With a few hours free before an afternoon appointment, I headed up to the north end of Franconia Notch hoping to see some spring flowers on a bushwhack to Scarface Mountain (2802 ft.), a low northern spur of Mount Lafayette. I started with a walk partway up the Skookumchuck Trail.
These bluets were clustered right by the trail sign.
After a short rocky climb, the trail makes a long traverse through open hardwoods, parallel to the highway. I headed upslope into the woods along this section.
The woods on this slope are wide open, and in places the ground is carpeted with shining club moss.
A closer look.
An interesting ledge.
Bushwhacking doesn't get much better than this.
A glimpse of Mount Lafayette through the trees.
This attractive draw led me up to the gentle ridgecrest between (Little) Bickford Mountain and Scarface Mountain.
Up here there was a Trout Lily bonanza.
Spring Beauties.
Trout Lily stars.
Scarface in sight ahead.
A walk on the wild side.
The cone of Scarface is steep, with a couple of small ledge bands.
These can be skirted by climbing to the side through open woods.
Nice!
Approaching the summit plateau.
On the NW side of the summit is a large open fern glade where the birches are dying off.
A good place for moose. Saw poop, but no antlers.
The spruce-wooded summit is a short distance away.
First page of the summit register. Not sure what list this is on, as it is not close to 200-ft. prominence.
I returned to the glade for a quick lunch while checking out the view to Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.
Mounts Agassiz and Cleveland in Bethlehem are seen to the right. Scarface
also has a couple of small view ledges on the other side of the summit,
hidden in dense spruce, but I didn't have time to re-visit them.
Looked like a moose was enjoying the view not too long ago.
