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

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27 February 2013

A Winter Trek to Mt. Monroe in the Presidential Mountain Range

This was a conventional winter hike to a conventional place.  Usually, I don't include this type of adventure in my blog since it seems pointless to do so.   Rarely do I find anything to say about these types of hikes that hasn't already been said by others.  And seldom do I capture a photo from these commonly visited places that is significantly different from what has been posted countless times on various websites, forums, and blogs.

But having said all that, here I go reporting on a typical winter hike to Mt. Monroe (5,372 ft elevation)!!   Although I'm uncertain, I think my rationale for including this report in my blog is because of the minimal effort required to write a report for which there is so little to be said!

My motivation for doing this rather unremarkable trek was quite simplistic.  I had ventured out the day prior to this hike, and due to above freezing temperatures, the snow conditions were lousy for XC-skiing and snowshoeing at the lower elevations.  Since the temperature was predicted to be even warmer on the day of this hike, I decided to do a trek to higher elevations where conditions would make it less likely that snow would cling to footwear.  As to why I chose Mt. Monroe as my destination, the trailhead is less than a half-hour drive from home.  Plus, it had been over 3 years since I'd done a winter ascent of this mountain.

From the outset of this adventure, I had no great expectations of experiencing any stunning views.  Some forecasters had predicted that the higher summits would be in and out of the clouds; whereas others had forecasted that a cloud cover would linger for the entire day.  However, there seemed to be general agreement among all the weather gurus that the wind would be minimal, and there would be no precipitation.  The lack of wind and precipitation was all I needed to hear.  It was of no concern that there might not be any views since I've seen the views in-person, and seen numerous photos posted by others.

I used the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to launch my trek to Mt. Monroe. The photo presented below shows the Presidential Range as viewed from the trailhead parking lot at Marshfield Station.
Presidential mountain range as viewed from the trailhead parking lot at Marshfield Station
As is often commonplace at this time of year, the trail's footway was a well-consolidated "sidewalk" created by the many hikers and backcountry skiers who use this corridor.  The snow depth was respectable.  However in prior winters, I've seen a much deeper snowpack where oftentimes the trail-blazes (such as seen in the next photo) are about even with the top of the snowpack, or are completely covered.
Typical scene along the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail
The next snapshot shows what would be my last truly clear view of the day.  The photo was taken high up on the ravine at about 2.0 miles from the trailhead where the trail crosses a brook that eventually becomes the Ammonoosuc River.
Last clear view of the day (looking westward from high up on Ammonoosuc Ravine)
Shortly after leaving the viewpoint shown above, I was in a thick cloud cover for the remainder of the journey.  Perhaps this can best be illustrated by the next photo which shows the "view" as I was approaching the summit of Mt. Monroe.
The "view" when approaching the summit of Mt. Monroe
And shown below, is one more photo that demonstrates the dense cloud cover.  Seen here is the Lakes of the Clouds Hut. It presented a rather ghostly image on this particular day.
Lakes of the Clouds Hut surrounded by dense cloud cover
It might be mildly interesting to contrast the view shown above to a similar photo of the hut which was taken a few years ago when the day was clearer, and the snow was deeper. (The people in the photo are backcountry skiers who stopped by the hut on their way down the mountain.
Lakes of the Clouds Hut as seen on a winter trek taken several years ago
And finally, the following snapshot is solely for the benefit of anyone who might be unfamiliar with locations mentioned in this report.  This photo (taken in late Spring) shows the Lakes of the Clouds Hut resting at the base of Mt. Monroe.  If you look closely, you can see the trail winding its way to the top of this mountain.
Photo showing spatial relation between Mt. Monroe and Lakes of the Clouds Hut
To sum it up, this was a rather ordinary winter hike to Mt. Monroe.  Nonetheless, it was still a fun adventure.  From my perspective, the cloud cover caused no particular angst.  It just added an interesting element to the overall experience.

19 February 2013

Lunch at Eliza Brook Shelter


Here is a "spoiler-alert".  This wasn't much of a hike, especially if you prefer adventures with grandiose mountaintop views. However, it was an opportunity to enjoy a wonderful winter trek though snow-covered woodlands and end up at the rustic Eliza Brook Shelter in time for lunch.

It's okay. You can rightfully say that this is a long walk just to eat a peanut butter sandwich at a remote shelter in the middle of nowhere, and which overlooks nothing other than the surrounding forest!

How long of a walk is it?  Well, using a combination of the Reel Brook Trail and Kinsman Ridge Trail, the distance from the trailhead to the shelter is 3.9 miles.  And, since winter parking is located about 0.2 miles from the trailhead, you're now talking about a 4.1 mile (one-way) trek.  However, perhaps it's just me, but the distance doesn't seem to be much of a factor.  Other than a couple of short-lived steep spots, the grade is relatively gentle and you can make good time.

I had read a report on a hiking forum that this corridor had just recently been traveled, and so I knew that I wouldn't need to break out the trail.  The next photo shows the trail condition at the trailhead.  These lovely packed-down conditions continued all the way to the Eliza Brook Shelter.  And although my stopping point was at the shelter, I could see that the trail had been broken out beyond that point, perhaps all the way to the Kinsmans??
Well broken out trail from the trailhead to the Eliza Brook Shelter . . . and beyond!
In addition to the trail's nicely consolidated snowpack, all of the many brook crossings were snow-bridged.  I would venture to say that if you had never travelled this trail in non-winter conditions, then you would probably be unaware that you were crossing several brooks along the route.
All the multiple brook crossings along the route were snow-bridged
At the junction of the Reel Brook Trail and Kinsman Ridge Trail, there was no evidence whatsoever that anyone had traveled the Kinsman Ridge Trail southbound toward Mt. Wolf.
Junction of Reel Brook Trail and Kinsman Ridge Trail
En route to the shelter on the Kinsman Ridge Trail, you cross a depression which is the location of the original Kinsman Notch.  In current times, Kinsman Notch is referred to as the area on Rt. 112 in the general vicinity of Lost River Reservation.  Regardless, the original Kinsman Notch corridor is now "graced" with a power line complex.  At the point where the Kinsman Ridge Trail crosses over this power line, there are some vistas.  No attempt will be made to "sugarcoat" the view from here.  It is what it is!  I'll only say that there is a fine line between a "view" and a "spectacle".

The next photo shows the view from the power line corridor.  The area known as Bog Pond dominates the foreground, and the Loon Mountain Ski Resort dominates the more distant view.
View from power-line corridor en route to Eliza Brook Shelter
Up to this point, I've failed to mention that although I've traveled this route before, I've never hiked it in winter conditions.  And since I enjoy doing new things, it was appealing to me to experience this route in winter.  So, that was certainly one motivation.  The other factor had to do with weather.  On the day of this hike, it was very windy (gusts up to 35 mph), and bitter cold (temperature in the teens).  Given those conditions, I wanted to do a hike that was relatively protected from the wind by staying in the woods, rather than travelling to some open location like a mountaintop or pond.

When I arrived at the Eliza Brook Shelter, there was still some wind, and it was still bitterly cold.  However, it was a terrific place to have lunch. It felt almost cozy being inside the shelter, and being surrounded by the 3 walls with a roof overhead.
Eliza Brook Shelter
Shown below is a sign posted inside the shelter.  It is gratifying to see that visitors to this facility are respecting the request made by the Eliza Brook Construction Crew. (Click HERE for some interesting photos and information about this facility located along the Appalachian Trail.)
Sign inside Eliza Brook Shelter
After dining on my gourmet lunch of peanut butter sandwich, grapes, juice box, and cookies, I began my return journey to the trailhead.  The distance between the Eliza Brook Shelter and the Reel Brook Trail is about 1.0 mile.  Over that one-mile distance is about a 300 ft. elevation gain as you travel back to the Reel Brook Trail.  In the grand scheme of things, that's not much of a gain.  However, it's enough to know that you've done some climbing before you begin your descent on the Reel Brook Trail.

When I'm hiking, I'll often do some mini-bushwhacks off the trail when I see something that catches my eye.  On this adventure, I saw what appeared to be remnants of a man-made structure that was tucked in the woods off in the distance.  It sort of looked like it might be a stone-wall, or possibly an old stone foundation for a house.  Anyway, once I got there, it was just a natural formation created by Mother Nature.  But, the exciting part is as follows!

In making my way back to the trail, I noticed a moose antler poking up through the snow!  The first photo shows the antler as it appeared when I spotted it.  The second photo shows the antler with dimensions that I measured once I got it home.
Moose antler seen poking through the snow
Dimensions of moose antler
To sum it up, long walks through the forest are enjoyable to me, but it's totally understandable that such a hike would have limited appeal.  It was terrific to experience this route in winter conditions, which was a first for me, and it was truly an unexpected treat to find the moose antler! 

(And finally, here is a bit of audacious self-promotion!  You can find write-ups for a growing series of smaller hikes at my other Blog entitled "2 Small 2B Big".  Click HERE.)

06 February 2013

A Rocky Branch Ramble


As many frequent readers of my Blog know, I'm a fan of doing hikes that are either new to me, or at least trying to incorporate some new element into a hike that I've previously done.

One of several sources that I use to come up with new ideas is to read past postings of Steve Smith's Mountain Wandering blog (click HERE).    Awhile back, I recalled reading a report of Steve's concerning a trek to some prominent ledges on Maple Mountain which is located in the Rocky Branch valley.

When researching Maple Mountain as a possibility for my trek on 05-Feb-2013, I decided that getting to this destination was a bit more involved than what I was seeking for this particular day.  However, when looking at this general vicinity on Google Earth, I noticed what appeared to be a rather large beaver pond complex.  Bushwhacking to that spot appeared to be a relatively short trek and fairly straightforward.  And  to top it off, it was certainly a place that I'd never visited!

The beaver ponds are located in the Otis Brook drainage and is about 0.8 mile nearly due north of the Jericho Road trailhead for the Rocky Branch Trail.  From the general vicinity of the trailhead is where I launched my bushwhack.  However, to get to the launch point, I needed to walk the road for about 1.7 miles since the upper end of  Jericho Road is closed to vehicular traffic during winter months.

I'm not a huge fan of doing long road-walks.  However, at a brisk pace, this particular jaunt takes only about 40 minutes.  Although I saw no one for the entire day, there was an abundance of boot prints, and ski tracks on this snow-covered roadway.  I have no idea where everyone was headed.  Perhaps many folks just do this walk to be outside and to enjoy the scenery.  As far as road-walks go, it is pleasant, and especially at those points along the way where you can see the Rocky Branch River.
View of Rocky Branch River from Jericho Road
Although it wasn't absolutely necessary, I wore Microspikes while walking the road.  When I eventually left the road to begin my bushwhack, I was able to keep using this same footwear.   The ground had only a moderate covering of snow, and it was crusty enough to support me without snowshoes.  However, later in my trek,  as I approached the beaver ponds, I did eventually need to switch to snowshoes.

Along my route there were a few unattractive areas created by old logging operations.  However, the majority of my bushwhack consisted of tramping through very attractive open hardwoods, such as seen in the next photo.
Bushwhacking through open hardwoods for most of route to the beaver ponds
Although logging cuts generally are unattractive, they sometimes do open up a view.  There was a logging cut along my route which provided a nice view of Stairs Mountain, as seen in the next photo.
Zoomed photo of Stairs Mountain, as viewed from a logging cut along my route
Upon reaching the beaver ponds, I was pleased to discover that there was also a view of a portion of Stairs Mountain from this location (next photo).
Stairs Mountain as viewed from beaver ponds in the Otis Brook drainage
Okay, I've mentioned the beaver ponds several times in this report.  To gain a better appreciation for these ponds, it might be helpful to take a look at the Google Earth image shown below.  This image serves a couple of purposes.  It provides a general idea as to where these ponds are situated (Rocky Branch river is at left; Mt. Washington at top).  Also, the blowup portion of this image provides a perspective that I was unable to capture in my photos.  I'm speaking of the fact that this is a multilevel beaver pond complex.  I was able to see three dams at this site which are identified in the image below.
Google Earth image of beaver ponds
The next photo is one taken by me while standing near Dam 1.  I've labeled the location of the three dams, but perhaps you will now understand my earlier statement about being unable to adequately capture the "3-dam perspective" in a photo!  You have to wonder if the beavers hired a Clerk of the Works to oversee this elaborate project!
Photo showing location of the 3 beaver dams that I spotted
The next photo shows what I've been arbitrarily calling "Dam 3".  It was by far the largest of the three dams.
Photo showing "Dam 3" of a multi-dam complex
This next photo is sort of a copy-cat of something frequently used in Steve Smith's blog (referenced earlier in this report).  I have no intention of using Steve's "signature pose" on a regular basis.  However, in this particular case, it seemed useful to illustrate my feelings while having lunch on the shore of the beaver ponds.  As weird as it might seem to some people, I was thinking how much more enjoyment I derive from sitting on the shore of a beaver pond wearing my snowshoes, versus sitting on an ocean beach wearing flip-flops!
Having lunch on the shore of the beaver ponds (north end of Iron Mountain in the background)
So, in addition to the beaver dams, and the views of Stairs Mountain, and the attractive hardwood forest, there were some other eye-catching things that were seen during this adventure.   For example, at a spot on the forest floor where a snow cover was lacking, I saw a beautiful reddish-orange mushroom.  And, as I was walking back down Jericho Road at the end of the day, there was a nice scene along the Rocky Branch River.  The pretty mushroom, as well as the river scene are shown in the following two photos.
Mushroom seen on the forest floor where a snow cover was lacking
Early evening scene along the Rocky Branch River
While driving home, I decided to pull into the Thorne Pond Conservation Area which is a facility in Bartlett that is available for the public to enjoy.  I've driven by this spot several times, but never taken the time to stop.  I've learned that this pond was created to provide water for snowmaking activities at Attitash's Bear Peak Ski Area, which is right across US Rt. 302 from the pond.  I've read that several types of waterfowl (ducks, blue heron and loons) have been spotted at this body of water.

I only had time to walk a short distance on the trail system at Thorne Pond.  However, my short foray did enable me to see a sunset over Bartlett Haystack and the surrounding mountains (next photo).
Bartlett Haystack and surrounding mountains as viewed at sunset from Thorne Pond
To sum it up, it was a terrific day spent exploring the beaver ponds, and it was an unexpected surprise to experience a nice sunset at Thorne Pond while driving home. 

02 February 2013

Trying an Experiment


Occasionally, it's good to have a shakeup of the status quo!  So, I'm trying an experiment.  For the moment, I'm now authoring two Blogs.  One blog is for small hikes, whereas the other is for big hikes.  My original 1HappyHiker blog contains reports of my "big" hikes, and my "small" hikes are in my new blog entitled: "2 Small 2B Big" (Click HERE).

What's the rationale for this separation?  Well, from what I can determine, there are a number of readers who are interested in small hikes that can be done when there is a shortage of time and/or energy.  So, to make these types of hikes easier to locate, it seems worthwhile to do an experiment by having a separate blog to house my smaller adventures under one roof.

We'll see how this experiment goes.  If things are not working out, then I have no burning compulsion to maintain these separate blogs.  Actually, there might be practical considerations which could prove overly cumbersome to continue both blogs.  For example, what really qualifies a hike to be categorized as "small", or "big"?  Also, if negative feedback from this experiment outweighs the positive, then definite consideration will be given to reverting back to simply including all my adventures in my original 1HappyHiker blog.

John