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

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27 November 2013

Black Mountain (Jackson, NH): 2 Treks, 2 Days Apart!

BACKGROUND:

Yes, one might rightfully wonder why someone would hike to the same destination only two days apart.  The reason?  Well, as occasionally happens when I do a hike, something catches my attention that I'd like to further explore.  However when this happens, it usually means making a second trip since there is rarely enough time on the initial trek to investigate that "certain something".

The goal for my first hike was merely to hike to Black Mountain (Jackson, NH) using the corridor known as the East Pasture XC-Ski Trail.  Although I had visited Black Mountain on several occasions, this route would be new to me.  And, as frequent readers of my Blog know, it is a passion of mine to try to do something different on each of my hiking adventures.

When doing the initial hike, it occurred to me that I had never hiked the Bald Land Trail which diverges from the East Pasture XC-Ski Trail.  And furthermore when I returned home and studied the maps, it became apparent that I could do a nice loop hike of about 7.5 miles by using the Bald Land Trail in combination with the Woodland XC-Trail and the East Pasture XC-Trail.  Upon realizing this, a second visit to this area was inevitable!  It had to be done!

NOTE: It should be mentioned that the trails used for both of my treks involve corridors that lie mostly within the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), but are managed by the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation (click HERE).  I mention this since the Foundation operates under a Special-Use Permit with the WMNF, and during the XC-ski season, a pass must be purchased from the Foundation to use these trails.

MY TWO HIKES:

Before proceeding further, perhaps it might be useful to show a map that shows the trails involved in the two hikes that are presented in this Blog report. 
Map showing trails involved in 2 hikes presented in this Blog report (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
Okay, with the scene being set via the map shown above, the remainder of this report will consist mainly of photos showing things that I found of interest during these two treks.

It was interesting to see trail signs with distances listed as kilometers rather than miles.  (Of course, you can multiply the kilometers by 0.6 to get a rough idea of the distance in miles.)
Trail sign showing distances in kilometers
The Bald Land Trail, Woodland XC-Trail and Pasture Path Trail lead through attractive woodlands.  They are wide and easy to follow corridors with grades that are generally moderate in terms of steepness.
Collage showing typical segments of trails that were hiked
There are attractive sights to be seen along the way when using the East Pasture XC-Ski Trail to access Black Mountain.  Early into the hike is an open field with a sign reading "Hazelton Pasture".  From that spot is a pleasant view of North and South Doublehead.
The Doubleheads as viewed from an open field along East Pasture XC-Ski Trail
Then, as you hike about a half mile further up the trail, there is a faint remnant of an old skidder road off the west side of the trail.  Following that somewhat rough corridor for a short distance will earn you yet another view of the Doubleheads.
The Doubleheads as viewed from a log landing off an old skidder road
After hiking about a half mile beyond the old skidder road, there is a well-worn path off the west side of the East Pasture XC-Ski Trail.  This pathway leads you to the marker shown in the next photo.  I was able to confirm with the Jackson Historical Society that this is the burial place of Nathaniel Kimball (born 16-Sep-1747 in Exeter, NH; died 18-Jul-1827 in Jackson, NH).  He was a member of General John Stark's Brigade from July 1777 through September 1777, and fought at the Battle of Bennington on 16-Aug-1777.
Gravestone marker for Nathaniel Kimball who fought in American Revolutionary War
The highest point of this hike is the viewpoint on the 2,757 ft knob at the south end of Black Mountain.  It is reached by a short spur path off the Black Mountain Ski Trail.  From 1913 to 1947, the Davis Memorial Tower once stood at this site.  Details about this viewing tower, as well as some old photos, can be seen at a Blog that I wrote a couple of years ago (click HERE).

But even without the benefit of the old Davis Memorial Tower, there are still a number of pleasant views from here.  The vista that I find most impressive is the nearly head-on view of Carter Notch.
View of Carter Notch from the 2,757 ft knob at the south end of Black Mountain
By including a short 0.9 mile loop involving the Black Mountain Cutoff and Black Mountain Ski Trail, you can also visit the site of the Black Mountain Cabin.  You can make reservations to stay overnight at this USFS cabin via the Internet (click HERE for details).
Black Mountain Cabin
Whether you're staying overnight, or just visiting, you've got a nice view of the Presidentials from the cabin's doorstep!!
Mt. Washington as viewed from Black Mountain Cabin
Although less impressive than the vistas from Black Mountain, there are several attractive views as you traverse the Woodland XC-Trail and Bald Land Trail.  I particularly liked the view of Sable and Chandler Mountains as seen from a viewpoint along the Woodland XC-Trail.
Sable and Chandler Mountains as seen from viewpoint along Woodland XC-Trail
From a spur trail off the Bald Land Trail, there is a view of North Doublehead.
View of North Doublehead from spur trail off Bald Land Trail
Some of the other appealing sights during my travels included a view overlooking a small pond (presumably from beaver activity), as well as a number of small brooks at various points along the route.
Small pond along East Branch Rd, presumably from beaver activity
One of several small brooks along the route
To sum it up, these two treks were quite enjoyable.  Also, they provided me with a much better idea of how all the pieces fit together in this part of the WMNF where there are a variety of XC-ski trails, hiking trails, and old logging roads.  One never knows when information such as this might be useful for future adventures in this area!

17 November 2013

A Hike to Mt. Cube from Baker Road via Cross-Rivendell Trail

In mid-November, my friend Marty and I hiked to Mt. Cube.  Our round-trip trek of approximately 5 miles included Mt. Cube's South Peak, as well as its North Peak.   We did a simple 'out and back' trek which began and ended at the Cross-Rivendell trailhead on Baker Road near Orford, NH.

If you'd like to get an idea about our route of travel, the Rivendell Trails Association (RTA) has a nice online interactive trail map (click HERE).  In addition to this trail, there are two other routes to Mt. Cube, i.e. the Kodak Trail, and the Mt. Cube Trail (part of the Appalachian Trail).  All three trails are described in the current edition of the White Mountain Guide.

With a name such as Mt. Cube, one might think that this mountain has a boxy or cube-like shape.  However, such is not the case.  Apparently there are two legends, both of which contend that 'cube' is a corruption of the word 'Cuba'.  One legend maintains it was named for a dog named 'Cuba'.  And yet another legend indicates that the name has something to do with a West Indian sailor (presumably from the island of Cuba) who was an early settler in this area.

Information about the naming of Mt. Cube and a ton of other interesting information about this mountain can be found at the "Paths & Peaks" section of Steve Smith's Mountain Wanderer website (click HERE).  Steve also wrote an excellent Blog report with lots of photos about a Springtime visit to Mt. Cube (click HERE).

Shown below are photos of the things about this trek that were of greatest interest to me.

The trail itself is beautiful and meanders via several switchbacks through attractive forestland.
A segment of the Cross-Rivendell Trail leading to Mt. Cube
There are many pleasant views, but the one that I found most impressive was the northeasterly view from North Peak.  Upper Baker Pond is in the foreground, followed by Mt. Moosilauke on the horizon.
North Peak view: Upper Baker Pond in foreground; followed by Mt. Moosilauke on horizon
A zoomed photo of the view shown above provides a larger image of Mt. Moosilauke, and it also shows the buildings at the Glencliff Home nestled at the foot of the mountain (far left), as well as the tip of Mt. Washington's summit peering over a ridgeline (far right).
Zoomed photo: Mt. Moosilauke; Glencliff Home (far left);  tip of Mt. Washington's summit (far right)
It was interesting to see many old dates (a few of which are shown below) that are carved into the quartzite ledges on both South Peak and North Peak.  Also I was fascinated that on South Peak you can still see the survey pin and etched triangle which are holdovers from the 1870s when this was a triangulation station for the U.S. Coastal Survey.
Vintage dates carved in ledges, plus survey pin and etched triangle from the 1870s
On our way home from our hike to Mt. Cube, Marty and I stopped at a roadside viewpoint along Rt. 118 as we approached the area of North Woodstock, NH.  From this spot we enjoyed an impressive sunset view with the moon rising over the nearby mountains.  It was a great ending to an already enjoyable day!
Roadside view on way home, featuring moon rising above nearby mountains at sunset
To sum it up, Mt. Cube is a worthwhile destination.  For any reader who has yet to visit this mountain, I would encourage you to give it a try!

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ADDENDUM (added 18-Nov-2013):

Shown below is a homemade map that I put together which shows the trails used for this trek.
Perhaps some readers might find this to be useful.

07 November 2013

Cape Horn (Groveton, NH): An Unusual Place with an Unusual Name

Cape Horn is an unusual mountain with a rather unusual name.  No one apparently knows for certain how this name came to be.  One of the many theories is that the moniker is derived from the mountain's resemblance to Cape Horn in South America.  Regardless, the name has been around for nearly 200 years.  It appeared on Philip Carrigain's famous map generated in the year 1816.

The arcing ridge known as Cape Horn, lies within a public parcel of land known as the Cape Horn State Forest (CHSF).  A large portion of the ridge and its eastern slope lies within the CHSF, as does the southern half of its western slope.  The highest point (2,040 ft) is near the northern end and is located on private property, just outside the CHSF boundary.

Cape Horn is Jurassic in age, dated at 182 million years old. In geologic terms, it is classified as a ring dike which was formed by an upwelling of molten magma in a conical-shaped fracture in the Earth's crust.  There's a very brief online video which explains this process in simple terms (click HERE).

Also, there is an excellent scientific report about Cape Horn that is available online (click HERE).  This report contains many interesting photos and diagrams.

There are two points where the CHSF property meets a public roadway.  One is along Lost Nation Road, and the other is along Page Hill Road.  A few years ago in July 2010, I launched a hike to Cape Horn from Lost Nation Road.  However, on my most recent trek in early November 2013, I began my hike from Page Hill Road at the Corridor 5 Snowmobile Trail.  Both of the aforementioned treks were done entirely on public land within the boundary of the CHSF property.  And, both included a bushwhack component.

For the 2010 trek I began by following what is perhaps an old logging road until it petered out, and then I bushwhacked the remaining distance to the top of the ridgeline.  

For my recent 2013 adventure, I followed the Corridor 5 Snowmobile Trail for about a mile to the point where it crosses Dean Brook on a bridge.  About a tenth of a mile after the trail crossed the bridge, I began an eastward bushwhack through open woods to the southern end of the Cape Horn ridgeline.  Getting up onto the ridgeline involved a moderately steep climb.  But once there, it was pretty laid-back with easily navigable ups and downs through a park-like setting of open woodlands comprised of a mix of hardwoods and conifers.

With such a long introduction, perhaps it's time to present a few pictures!  I'll begin with a map which shows key features such as the boundary of the CHSF, some of the surrounding roadways, etc. (Click on this map to enlarge it.)
Map showing Cape Horn State Forest and nearby surroundings (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
The next photo shows Cape Horn as viewed from the snowmobile trail.
Cape Horn as viewed from the snowmobile trail
Earlier in this report, you might recall that it was speculated that Cape Horn might have gotten its name because of its resemblance to Cape Horn in South America.  Shown below is a photo that I grabbed from the Internet which shows the South American version of Cape Horn.  Perhaps there is a certain similarity between these two places!?
Photo from Internet showing the Cape Horn located in South America
Besides the view of Cape Horn, the snowmobile trail also provides a nice view of mountains in the Pilot and Pliny ranges.
Mountains in Pilot and Pliny ranges, as viewed from snowmobile trail
The next photo shows Dean Brook at the point where the snowmobile trail crosses over it.
Dean Brook at the point where the snowmobile trail crosses over it
From Cape Horn's ridgeline, two vistas were exceptional!  One was the vista of Hutchins Mountain on the horizon, with a portion of the Dean Brook drainage in the foreground.
Hutchins Mountain on horizon with portion of Dean Brook drainage in foreground
The other vista that I particularly enjoyed was looking northward toward the Percy Peaks, which are about 8 miles away from my viewpoint along the ridgeline.
A distant view of Percy Peaks from a ledge along Cape Horn's ridgeline
The next photo is a highly-zoomed image of Percy Peaks as seen from Cape Horn.
Highly-zoomed image of Percy Peaks as seen from Cape Horn
If you refer back to the map presented earlier in this report, you'll see that Cape Horn has a South Peak and a North Peak.  On this trek, I only went as far as the South Peak.  On my trek in July 2010, I visited a ledge near North Peak.   Shown below is a snapshot taken on that trek.  Although I think the views from the south end of Cape Horn are better overall, the view from the north end does provide a better perspective showing the crescent shape of Cape Horn's ridgeline.
Photo taken July 2010 from a ledge near Cape Horn's North Peak
Although the next photo might appear to have no relevance to my trek to Cape Horn, there is a connection!   While traveling to my launch point on Page Hill Road, I noticed this scene of contented cows grazing in a field.  My thought was "be it ever so humble, there's no place like home!" (from John Howard Payne's poem entitled: Home, Sweet Home)
Scene of contented cows grazing, as seen while en route to my Cape Horn hike
To sum it up, this was an unusually pleasant trek to an unusual place with an unusual name!