams in sight ahead.

The pyramid of Madison.

Many cairns mark the way.

Looking back towards Mt. Abigail Adams. In the distance are the Pliny, Pilot and Nash Stream Ranges.

The junction with Lowe's Path.

Thunderstorm Junction, just beyond.

Looking back from the Lowe's Path/Israel Ridge Path junction at Sam Adams and vast western horizons. With 120-mile visibility the pyramid of Mt. Whiteface and the broad bulk of Giant Mountain were dimly visible in the Adirondacks, peering over the long chain of the Green Mountains.

The second highest rockpile in the Northeast, as seen along Lowe's Path.

The sharp and rocky summit, adorned with just a couple of trail signs.

East to the Carter Range.

The most dramatic vistas from Adams are towards its massive Presidential ridgemates.

Mt. Jefferson and Jefferson Ravine.

Mt. Washington and the huge gouge of the Great Gulf.

The classic vista down to John Quincy Adams, Star Lake and Mt. Madison. Several Maine 4000-footers could be seen in the distance.

Summit pin, perhaps placed in the 1980s during the survey for Bradford Washburn's elegant map of the Presidential Range.

Hikers starting down the Air Line.

Looking back up the jumbled rocks on the Air Line. A daunting sight if you're ascending.

The receding summit of Adams.

Looking north down King Ravine, evening shadows creeping in.

Mount Madison at its sharpest.

The Gateway at the top of King Ravine, where the King Ravine Trail issues forth between crags.

Looking across the headwall.

Durand Ridge and its "Knife Edge," one of the finest alpine walks in the Whites.

Sheared-off crags.

Snyder Brook valley, V-shaped in contrast to the glacially-carved U-shape of King Ravine.

The views just keep coming.

Peering down through a mini-gateway.

The Chemin des Dames is the shortest of three wild steep and rocky trails that climb out of King Ravine.

Last view looking up the ridge, at 4360 ft.

A nice section of Air Line through the woods.

I prefer the longer route down the wild, mossy Scar Trail, which has mostly good footing, and then the lower half of the Valley Way trade route, versus the lower half of Air Line, which presents a tired hiker with a long steep and rough descent.

If you take the Scar Loop you get to visit the ledge outcrop known as Durand Scar.

This offers an unusual view to the peaks up the valley of Snyder Brook.

Last sun on John Quincy Adams and Mount Adams, from Durand Scar.

If all the soil wears off here, this could be a tricky sidehill traverse.

Descending Scar Loop.

The wide and well-trampled Valley Way.

With darkness closing in, I took the lovely Fallsway along Snyder Brook to see several waterfalls in the gloaming, and even made a lame attempt at a flash photo of Tama Fall, capping off a super day on Mount Adams.

NOON PEAK LEDGES: 6/27/16

With a half-day free, I took a hot & humid morning hike up the Sandwich Mountain Trail to the viewpoints on Noon Peak and a set of ledges a half-mile farther along the ridge. After crossing Drakes Brook near the start, this trail gets right down to business, and has climbed 500 feet by the time it enters the Sandwich Range Wilderness at the 0.6 mile mark.

These neat erratics rest beside the trail a mile up in an area of open spruce woods.

Above here there is a very steep pitch. For a minute I thought I was back in the Northern Presidentials. Overall the trail climbs almost 1600 ft. in its first 1.6 miles.

The first Noon Peak view ledge, with Tripyramid and the Sleepers in the distance. Even at mid-morning, it was hot in the sun.

The Tripyramids, backlit and hazy.

Mad River Notch on a humid morning.

The second Noon Peak outlook, peering into the depths of the Drakes Brook valley.

Looking across the valley to the col between the northern Flat Mountain and Sandwich Dome. The southern Flat Mountain peeks over the low spot.

The dark mass of Sandwich Dome.

Beyond Noon Peak there's a half-mile of wonderful ridge walking.

Waterville Valley historian and renowned trail-builder Nathaniel L. Goodrich wrote this of the Sandwich Mountain Trail: "Beyond Noon Peak it passes through an area of curious elfin beauty. Gray ledge and grayer reindeer lichen, green moss and low green spruces, long vistas into mystery, utter quiet, a feeling of remoteness, of simplicity, pervade this spot. Go slowly here." Marvelous.

My turnaround point was this expansive ledgy area a half-mile before Jennings Peak.

A wild vista from the lower ledges.

The high peaks of the Sandwich Range beyond the northern Flat Mountain.

From here you can see the connecting ridge followed by the trail between Jennings Peak and Sandwich Dome's summit.

Jennings is a great destination, but not enough time today.

Sandwich Dome, close-up. I hung out here for a while in the sun, listening to birdsong from below: Winter Wren, Swainson's Thrush, Nashville Warbler, Common Junco, and Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher. Also heard the call of a Boreal Chickadee.

Witherod was in bloom at the ledges.

On the way back, better light on the Tripyramids from Noon Peak, with the South Slides visible.

MOUNT MORIAH TRAVERSE: 6/30/16

I enjoyed early summer sun and views galore on a traverse of this ledgy mountain, the northeastern outpost of the 4000-footers. I went up the Carter-Moriah Trail from Gorham, and down Carter-Moriah Trail (southbound) and Stony Brook Trail, with a 1.7 mile road walk back to my car.

The trailhead at the end of Bangor Rd. in Gorham is in a residential neighborhood, with limited and (to me) somewhat uncomfortable parking. I parked at the powerline clearing 0.1 mile back down the road.

At 13.8 miles end-to-end, this is one of the longer trails in the Whites.

Nice woods on a shoulder approaching the little bump known as Mount Surprise.

A fern glade.

Mossy woods on the way to the Mount Surprise view ledge.

Presidential view from a ledge a few yards to the right of the trail, just below the summit of Surprise.

Sheep laurel lines the trail.

Sheep laurel blooms.

A mini-flume at the 2194-ft. summit of Mount Surprise.I grabbed a cool geocache here.

Above Mount Surprise the trail ascends many steep ledge slabs. Some are slippery when wet.

Presy view from the most open of the ledges above Mount Surprise.

Mount Washington, with the Irene slide on Hillman's Highway visible under Boott Spur.

NW vista to the Pliny, Pilot and Crescent Ranges. Pine Mountain is on the left.

Scrub, lichen and ledge.

Log bridges provide passage through a boggy flat.

At about 3380 ft. the trail passes a huge erratic known as "Quimby's Pillow," named after professor Elihu T. Quimby of Dartmouth College, who led a survey party that occupied the summit of Moriah in 1879 for the U.S. Coastal Survey. Moses Sweetser's late 19th century White Mountain guidebook gave its dimensions as 25 feet high and 15-20 feet square, with a weight of 500-600 tons.

The backside of Quimby's Pillow. A ledge at the base provided a nice spot for a break.

Typical scene on the upper part of the trail, which bobs and weaves over a number of bumps before the final climb to the summit.

Ledge slabs on the last steep pitch up the summit cone.

The sign for the summit side path.

The summit is a reward worthy of the long climb.

Fair skies over the Carters.

The summit benchmark, placed in 1958 inside the triangle etched by the 1879 survey party.

One of several iron pins in the summit ledge - perhaps related to a small log building that stood here for a short time in the 1850s.

Southbound AT thru-hikers taking a break.

Presidential view from Moriah.

Looking north to the Mahoosuc Range and beyond to the Maine 4000-footers in the Rangeley area.

The Baldface Range to the SE.

North & South Baldface, Sable and Chandler Mountains.

Ledge-dotted Shelburne Moriah Mountain and its eastern spurs.

East to the mountains around Evans Notch and distant Maine horizons.

View from a northern outlook across from the summit side path. This path has been little-used of late.

The ledge scramble dropping down to the Kenduskeag Trail junction. Tricky in winter.

Important junction with the Appalachian Trail.

The section of the Carter-Moriah Trail from here down to the Stony Brook Trail junction is one of the most scenic walks in the Whites.

Shelburne Moriah and the Bull Brook valley from a perch just a few yards off the trail over ledges.

Looking towards East and West Royce.

The Baldface Range rises from the Wild River Wilderness.

Magical ridge walk.

Looking back to the summit of Mount Moriah.

More ledgy vistas.

Looking NW, with Moriah's summit block up on the right.

And more vistas.

The top of Moriah's south cliffs is one of my favorite spots in the Whites, looking over the Moriah Brook valley and out to the Carter and Baldface Ranges.

This ledgy spur ridge of Moriah was bared by an 1895 forest fire. It's a most rewarding bushwhack destination.

Full view of the Carters.

Peering into the upper Moriah Brook valley.

Looking back at this premier perch.

Farther down the trail, another great spot.

Side view of the ledgy spur.

The Moriah Brook Trail meanders up through there.

Westward.

Heading down towards the Moriah-Imp col.

View from the first of two lower outlooks, just above the col.

The south cliffs of Moriah.

A closer look. Almost looks like a scene from out West.

The last outlook, just above the Moriah Brook Trail junction.

The 3.6 mile route back down to the Peabody River valley.

The upper half-mile of Stony Brook Trail is fairly steep and rocky. This surprised me, as the last few times I've done this trail I was wearing snowshoes. But good footing prevails the rest of the way.

Crossing of a major branch of Stony Brook. It was smooth sailing from here, and the road walk on the shoulder of Route 16 and Mill Street wasn't bad at all. The trek ended with a crossing of the Peabody River on a public foot/snowmobile bridge, which brought me right back to my car at the powerline.

FRANKENSTEIN CLIFF/RIPLEY FALLS LOOP: 7/5/16

Valley trails opened in recent years by Crawford Notch State Park staff now make it possible to do a loop hike to Frankenstein Cliff and Ripley Falls with just a wee bit of road walking. On this late afternoon/evening ramble on a hot (but not too humid) day, I started at the Frankenstein Trestle historic marker and followed a quarter-mile of Rt. 302, the Frankenstein Cutoff, Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Falcon Cliff side trail, Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail, Ethan Pond Trail, the road down to Rt. 302, Webster Cliff Trail, Saco River Trail, Maggie's Run, and Maggie's Extension. The loop is a bit under 8 miles with 1900 ft. of elevation gain. It offers a fine variety of scenery. Kudos to park manager John Dickerman (Mike's brother) and his staff for developing this great trail system in the Notch!
You get this view of Frankenstein Cliff from Rt. 302 by the entrance to the Dry River Campground.

This short new trail connects Rt. 302 near Dry River Campground with the Frankenstein Cliff Trail.

This sign marks where a former link trail came up a steep slope from Rt. 302.

The Frankenstein Cliff Trail passes under Frankenstein Trestle. A beaten path leading up to it will tempt hikers, but trespassing on it is illegal and dangerous.

The first of two rock faces that tower above the Frankenstein Cliff Trail.

The second rock face.

The trail is gravelly and slippery along the steep climb under the cliffs. Better for ascent than descent.

Window view from the base of the second rock face, to Mount Resolution, Crawford Dome and Mount Crawford.

The main outlook (elevation 2150 ft.) atop Frankenstein Cliff overlooks the Saco River valley. On the floor of the valley are the Saco River, Rt. 302 and the railroad.

Nearby Mount Bemis, with the glint of Arethusa Falls at the head of the Bemis Brook valley.

A serious dropoff in front.

Stairs, Resolution and Crawford.

Mount Resolution displays some of its gravel patches.

Farther up the trail, a 0.2 mile side path climbs up and around to "Falcon Cliff," elevation 2400 ft.

Another down-look.

The Saco valley from a higher perspective.

Bear, Chocorua through Bear Notch, Bartlett Haystack, Paugus, Tremont, and Passaconaway just peeking out.

Bemis again.

Mount Washington and the headwall of Oakes Gulf from a trailside ledge at the "summit" of Frankenstein Cliff.

Mount Isolation and the various humps of Mount Davis.

Nice state park trail signs.

The Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail traverses a wild plateau behind Frankenstein Cliff.

The trail is narrow and rooty as it clings to a steep sidehill descending towards Ripley Falls.

The ledge steps in the center allow (careful) access to the broad ledges at the top of Ripley Falls. The ledge slabs were dry today, but could be hazardous if wet.

Looking down from the top of Ripley Falls.

A cascade and pool on Avalanche Brook above the falls.

Webster Cliffs from the top of the falls.

Even with low water, Ripley is impressive.

Bridge over the Saco River on the Webster Cliff Trail.

In 2007-2008 the AMC 4000-Footer Club donated $14,000 for the construction of this bridge in memory of the one of the club's founders.

Stillwater on the Saco River.

Frankenstein Cliff seen across a large beaver meadow near the Saco River Trail.

Fern glade at the edge of the meadow. There is a fine stand of mature hardwood behind the meadow.

Silhouette of Mount Willey from the far end of the meadow.

The last link in the loop, completed by headlamp, followed Maggie's Run and the new Maggie's Extension on a scenic route alongside the Saco River.

PINE MOUNTAIN: 7/6/16

On a very warm Wednesday afternoon Carol and I enjoyed a leisurely hike to this rewarding small mountain at the NE edge of the Presidentials. It's one of those hikes that gives you "a big bang for the buck."

Before heading to Pine Mountain, I took a short hike off bump-infested Dolly Copp Road to Triple Falls.

As expected, the water flow was at a low ebb, as seen here at Proteus Fall.

Not much happening at Evans Fall.

The Town Line Brook Trail is short (0.2 mile long) but steep and traverses the edge of a gorge; not recommended for young children unless closely supervised.

We took the "sporty" route up Pine Mountain via the Ledge Trail.

The trail traverses the base of the ledges with the top of the south cliff visible up to the left.

View across the valley to Mts. Madison and Washington from the first open ledge.

A wide-screen vista south to Pinkham Notch and Wildcat.

Carol takes in the amazing vista.

The Ledge Trail offers some mild scrambling.

Looking across to the Carters from another ledge.

Ascending broad glacier-scratched ledges to the top of the south cliff.

This is the prime spot on the mountain.

Mount Moriah, with Middle Moriah and Shelburne Moriah to the left.

A quartz dike.

Lots of room to hang out. We saw no one at these ledges during our sun-baked stay of nearly an hour.

Footings from the former fire tower on the 2405-ft. summit of Pine Mountain.

One of three side paths to viewpoints along the crest north of the summit.

An outlook named "Chapel View" provides a splendid look at the cliff-faced north peak, known as Chapel Rock, and also called Pulpit Rock.

Farther along the crest, a well-constructed side path leads to this rocky pinnacle.

The outdoor chapel used by the Douglas Horton Center, a summer camp owned by the Congregational Church. The Horton Center occupies a 100-acre tract on the summit. Hikers are welcome on the trails, but should be respectful of church services and other activities conducted by the camp.

From Chapel Rock the main summit of Pine Mountain obstructs part of the Presidential view.

But there's a wide vista towards Pinkham Notch.

A new trail bypasses the buildings of the Horton Center for those ascending or descending via the Pine Mountain Road.

Walking down the Pine Mountain Road.

Presidential view panorama at pulloff along Route 2 in Randolph.

MOUNT CRESCENT/POND OF SAFETY LOOP: 7/12/16

On a very warm and sunny Tuesday I enjoyed a 10-mile loop through the hinterlands of the Crescent Range in Randolph. The route followed wild trails with lots of interesting scenery and not a single hiker encountered along the way. All of these Crescent Range paths are trails maintained by the excellent Randolph Mountain Club.

I started at this kiosk at the new trailhead parking area at the end of Randolph Hill Road, in the 10,000 acre-Randolph Community Forest.

I started out by crossing the old Jimtown Logging Road, which can be used as a shortcut between several trails when doing loop hikes.

The new Peek Path connects the trailhead with the Mount Crescent Trail and Cook Path. It is named for early Randolph trail-builder William H. Peek, and is just as he would have liked it, rough and rocky.

I followed the Peek Path over to the Cook Path (named for Eugene B. Cook, another famed trail builder), passing this view of the Carters from the top of a logging cut.

Castleview Rock, accessed by a short scramble, is one of many interesting features found along the paths of Randolph. Tree growth has mostly obscured the view.

The upper part of the Mount Crescent Trail is steep, wild and wonderful.

Fern glade on a shoulder of Mount Crescent.

This rather tricky scramble leads up to the south viewpoint atop Mount Crescent.

This sun-warmed ledge gazes across to the Northern Presidentials.

Mounts Madison, Adams and Jefferson.

Mount Jefferson and the long ridge leading down over the Castles to Mount Bowman.

The bumpy Howker Ridge is perhaps the most interesting route to Mount Madison.

King Ravine and Mount Adams.

The new 9th edition of the Randolph Paths guidebook was released early this month.

Beautiful fir woods on the summit crest.

A real treat on Mount Crescent is the unusual northerly view.

A longtime personal favorite, this spot offers a marvelous panorama of the Pliny and Pilot Ranges in The Kilkenny.

Here you can follow the route of the Kilkenny Ridge Trail, which traverses some of the most beautiful woods in the Whites.

A closer look, stretching from Mount Pliny across to The Horn.

The wild, trailless Black Crescent Mountain.

A few years ago John "1 Happy Hiker" Compton and I snowshoe-bushwhacked to the talus slope seen in the center. A very neat spot.

Parting shot. It was hard to leave, but I had 8 miles to go.

Nice walking on the Crescent Ridge Trail.

From the ridge I made a long down-and-up loop to the lovely Pond of Safety using the Underhill Path and Four Soldiers Path. I had first walked these when they were nearing completion by RMC in 2002. It was time for a return visit.

Wild and lush.

Down near the bottom, sedges have taken over where the trail passes through an extensive wetland area.

A meadowy wetland.

A fairly rough (though recently upgraded) Forest Service road leads to a parking area just above the Pond of Safety. From the parking area a new graded accessible path leads down to the shore.

The path ends at this picturesque spot. Here I encountered the only two people of the day, who had driven their jeep to the pond. Unfortunately they had two aggressive dogs who the owner couldn't, or wouldn't, control, so I didn't stay long here. Not what I was hoping for after hiking five miles to the pond!

A half-mile obscure fisherman's path/bushwhack combo brought me around to the northeast shore of the pond, where there are watery views of the Crescent Range and Northern Presidentials.

I worked around to a spot where all three Northern Peaks were visible. The name "Pond of Safety" dates back to the American Revolution, when four soldiers of the Continental Army who were unjustly accused of desertion sought refuge at this lonely backwater.

A scenic backdrop for two guys fishing in a rowboat.

The shoreside opening where I stayed for a while.

On the way back, a found a vista of Mount Crescent, from where I had looked down on the pond earlier in the day.

Much of the Crescent Range is visible here.

The loop junction on the way back from the pond.

The 3.8-mile Four Soldiers Path offers mostly easy-graded walking back over the flank of the Crescent Range, but it does present an intermittent quarter-mile of this - totally overgrown areas that were salvage-logged after the devastating 1998 ice storm.

Not a good section to walk through on a wet day!

A giant yellow birch near the crest of the ridge.

After lumbering in the early 1900s, this spot atop the ridge provided a unique vista of Mount Washington's summit just peering over Edmands Col. There's no view here anymore.

Not far below, though, a side path leads to this look at the Northern Peaks.

Mount Jefferson displaying the headwall of Castle Ravine and the Castellated Ridge.

Mount Adams and the great scoop of King Ravine.

One final framed view from a rock farther down the trail, wrapping up a rewarding day on the Randolph paths.

DEVIL'S HOPYARD & ROGERS LEDGE: 7/20/16

After having viewed the Pilot Range from Mt. Crescent and Mt. Jasper recently, it was time to spend a day up north wandering the wilds of The Kilkenny, trekking out to Rogers Ledge, one of the great remote viewing perches in the White Mountains.

On the way to the trailhead, I stopped for a look at the Devil's Slide rising above the Stark Covered Bridge.

I also paid a quick visit to Christine Lake, with its watery view to South Percy Peak and Victor Head.

The beach (groomed every day) at the WMNF South Pond Recreation Area, where the gate is open 10 am-8 pm. No fee for day hikers. After hours, add a 1.1 mile up-and-down road walk each way.

There's magic in that name. One of my all-time favorite trails, home to some of the most beautiful woods in the Whites.

The first 0.2 mile of the trail is graded gravel and universally accessible.

There are several views of Location Hill across the water.

At 0.7 mile I turned onto the Devil's Hopyard Trail. It had been quite a few years since I last visited this wild gorge.

The deceptively easy first part of the Devil's Hopyard Trail parallels Devil's Hopyard Stream.

The Hopyard is a wild tumble of slippery, mossy boulders enclosed by steep slopes and lofty rock walls.

A fractured rock face.

The trail through the Hopyard is slow going navigating the slick rocks, especially when damp in the morning. A junior version of Gorham's Ice Gulch. I had forgotten how strenuous this short little trail is.

A sheared-off rock wall near the end of the trail.

Just around the corner the trail ends under this impressive rock face.

Looking back from the trail's terminus.

"End of Trail" sign.

Back on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail, which threads many attractive corridors through the forest.

Into the spruces.

Wild spruce woods cloak the northern slopes of Rogers Ledge. The trail boasts a real "out there" feeling. I saw no one beyond the Devil's Hopyard Trail, including a two-hour sojourn at the ledge.

Ferny birch glades are a trademark of the Kilkenny uplands, thanks to a huge 1903 forest fire..

Fields of ferns.

Spacious woods.

A trail to savor.

On the final approach to the summit.

The granite shelf at Rogers Ledge offers a sweeping view over the Kilkenny wilds. The Horn and The Bulge rise behind the long crest of Unknown Pond Ridge.

Looking west to the long chain of trailless peaks in the Pilot Range.

I went down on the west side to see the profile of "Rogers's dog," discovered by Cohos Trail founder Kim Nilsen. Can you see it?

The view east to the Mahoosuc Range beyond little Round Mountain.

A hazy view of the distant Presidentials.

The Crescent and Carter-Moriah Ranges sprawl beyond nearby Deer Ridge.

Looking down.

Tiny Kilback Pond nestles beneath the birch-clad slopes of Unknown Pond Ridge. The Kilkenny Ridge Trail passes by the pond.

Time passes quickly on this marvelous granite shelf.

This plaque was placed in 1965 after this peak was renamed, removing its former offensive name. The campaign to change the name was led by the Rt. Rev. Robert McConnell Hatch, an avid explorer of The Kilkenny.

Forest Service benchmark on the true summit.

This post, placed in 1976, marks the Stark/Kilkenny town boundary.

Stark side.

Kilkenny side.

On the way back I bushwhacked through lonesome woods to a bog in the saddle between Rogers Ledge and Square Mountain.

A moose path led down to the edge of the bog.

I found a partial profile of the huge south-facing cliff on Square Mountain. A few years ago my friend John "1HappyHiker" Compton found an impressive full view of Square's cliff from another bog-meadow a short distance away. His report is here. I had hoped to visit that one too, but was running out of time to make it back before the South Pond gate closed.

Evening sun dapples the trail.

An evening view of Long Mountain from the shore of South Pond.

Parting shot of Location Hill. I made it back to my car at 7:43, with a few minutes to spare before the gate closed.

LATE JULY EARLY MORNING JAUNTS

One of the blessings of living in the mountains is the chance to get out for short rewarding hikes before or after work. In the past week I've enjoyed three rambles in the cool of the morning, within a short drive of home.

1) WALKER BROOK CASCADES

I bushwhacked off Falling Waters Trail a little ways up Walker Brook, which drains the western slopes of Mts. Lafayette and Lincoln, then worked my way downstream past a series of nice cascades.

The highest cascade I went to.

Broad sheets of granite, very slippery.

A two-step cascade.

A series of shelves.

A granite boulevard through the forest.

A fine cascade, should be impressive in high water.

Rolling and tumbling.

2) LOWER FALLING WATERS TRAIL

The waterfalls along the Falling Waters Trail along Dry Brook were touted in late 1800s guidebooks, but they were called Walker's Falls because what is now called Dry Brook was then known as Walker Brook. At some point the Walker name was transferred to the next brook to the north, which has its own set of cascades. In those earlier days access to the waterfalls was via logging road and rough bushwhack. Today's Falling Waters Trail was laid out in 1958 by noted trail-builder Clyde Smith, and was completed with volunteer labor.

Stairs Falls, which was once called Lower Walker's Falls. In his 1898 Guide Book to the Franconia Notch and the Pemigewasset Valley, Frank O. Carpenter described it as "a series of step-like cascades over sheets of granite." In Part 2 of Charles H. Hitchcock's Geology of New Hampshire (1877), this is presumably what was called "Walker's Staircase."

Swiftwater Falls, described by Carpenter as "a fall fifty feet high over blocks of granite."

Cloudland Falls was looking good after the previous night's heavy thunderstorms.

Carpenter called this the "splendid upper falls where the water makes a clear leap of sixty feet." Charles H. Hitchcock called it "Apron Falls."

It was going to be a busy day on Franconia Ridge. Coming down from Cloudland Falls I passed at least 150 upbound hikers, maybe more.

3) LITTLE EAST POND

This small, shallow secluded pond resides on a high shelf in the southern shadow of Scar Ridge. One of my favorite ponds in the Whites, it has a wild aura and is far less visited than its easterly neighbor, East Pond. The 2-mile hike to the pond on the East Pond Trail and Little East Pond Trail is pleasant with mostly very good footing.

The scene was a bit on the dark side when I arrived at the south shore around 9:00 am. The water level was down, making it easy to get out to the edge for a view of the Scar Ridge peaks.

This gnarled old red maple guards the shore just to the west of the outlook spot.

There were several clusters of what I believe is Pale St. John's Wort in bloom along the shore.

The sun burned through and brightened the pond and ridge. The main (west) summit of Scar Ridge is on the left, Middle Scar Ridge on the right. Middle Scar and its southern cliffy ledges look temptingly close from here, but reports indicate that blowdown and dense conifer scrub guarantee a miserable ascent. Mike Dickerman and I used this route back in 1987 and it was difficult then. It sounds like it's even worse now.

I spent a quiet 50 minutes at the pond, taking in the serenity and listening to some of the last birdsong of the summer (White-throated Sparrow, Magnolia Warbler, Winter Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, Dark-eyed Junco). To my surprise, a Belted Kingfisher landed on a snag along the north shore. I assumed this very shallow pond was essentially fishless, but the Kingfisher dove with a splash and came up with a morsel.

Pleasant walking on the grade of the Woodstock & Thornton Gore logging railroad, which operated from 1909 to 1914. It's a wonderful mellow hike whether you do the 4-mile round trip to Little East Pond, or the full five mile loop that also includes East Pond.

DOUBLEHEAD MOUNTAIN (SQUAM): 7/28/16

On a hot muggy day my niece Rebecca (up visiting from Georgia) and I made the short but pretty steep climb to Squam Lake views from Doublehead Mountain in the Squam Range. After that we took a short walk to Beede Falls on the Bearcamp River Trail.

There's a new parking area at the end of Thompson Road in Sandwich - which cuts out 0.9 mile of road walking each way to reach the Doublehead Trail.

The first part of the trail has been relocated by the Squam Lakes Asociation, and passes this view towards the Rattlesnakes from the top of a sloping field.

A ledge near the top of Doublehead offers an expansive view over Squam Lake.

Looking down the Squam Range to Mt. Webster and Mt. Morgan.

Here we met a woman whose son had gone to a school in Pennsylvania where Rebecca used to teach. Small world!

The trails on the Squam Range are maintained in excellent fashion by the Squam Lakes Association.

SLA trail signs at the junction on the ridge.

The Crawford-Ridgepole Trail runs through spruce forest up on the ridge.

A partial view north to Welch and Dickey from the east summit of Doublehead. Hazy South Kinsman can be seen in the distance.

In the col between the Doublehead summits. We found a geocache on each of the two peaks.

We stopped again at the view ledge on the way down. The climb to Doublehead is quite steep in its upper section. No problem for Rebecca, who has recently completed a Tough Mudder and a half-marathon.

After descending from Doublehead we drove over to the trailhead at the historic Mead Base at the foot of Mount Israel.

Nice easy walking on the Bearcamp River Trail.

Cow Cave, where legend holds that a settler's cow spent a winter sheltered from the weather.

Expansive ledges at Lower Beede Falls on the Bearcamp River. This is a popular swimming spot in the Sandwich Town Park. Not much water to dip in at the moment!

Beede Falls, just a trickle during this midsummer dry spell.

LONESOME LAKE LOOP: 7/30/16

A loop on a beautiful early morning via the Hi-Cannon Trail, Dodge Cutoff, Around-Lonesome-Lake Trail, and Lonesome Lake Trail.

I ascended via the Hi-Cannon Trail, whose many little switchbacks make it fun compared to the long straight grades on Lonesome Lake Trail.

South & North Kinsman from the east shore of Lonesome Lake.

A closer look.

A suite of signs.

This small clearing marks the site of the original Lonesome Lake Hut on the east shore, built as a fishing lodge by author William C. Prime in 1876. In 1929 it was acquired by the state of NH and leased to AMC. In 1963 the old buildings were torn down and the present hut was constructed on the SW side of the lake.

Walkway through the open bogs.

Looking across to the ridges of the Cannon Balls.

Mount Liberty.

Looking back at Coppermine Col.

Bog Goldenrod (I think).

Backlit view of Franconia Ridge from a sitting rock.

The sitting rock.

View from the dock area near Lonesome Lake Hut.

Footbridge at the lake outlet.

The outlet, flowing towards Cascade Brook.

The Appalachian Trail heads off here.

Northeast Cannon Ball, Coppermine Col and the south hump of Cannon from another sitting rock.

The ledgy face of North Kinsman. It was pretty quiet at the lake up to this point, then I passed dozens of upbound hikers while descending the Lonesome Lake Trail.

BALD CAP LEDGES & PONDS: 8/3/16

On a partly sunny and somewhat humid day I took a grand tour of ledges and ponds on the sprawling ridges of Bald Cap Mountain in the southern Mahoosuc Range. This 12-mile lollipop loop followed the Austin Brook Trail, Dryad Falls Trail, Peabody Brook Trail, Bald Cap Ledges Spur, and Mahoosuc Trail.

This turnstile is a unique entrance to the Austin Brook Trail, off North Road in Shelburne.

AMC and Shelburne Trails Club (STC) signs.

Austin Brook, aka Mill Brook.

After 1.3 miles, the Austin Brook Trail follows a grass-and-gravel logging road for a while, passing two log yards-turned-meadows with views of nearby ridges. (A large logging job in this area, which is privately-owned timberland, concluded around 2010.) At the first meadow you can see Middle Mountain, which is reached by a STC trail.

A view of several of Bald Cap's ledgy spurs and humps from the second meadow.

Junction signs.

To the falls.

The waterfall was just a trickle in this dry season. Its name was bestowed by AMC explorer Eugene B. Cook, who explored this region during the 1870s in company with the intrepid Lucia and Marian Pychowska and other AMC stalwarts. The name "alludes to its aspect in any but a rainy season," wrote the Pychowskas in their 1879 account of their explorations of "Baldcap Mountain," which was published in the AMC journal, Appalachia.

Even with low flow, the ledges of Dryad Fall are a cool spot, with a nice view to the SE.

Looking down the big drop.

A geocache!

A logging artifact along the edge of the Dryad Falls Trail, which here follows an old tote road.

This large artifact might have been used to lower logs down the steep slope, or even the brookbed.

Hobblebush on the upper Dryad Falls Trail.

This spur trail was opened by the Shelburne Trails Club in 2012. It is admirably maintained by John "1HappyHiker" Compton. It partly follows the route of a trail that was originally cut in 1877 and was abandoned in the 1960s.

This wild path, a half-mile long, is a great addition to the varied and interesting Shelburne trails network.

The Bald Cap Peak Ledges are a commanding viewpoint. This was my third visit; the previous two were via bushwhack. Middle Mountain is seen close in below on the right. The old trail made a steep ascent from that fine little peak.

Looking east to Bear Mountain in the eastern Mahoosucs.

The three Moriah peaks are seen across the Androscoggin River valley.

The hazy Presidentials in the distance.

Plank walkways on the Peabody Brook Trail.

Dream Lake, secluded and serene.

Looking down the length of Dream Lake to the dim outlines of Mt. Washington and Mt. Adams.

One of the classic long trails of the White Mountains. This section was completed in the 1920s.

Just north of Dream Lake it meanders through a ridgetop bog.

Wild spruce forest typical of the southern Mahoosuc ridges.

A bushwhacker's bad dream.

Descending towards Moss Pond.

Ferny forest nearing the pond.

Moss Pond, aka Upper Gentian Pond, peaceful and pristine. It was discovered by the Cook-Pychowska exploring group in 1876. Wrote the Pychowskas, "...we came upon a small sheet of water, partially filled with lily pads, and surrounded by beds of moss."

I sat here for quite a while on a small rock seat.

This cow moose slowly worked her way along the far shore, then settled down for a rest in the waterside brush, her ears constantly flapping to keep bugs away.

Back in the 1990s Mike Dickerman and I watched a bull moose swim across this same pond. No bulls in sight today, but I'm ready to rename this "Moose Pond."

Parting shot, showing the rock seat.

Primeval.

Gentian Pond, overlooked by wild cliffs. Gentian was a busy place with AT thru-hikers and other backpackers settling in for the evening at the shelter just above the pond. This pond was also discovered by the Cook-Pychowska group in 1876: "This was an exquisite pond, larger than the other...Having gathered some bottle-gentian by the shore, we ventured to bestow the name of Gentian Pond."

I had thought of bushwhacking to the clifftop from Moss Pond for its unique bird's-eye view of Gentian Pond, but the moose was relaxing by the route I would have taken, and I didn't want to disturb her. Here's a photo of that view, taken during a trip with Keith D'Alessandro in 2006.

The view from Gentian Pond Shelter.

The Austin Brook Trail is steep as it descends off the shelf that holds Gentian Pond.

Beaver pond along the Austin Brook Trail at the base of the steep slope.

An unusual blaze tree.

ACROSS THE KINSMANS: 8/9/11

A sunny and not-very-humid day was ideal for the south-to-north traverse across South and North Kinsman, going up Reel Brook Trail and down Mount Kinsman Trail. The 6.5 mile southern approach to South Kinsman is varied, interesting and rugged, reminiscent of an Adirondack 46 hike. Highly recommended.

The "official" parking area for Reel Brook Trail is rough and rocky. I always park in a pulloff 0.2 mile back down the road.

An early morning powerline crossing on Reel Brook Trail = wet boots (and ticks in spring).

Reel Brook Trail crosses its namesake three times.

Mature hardwood forest up slope, high on the trail.

Cliffs on the Kinsman side of the "original" Kinsman Notch, now traversed by the powerline.

Powerline view to the SE.

Bog Pond.

The (rare) gentle side of Kinsman Ridge Trail, descending to Eliza Brook Shelter.

Great secluded location for a shelter.

Eliza Brook Shelter, rebuilt in 2010.

So far this message has been heeded.

Tent pad.

Eliza Brook at the lower trail crossing.

One of the joys of this route is the series of cascades as the trail ascends along Eliza Brook, even with near drought-level water flow.

One of many amber pools.

This one would be impressive in high water.

Streamside boulder.

Looking down into a sluice and gorge.

Rocky spine on the steep climb to Harrington Pond.

Inviting corridor.

The gateway to Harrington Pond.

Harrington Pond and its surrounding bog, nestled on a high shoulder at 3400 ft., a remote and wild setting.

The last time I was here was a few winters ago on a snowshoe bushwhack with John "1HappyHiker" Compton.

There were many pitcher plants out on the bog.

Wild cliffs.

The summit is way up there.

Much of the climb from Harrington Pond to South Kinsman is proverbially "steep and rough."

More of the same.

Getting closer - another glimpse of the summit from a 4000-ft. shoulder.

Many minor scrambles.

Early view to Osceola and the Sandwich Range.

A thru-hiker picks his way upward.

Looking back to Mount Moosilauke.

Yikes!

Looking down.

Many peaks rise beyond the great SE ridge of South Kinsman.

Looking down the Eliza Brook valley to Bog Pond and Mount Wolf.

A great open stretch of trail near the top.

This trailside ledge was a great spot for a leisurely late lunch.

Harrington Pond, which was "discovered" by early 1900s AMC trail-builder Karl Harrington while laying out the Kinsman Ridge Trail. Of this view, Harrington wrote: "...a wee mirror of water set in its little cup far below, reflecting over the treetops a shimmering glint."

Ponds both tiny and sprawling in the same scene.

The open south knob of the summit was 125 yards farther.

This thru-hiker, an older southern gentleman, averred that the climb up South Kinsman was among the hardest he'd ever done, including Kilimanjaro. "Those trails on Moosilaukee were a children's playground compared to this!"

Vast western horizons, getting hazy. All 5 of the Vermont 4000-foot peaks were faintly visible.

The eastern vista beyond the SE ridge of South Kinsman. The epic bushwhack up that long ridge has been accomplished by a handful of serious bushwhackers, including Laura & Guy Waterman and J.R. Stockwell..

The summit cairn has been fashioned into an east-facing throne.

Nice woods descending South Kinsman. This section of Kinsman Ridge Trail is well-maintained by J.R. Stockwell.

The North Kinsman view ledge was empty in late afternoon.

A drop down a steep, rough side path rewards with the classic bird's eye view of Kinsman Pond.

The little white speck above the shore towards the right end is the wing of a small airplane that has been there at least since the early 1980s. I don't know the story behind it.

Franconia Ridge and Lonesome Lake.

Looking out over the vast basin of Cascade Brook.

A view of South Kinsman you don't get from the upper view ledge.

The route back to the road. This trail is admirably maintained by adopter Bruce Richards and has seen some recent good work by the Trailwrights.

Ferny forest a little way down.

This short abandoned section of Mount Kinsman Trail has reverted to moss in not too many years.

Terribly blurry pic of a Saw-Whet Owl who stared at me as I passed by, about halfway down the upper section of Mount Kinsman Trail.

An interesting partly vegetated rootball.

The "warrior tree," a favorite yellow birch below the Bald Peak spur junction.

Cole Hill and the fields of Easton along Route 116. I lucked out with a ride from a kind local resident, avoiding a three-mile road walk at the end of a long day. Thank you!

HOT DAY ON THE HIGHWATER TRAIL: 8/11/16

On one of the hottest days of the summer, Carol and I did some geocaching with friends and then on our own, after which I spent a few hours checking out Irene relocations on the Highwater Trail while Carol lounged by the Wild River.

With our geocaching friends Pam and Sue, we found two tricky geocaches on the Presidential Rail Trail off Dolly Copp Road.

The Rail Trail was bursting with midsummer flowers. I believe these are Common Tansy, an escaped European garden flower, and a member of the aster family.

Black-eyed Susan and perhaps a red-orange variant.

This part of the Rail Trail has fine views. Lower Howker Ridge and Mount Madison rise beyond a beaver wetland.

Eastern view to Pine Mountain, Mount Moriah and North Carter.

While up on Randolph Hill checking out the start of the Bee Line, it was nice to see the RMC's Boothman Spring Cutoff officially signed and open again.

After a stop in Gorham we headed over Routes 2 and 113 to the WMNF Wild River Road and the north end of the Highwater Trail to find a couple more geocaches.

We crossed the major bridge over the Wild River at the north end of the Highwater Trail, which replaced a previous span swept away by Tropical Storm Irene.The ledges of The Roost can be seen at upper left.

We then drove five miles up the Wild River Road to the Shelburne Trail. This is the crossing of the Wild River near the start of the trail. Crocs came in handy and the water felt good! Carol has a balky knee so she read a book by the river while I hiked partway up and down the Highwater Trail to check out six short Irene relocations.

Cairns mark the way as the Shelburne Trail follows a confusing route through stony brookbeds.

I headed north for a mile on Highwater Trail and enjoyed this downstream vista from an open bank.

A long view upstream from the same spot.

Tropical Storm Irene wiped out a few sections of trail. Within the last couple of years the Androscoggin Ranger District trail crew made the half-dozen relocations around the washed-out areas.

Hobblebush leaves were drooping due to the current drought conditions.

Heading back to the south on Highwater Trail, some gymnastics were required to start the crossing of Bull Brook.

Bull Brook drains a big valley on the east side of Mount Moriah, but was almost bone dry today.

More fine riverside vistas.

A placid channel on the Wild River.

A view downstream to Howe Peak, an eastern spur of Shelburne Moriah Mountain.

Here Irene cut away the bank on the east side.

The huge flat ledge in the center of the photo is a popular sunning and swimming spot.

Lots of fine woods walking on the Highwater Trail.

I continued south to the Moriah Brook Trail junction to check out the bridge situation.

The WMNF closed the bridge last fall due to continuing erosion on the east bank, started by Irene. Options for this crossing are currently under consideration, info can be found on the WMNF website.

The supports on the east side of the bridge have been severely undermined.

On the way back I took a short break at this huge rocky outwash.

A narrow stretch of trail along the riverbank - a future relocation farther away from the river will probably be needed here.

On the way back I made a short bushwhack to a beautiful beaver meadow just inside the Wild River Wilderness.

Lots of Steeplebush (aka Hardhack) was blooming here.

A forest pool shaded by tall maples.

A pretty scene beside the meadow.

Nice woods for whacking.

We took a drive out by the historic Philbrook Farm Inn on North Road in Shelburne, which has been welcoming guests since 1861. The inn has a long association with hiking and several trails to lower peaks in the southern Mahoosucs start on its grounds.

Shelburne Moriah Mountain from the front of the inn.

THE LONG WAY TO NORTH PERCY: 8/18/16

I joined Greg Ortiz for a long approach to North Percy Peak via a newly-opened 4-mile segment of the Cohos Trail - the Pond Brook Falls Trail and then the Trio Trail - in the Nash Stream Forest. In the evening I did a second, shorter hike on the East Side Trail. A marvelous area!

We started our hike on the Pond Brook Falls Trail, which leads to its namesake falls in just 0.1 mile. The new section of trail turns left just below the falls, with a spur trail leading up to the broad ledge slabs (slippery when wet).

With its slabs and waterslides, it's sort of like the North Country's version of Franconia Falls.

The new trail climbs up the slope to the left of the falls. This Cohos Trail bog bridge is covered with chicken wire for improved traction.

This seasonal bridge over Pond Brook well above the falls will be removed each autumn and reinstalled each spring.

Pond Brook, looking downstream.

After crossing Trio Ponds Road, we entered the new Trio Trail, the second and longer segment of the new trail route, which was completed within the last couple of weeks.

The SW spur of Whitcomb Mountain seen across an old beaver meadow filled with wildflowers. Cliffs up there look like an interesting bushwhack destination.

For about a half-mile the trail passes by a series of recent logging cuts. This one opens a view to West Peak and and the sharp summit of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Greg spotted two moose up ahead in one of the brushy cuts. These were their tracks.

The trail running across one of the cuts.

As the trail wraps around the lower west end of Long Mountain, it passes through a vast stand of fine hardwood forest.

Great work by the Northwoods Stewardship Center crew and Cohos Trail volunteers who built this trail.

We wondered if this was some kind of old pool, built to provide a water source.

A gorgeous, Catskill-like hardwood glade.

Long Mountain Brook at the trail's crossing.

Lunch break at the Percy Loop Campsite. As the wheel turns, it's 3.9 miles from the Pond Brook Falls trailhead to the Percy Loop Trail.

Kiosk at the campsite. There's an excellent water source nearby.

New signage.

Another new sign.

Unusual blazing. The Percy Loop Trail is now blazed in red, and in both red and yellow above the campsite, where it is part of the Cohos Trail.

A rather gnarly stretch of the Percy Loop Trail on the damp and shady "back" side of North Percy.

Heading up the steep, grippy granite slabs on the cone of North Percy.

The trail is well-blazed on the ledges.

Summit sign.

Looking north up the Nash Stream valley to an array of 3500-ft. peaks. Greg, an avid bushwhacker, has climbed just about every peak, tall and small, in this region.

West to the Goback/Savage Mountain group.

Looking back up at the scrubby summit. There were plenty of blueberries ripe for the picking.

Aptly-named Long Mountain stretches away to the east, with the Mahoosuc Range on the horizon.

Greg stands on the brink where the abandoned West Side Trail came up via exceedingly steep ledge slabs.

Looking down the old West Side Trail route.

South Percy with the Pilot Range beyond.

Walking down into the SE views.

Christine Lake, with the little nub of Victor Head on its left.

The mile-and-a-half section of Percy Loop Trail below the campsite is a delightful descent route - easy to moderate grades, excellent footing, and fine hardwood forest.

Smooth sailing.

After the descent from North Percy, Greg headed home while I drove farther up Nash Stream Road for a three-mile round trip on the East Side Trail, another link in the Cohos Trail.

The trail starts off beside pretty Nash Stream.

A half-mile in, a rough little side path leads down to this interesting feature, named by Cohos Trail founder Kim Nilsen.

A remarkably pointed boulder.

The Devil's Jacuzzi in Nash Stream, a natural tub with built-in jets.

I continued for another mile, up-and-down through fine hardwood forest, to a side path leading down to a spot at the edge of Nash Stream Bog.

This was a 200-acre pond until its dam burst in 1969, flooding and scouring the valley. It's now the largest wetland in the area. Mount Muise (3615 ft.) can be seen to the right.

The trailhead for East Side Trail is nearly opposite that for Sugarloaf Mountain, so if you're making the long 8-mile drive up gravel Nash Stream Road to climb Sugarloaf, a 52 With a View Peak (as is North Percy), the East Side Trail makes a nice easy second hike for the day. Thanks to all the volunteers who have created and maintain the Cohos Trail, a unique and wonderful addition to New Hampshire's hiking trail system!

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