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Bethlehem, New Hampshire, United States
E-mail contact: randonneur8@yahoo.com | Facebook: facebook.com/1HappyHikerNH

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28 May 2012

Walking on Water: The Island Line Trail in Burlington, VT


My wife and I did a day-trip over the Memorial Day weekend to visit one of New England's most unique rail-trails, i.e. the Island Line Trail which is located in Burlington, VT.  The trail covers a distance of about 12.5 miles.  However we only walked the segment of trail that begins at the Airport Park trailhead and then leads you out onto Lake Champlain via a causeway.   From there, you get spectacular views of the Lake, as well as New York's Adirondack Mountains, and Vermont's Green Mountains.

The trail's official start point is at the Oakledge Park trailhead on Flynn Street in south Burlington and then runs northward skirting the shoreline of Lake Champlain.  It continues onto the causeway and then ends abruptly out on the Lake where a seasonal bike ferry connects with South Hero, VT.   However, due to storm damage caused by spring flooding in 2011, the trail now ends on the south side of an old trestle which spans a preexisting gap in the causeway.  (Repairs to the causeway are scheduled to begin in the Summer of 2012.  Click HERE for details.)

This causeway was built in 1900 by the Rutland Railroad.  The 3-mile rail corridor across the Lake was built using huge chunks of marble that were transported to the site from various locations in Vermont.  By design, there were two gaps in the causeway.   Spanning one of the gaps is a fixed iron trestle (where the trail currently ends).  And at the other gap, there once was a swing bridge that could be opened to allow boats to pass.

The incentive behind this extraordinary effort was to connect the Great Lakes with the great New England seacoast.  It was at a time in history when shipping ruled, and the railroads served the ships.  By building this rail link northward to Alburgh, VT, it enabled a relatively easy rail crossing over to Rouses Point, NY which had a rail system that serviced the Great Lakes.

The Rutland Railroad operated trains over the causeway from 1901-1961. The Railway was officially abandoned in 1963. Despite the flood damage in 2011, the marble causeway still remains mostly intact, as does the fixed iron trestle that bridges the lesser of the two gaps.

Shown below are two maps.  The first map shows Airport Park where we began, and it also shows the point where the trail currently ends at the fixed iron trestle.  (We stopped here, but we saw others who continued beyond this point, despite signage indicating that the trail was officially closed due to storm damage.)  The second map shows the route of the entire Island Line Trail.


The next photo isn't the best quality, but it shows a Rutland Railroad train crossing the causeway, way back when!

And finally, here are a few snapshots that were taken during our trek along the causeway (above each snapshot is the caption associated with the photo).

A Beautiful Day for Being Outdoors:

The Approach Route to the Causeway:

The Causeway:

Large Chunks of Marble Visible All Along the Trail:

Westward View toward New York's Adirondack Mountains:

Eastward View toward Vermont's Green Mountains:

Zoomed Photo Showing Camel's Hump Mountain Looming in the Background:

Scene Where Trail Currently Ends at the Iron Trestle:

On our way home, we stopped at a Vermont roadside viewpoint which provides a nice vista of the New Hampshire mountains.  Isn't New England simply grand!  It doesn't matter where you go, the scenery is awesome!

To sum it up, our 2 hour drive over to Burlington, VT was worthwhile in so many respects.  The countryside along the route is beautiful, and the trek along the causeway was both unique and picturesque.  We enjoyed this adventure so much that we plan to make a return visit to explore the remainder of the Island Line Trail.  But when we do that, we'll be taking our bikes so that we can cover more ground!
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P.S.  As mentioned in my reply to Owen (shown below), there is some talk about closing segments of the Island Line Trail for repairs during the Summer of 2012.  So, before going there, it might be a good idea to check the trail status by calling 802 861-2700, and/or checking the website at the following link:
http://www.islandlinetrail.org/ 

25 May 2012

Mt. Success: A Visit to the Site of the 1954 Plane Crash

One of the many places I've not visited in the White Mountains of NH is the site of the plane crash that occurred near the summit of Mt. Success in the late morning hours of November 30th, 1954.

Once upon a time, there were regularly scheduled commercial flights between small cites in the U.S.   Northeast Airlines Flight 792 used DC3 equipment to fly between Berlin, NH and Laconia, NH.   On the day of the crash, the plane was carrying four crew members and three passengers.  All seven survived the crash, but while awaiting rescue two of the crew members died from their injuries.   It wasn't until the morning of December 2nd that the survivors were spotted and rescued.   A search of the Internet will yield reports containing more details of this crash.  Click HERE for one such report.

Visibility was near zero in the Berlin area on the day the plane crashed.  On the day of my hike (24-May), visibility was also nearly zero at the higher elevations of my route.   As I was driving down Success Pond Road to the trailhead, it was easy to see the low-lying clouds that had settled in over Mt. Success and other surrounding peaks in the area (photo below).

However, all is not lost on days such as this.  Although the view of distant vistas is blocked or obscured, there can still be some interesting sights.  Shown below are some of the misty views that I experienced.




My trek along the Success Trail was very pleasant.  However, at about 1.4 miles into the hike there is a long section of rock slabs which I can easily imagine being challenging when conditions are wet and/or icy.  And beyond the rock slabs there are sizeable sections of the trail with bog bridges which can also become quite slippery.  However, these bog bridges are picturesque, at least in my opinion (next photo).

At the end of the 2.4 mile Success Trail, I hung a right onto the Appalachian Trail for the final 0.6 mile scramble to the summit of Mt. Success.   Just as a sidelight, for those who might be curious, this mountain was named for the township where it is located, i.e. Success, NH which was founded in 1773.  This happens to be the same year that the colonists refused to allow importation of tea into Boston and also when the Stamp Act was repealed.  It is speculated that one or both of those historical events is the origin of the name.

Upon my arrival, Mt. Success was totally in the clouds, similar to the way it was on the day of the plane crash back in 1954.  The next photo shows the ghostly image of the mountaintop cloaked in mist with the summit signs barely visible.

Just as had happened earlier in the hike, the misty conditions provided some unique and picturesque views.   The next photo is a scene that was captured just a few hundred feet from the summit.

After lingering for awhile on the foggy summit, I continued westward on the Appalachian Trail for about 10 minutes and then hung a left onto a faint unmarked pathway that leads to the crash site.

When I arrived at the site, there was such a mixture of thoughts.  First of all, I was astonished to see sections of a large aircraft resting in a thick and remote forest.  Seeing this rather tame man-made object intruding into the untamed world of Mother Nature was such a stark contrast.  My thoughts then turned to the shock and horror that was surely experienced by the people who dragged themselves from the wreckage at the very spot where I was standing!

The first objects to catch my attention were a wing, and a large section of the fuselage (next photo).

My attention then turned to other parts of the aircraft which are scattered in a relatively small area.  Shown below are few more photos of the wreckage.

The visit to the crash site was a moving and interesting experience.  Nonetheless, in the aftermath of all tragic events, life goes on.  To memorialize this, I stopped at several points on my way back to the trailhead and photographed some of Mother Nature's smaller life-forms.  I'm talking about little things, such as wildflowers, and a lowly toad (look closely and you'll see it in the photo collage below)!

To sum it up, this adventure ranks near the top of my most unforgettable hikes.  It was quite an experience to not only witness such natural beauty on a misty day, but also to satisfy a morbid fascination with an event on another misty day nearly 60 years ago when a plane crashed on Mt. Success.
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ADDENDUM (added 04-Sep-2012): It just came to my attention that there is a recently (2012) published book which contains a map and a description of how to access the DC-3 crash site.  The book is authored by Kim Nilsen and it is entitled: "50 Hikes North of the White Mountains".

18 May 2012

Views from Iron Mountain Trailhead, and Then the Runner-ups

The views from the trailhead for the Iron Mountain Trail are almost enough to make you consider stopping there and going no further!  If you've ever been to that location, then you surely know what I mean.  Those of us who are enthusiastic about hiking will eventually move forward and do the hike, even though we know the views along the trail will be very nice, but "runner-ups" to those experienced at the trailhead.

Just in case you've never been to the trailhead for the Iron Mountain Trail, the next three snapshots provide a sample of the views from this spot which is located on the old Hayes Farm property at the end of Iron Mountain Road in Jackson, NH.



Okay, my goal for this particular day (17-May) was not to go to Iron Mountain!  Instead, I wanted to visit a ledge just to east of Green Hill.  My plan was to use just a small segment of the Iron Mountain Trail to get me to the point where I could leave the trail on the public land of the WMNF.  Upon leaving the trail, I would bushwhack southeasterly to reach a col along the ridge between Green Hill and Iron Mountain.  Once on the ridge, I would then head easterly toward my targeted ledge.  For my return leg of the journey, I would follow the ridgeline westerly to meet up with the Iron Mountain Trail which I'd then follow back to the trailhead.

My approximate route is shown on the map below.  (Click to enlarge.)

The bushwhack to the col was through open woods and was very quick and easy.  Upon reaching the col, the travel along the ridgeline wasn't difficult, but it was extremely slow-going.  There were patches of what I call "bayonet-conifers".  If you've done off-trail travel, I think you'll know what I mean.  I'm not talking about the nearly impenetrable conifers that you have to push your way through.  Rather it's the type that requires slow and careful maneuvering to avoid being slashed by the razor sharp "bayonets" that protrude from the trunk.
My hope was to find some remnants of an old trail which once ran along the ridgeline.  If the old trail is still there, then I missed it!  I did find some occasional trail-like corridors, and a few even had some piled rocks which could have been old cairns.   However, each of these corridors quickly faded away and the battle with the "bayonet-conifers" began again!
Shown in the next photo is one of the corridors I ran across along the way.

It was good to learn that travel is effortless in the open hardwoods below the ridgeline, and that it is slow-going in the conifers along the ridge.  For any future visits to this ledge, I would likely leave the Iron Mountain Trail at the same spot, but would then make a beeline for the ledge itself.  I did some poking around while I was up there, and think this is a very doable route.
Okay, that's more than enough chit-chat about getting to the ledge.  What did I see when I got there?  Well, first of all, upon arrival at the ledge I saw clear evidence of the bootleg trail that traverses some private land and comes up from the east.  I'll leave it to the readers discretion if they want to pursue that route.   Regardless, the views from this ledge are more expansive than I'd ever thought they would be!  The next series of photos provide a sampling of what can be seen from this terrific spot.
Presidential Range

 Carter Notch and Surrounding Mountains

Doubleheads and Baldfaces

 Stairs Mountain

Mt. Passaconaway and Tripyramids

Kearsarge North

Vicinity of Jackson, NH

Zoomed Photos of Some of the More Prominent Landmarks

Besides all the gorgeous landscape scenery, there were plenty of beautiful things to see right at my feet.   I'm talking about colorful works of Mother Nature, such as wildflowers and butterflies that I photographed along the way (next photo).

After a thoroughly enjoyable visit to the ledge, I trekked westward along the ridgeline and then eventually hooked-up with the Iron Mountain Trail.  Along the way, I only found a few short segments of what might have been the old trail corridor. 
I didn't take time to go to the South Cliffs viewpoint on the Iron Mountain Trail.  Not only was my time running short, but also I knew that I'd seen similar views earlier in the day from the unnamed ledge that I visited.
Upon arriving at the top of Iron Mountain, a few snapshots were taken of the ruins of the old fire tower (next photo).

The descent from the fire tower area back to the trailhead is tedious.  This section of trail has been very eroded for the past several years.  However, it seemed to me that there was even deeper erosion since my last trek along this trail a few years ago.  Perhaps Hurricane Irene might have played some role.  Shown below are a couple examples of the trail erosion.

To sum it up, the views from the trailhead for the Iron Mountain Trail are stunning! However, the "runner-up" views that I experienced on my bushwhack adventure were also pretty spectacular.  Perhaps there are no clear winners here.  So, let's just call it a tie!
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P.S. For anyone wanting to read about the abandoned trails in this area, as well as other interesting history about Iron Mountain, my fellow Blogger named Karl has an excellent report on his Blog (click HERE). 

13 May 2012

My Free-Spirited Child: Mt. Tremont

A rainy spell is predicted for the upcoming days.  That situation, combined with a number of other factors, will likely keep me off the trails during most of the upcoming week.   Rather than let this Blog sit idle, I offer the following.   But please be forewarned from the outset that this particular posting contains very few pictures.  It's mostly just chit-chat about the Mt. Tremont Trail, which is one of the trails I've adopted under a program administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

If you've had dealings with children, either as a parent, or as an aunt, uncle, etc, then you know that there are certain kids who are free-spirited, and some might even say rabble-rousers!  However, despite the child's behavior which is often wild and maddening, you can't help but admire their spunk!

Of the six adopted trails that I maintain, by far the Mt. Tremont Trail is the most troublesome of the bunch, or to be a bit kinder, let's say "free-spirited".   Each time I visit this "adopted child", I can be assured of discovering some problems that have occurred while I was away.

The rambunctious nature of this trail will often result in downed trees laying across the trail, and/or debris scattered everywhere.  Such was the case on my most recent visit on 11-May.  And this time, in addition to the expected outbreaks, I encountered other "mischief".   A small brook that normally runs harmlessly across this trail was now running lengthwise down the trail's treadway.   A short bushwhack up the brook revealed a log jam which was causing this problem.  Once the clog was removed, the problem was solved.

Despite the troublesome nature of this trail,  I truly admire its wild beauty.  It is so full of excitement and youthful energy!  I like to retain some of the untamed nature of this trail by not totally removing all the remnants of the impish activity that occurs here.  If a downed tree presents no hazard or undue hardship for the hiker, then I'll often leave it alone, especially if it can easily be stepped over, or walked under with a slight duck of the head.   For certain, some will disagree with this style of trail maintenance, and some might even consider it laziness.  It's not a practice that I use for all my trails.  Just as with children, each one needs individualized treatment.

Since this trip involved so many "toys" to pick up and things to be put back in place, there was only enough time to visit the lower half of the playground where my free-spirited "child" so freely romps.   But as said earlier, it's difficult to harbor any lasting irritation, especially when you are provided with terrific "peace-offerings" such as picturesque cascades and delightful wildflowers.


And occasionally, there will be a surprise awaiting for me that is quite pleasant.  On this visit, just off to the side of the trail, there was a beech seedling. Okay,  I know that might not sound overly exciting.  But nonetheless, it was something that I'd not seen before.  At first,  I thought it was a wildflower.  It wasn't until I posted the photo online that I learned it was basically a "newborn" seedling which was possibly only a few hours old.  How can you help but overlook troublesome behavior when you are provided with prizes such as this? :)

Here is just one last snapshot.  Believe it or not, it is related to maintenance of the Mt. Tremont Trail.  On my way to "work", I must drive by the Mt. Washington Hotel.  Many times, this roadside vista verges on being simply stunning, as was the case on this particular day.

To sum it up, on my next maintenance visit to the Mt. Tremont Trail, I'll be going to my free-spirited child's upper "playground" area.   I'm certain there will be copious pick-up and clean-up required at that location as well.  But, all will be quickly forgiven when I reach the top of Mt. Tremont and am gifted with the awesome vistas seen from there.

08 May 2012

A Delicious Combination of Sugarloaf and Hogsback!

Fortunately, the title of this report describes map features, rather than menu items!

Located near Benton, New Hampshire is a prominent peak named Sugarloaf, and very nearby is a long ridge of cliffs named The Hogsback.  Before starting my hike on 07-May, I snapped a roadside photo which is shown below.  There is probably little need to point out that Sugarloaf is on the left and The Hogsback is in the center of the photo (click to enlarge).

In addition to the above photo, perhaps a map might be useful while reading through this report (click to enlarge).

If you are in the bushwhacking frame of mind, then you can see from the map that there are several possible ways to reach The Hogsback and Sugarloaf Mountain by launching an off-trail route from the Blueberry Mountain Trail, and still stay within the green-shaded public land of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF).
Before I left my house, I did one final check of the USFS website to confirm that their notice of 28-Mar-2012 was still in effect.  This notice reads as follows: "The Blueberry Mountain Trail, including its trailheads located off Lime-Kiln and Long Pond roads in the town of Benton, is open at this time.  However, timber harvest activity will commence later in the year. The dates are unknown at this time so please check this page for trail condition updates."
Despite the above notice, which was in-effect as of the time this Blog was written, the "Trail "Closed" sign remains at the trailhead (see photo below).  It's probably more efficient to leave the sign in place since it's uncertain as to when logging will begin again.

My first stop during this adventure was The Hogsback.  From there, I was able to look northward toward Sugarloaf Mountain which would be my next destination later in the day.  The next photo shows one of several views of Sugarloaf from The Hogsback.

Looking southeasterly from The Hogsback ridge, there are several nice views of Mt. Moosilauke, one of which is shown in the next photo.

Due east of The Hogsback is a view of Long Pond directly below, as well as a vista which includes the Kinsman Range of mountains with the tops of peaks of the Franconia Range peering over them on the distant horizon (next photo).

The next photo shows a view somewhat similar to the previous photo, but it was taken from a different point along the Hogsback ridgeline.  If nothing else, it provides a good idea as to why Long Pond is so-named!  I think it qualifies as long!

Shown in the next photo is a view looking straight down over the sheer drop-off on the western side of The Hogsback.  The snapshot doesn't provide a true perspective of what you actually experience when standing there in-person!

At various points along the ridgeline, I saw vultures flying overhead (next photo).  Hmmm! Are they perhaps accustomed to finding a meal at the bottom of The Hogsback ridge??

In terms of other wildlife, I saw no moose, but their droppings were abundant.   At one point along the way, I spotted a wildflower (Spring Beauty) which was in full bloom despite being surrounded by moose poop!  And, if you enlarge the next photo by clicking on it, you will see an insect atop the Spring Beauty.   There has to be something profound or comical that can be said about a wildflower blooming from a pile of moose poop with a bug sitting atop the flower.  If nothing else, I suppose it can be said that this snapshot gives a new perspective to the saying: "Spring has sprung"!

In addition to the Spring Beauty shown above, there were many other varieties of wildflowers seen throughout the forest, such as the large patch of Trout Lily that is shown in the next photo.

While meandering along The Hogsback ridgeline, I frequently came across what appeared to be an old trail corridor.  I presume it might have been remnants of the long-abandoned Jeffers Mountain Trail that once diverged from the Blueberry Mountain Trail and then traversed The Hogsback ridge.
After thoroughly enjoying The Hogsback, it was time to head on over to Sugarloaf Mountain.  It was an easy bushwhack from the north end of The Hogsback to the open ledges on the southeasterly side of Sugarloaf Mountain.   I found no evidence of an old hiking trail on my way to the ledges.  But once atop the ledges, there was a well-worn network of pathways leading from one viewpoint to the other.  (There was once an official hiking trail to Sugarloaf, and an unoffical trail in more recent times.)
Upon reaching the ledges, the very first thing I did was to take several photos looking back at The Hogsback.  One of these photos is presented below.  It's a slightly zoomed shot which shows The Hogsback along with Mt. Moosilauke's broad, flat, orange-tinged summit.

The next photo is not zoomed.  It shows one of the many magnificent vistas from Sugarloaf.  This snapshot encompasses views of the Kinsmans and the Franconia Range (on the left), as well as views of Mt. Moosilauke and The Hogsback (on the right).

Shown below is a snapshot taken from one of Sugarloaf's ledges which has a good view of Black Mountain, a nearby neighbor to the north of Sugarloaf.

To sum it up, this adventure was packed with views which I found very pleasing.  It was an easy trek which took about 5 hours round-trip at a very leisurely pace.  This is one trek that I wouldn't mind doing as a repeat performance.  As stated in the title of this report, Sugarloaf and Hogsback are a delicious combination!