INTRODUCTION:
There is
a quote by Pearl S. Buck which reads: “Many people lose the small joys in the
hope for the big happiness.” As with any
quote, there can be a variety of interpretations. My take on this is that one can miss out on
the joys of doing small things by choosing instead to do bigger things with the
hope that it will bring bigger happiness.
Regardless,
the above quote will often come to mind when considering various options for an
upcoming hiking adventure. It has
allowed me to discover that there are many instances when a hike that is short
and leisurely can provide just as much joy as a hike that is long and intense.
And so,
rather than doing a long hike, I
recently opted to do a mini-adventure in the Evans Notch area which is located along the border
between New Hampshire and Maine. It
included an on-trail hike to visit the waterfalls along the Bickford Slides
Loop trail, and it also included a short bushwhack to a ledge at the southern tip
of nearby Sugarloaf Mountain.
It is
guesstimated that the combined mileage for the on-trail portion of the hike,
plus the bushwhack segment, was about 4.5 miles round-trip.
Presented
below is a map which shows my route highlighted in orange.
 |
The
route for this trek is highlighted in orange.
|
PHOTOS:
 |
| My favorite waterfall along the Bickford Slides Loop is this one which is named Middle Slide. |
 |
| Shown here is Upper Slide which is another attractive waterfall along the Bickford Slides Loop. |
 |
| A bushwhack to a small ledge at southern tip of nearby Sugarloaf Mountain provided this view toward the Baldfaces, Meader Ridge, plus a portion of The Basin, and Basin Pond. |
 |
| This photo shows a little closer view of The Basin and Basin Pond, as viewed from a small ledge at southern tip of Sugarloaf Mountain. |
TO SUM IT UP:
This hike was short, and so too is this blog posting! But perhaps the reader will derive as much
pleasure from reading it as from a longer posting about a longer hike. Oftentimes, less is more! :-)
4 comments:
Hi John,
I've been traveling—I'm also taking another mini-vacation for the long holiday weekend—and am just getting around to reading the blogs I follow.
I love the quote at the beginning of this post. I think there are many small joys—and small hikes—we miss out on when going for the "big picture". This small hike looks wonderful! As always I appreciate seeing examples of New England's many scenic waterfalls.
Also, I agree about the shorter blog postings. I used to think that I had to detail every little thing about my outings but sometimes less is definitely more! Hopefully I'll have time to write a short post after this holiday weekend.
Enjoy the holiday!
Hi Rita,
In keeping with our shared opinion that “less is more”, I’ll simply say thank you for reading my blog and taking time to post your comments. And, best wishes to you and yours for a thoroughly delightful Labor Day weekend.
John
Hi John,
Seems I basically do all "mini-adventures" these days. Your post definitely holds true what I've found...you don't have a travel a long way to find some great stuff! These waterfalls are wonderful. Middle Slide would be my favorite as well.
I think the coolest part of your mini-venture is the ledge, though. I'm always astounded at the views you see and share with us here by being just a little curious to checkout some rocks you spot on a hill or mountain. There has to be some satisfaction to be able to look out from a vista and think that few people (respectively over time) have had the same rewarding view by not heading up the same way due to difficulty or the ability to notice the opportunity. And then you take that view and share it here. It's very cool...and thank you!
Karl
Hi Karl,
Yes, I agree with your assessment about “mini-adventures”. Over the past year or so I seemed to have entered into a new phase of my hiking “career”. I’ve generally become impatient with hiking long distances to get a view. There are many fine views available (either on-trail, or off-trail) that can be experienced without the slog of many hours and many miles of hiking. Also, I’ve gained an appreciation for hikes where a traditional view (mountain vista, pond/lake overlook, etc) is unavailable. There are times when it can be very gratifying to simply hike in a beautiful forest where the only “views” might be a babbling brook, colorful wildflowers, etc., etc.
Last, but certainly not least, thank you for the kind words contained in your comments. It’s gratifying to know that you have an appreciation for the off-trail portion of this, and other, adventures that I do.
John
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