Where to go on Solar Eclipse Day? As a landslide enthusiast, I wanted to experience the eclipse from a slide, or from a viewpoint looking at slides. This meant staying south of totality, a tradeoff I was willing to make. Plus, that would steer clear of the predicted nightmarish traffic jams before and after the eclipse. (I don't deal well with being stuck in standstill traffic. It was something to behold on Google Maps.)
I originally thought of trudging out to the South Slide of Mount Tripyramid, which would have a perfect angle for the eclipse. But I felt that would be too long of a slog breaking trail through mushy snow, especially since my old friend Harry Cunningham wanted to come up for an eclipse hike, and hadn't hiked on snowshoes for quite a while. Potash Mountain, which has a wonderful view facing south into the Sandwich Range that includes several slides, emerged as an excellent choice.
I was surprised to see that the logging road approach to the Mount Potash Trail, which avoids the major crossing of Downes Brook, was unbroken when we drove by around 11:30 am. When we arrived at the UNH/Downes Brook/Potash trailhead, it was a shock to see no other vehicles there. There was a good snowshoe track leading up the Downes Brook Trail, so we figured we would follow it at least as far as the brook crossing to see if it was feasible. If the crossing looked too sketchy, our Plan B was an ascent of Hedgehog Mountain, which had a partly broken track.
The Downes Brook crossing turned out to be shallow and quite doable with rock hopping. Potash it would be.
By early afternoon the snow was quite soft and wet. Many thanks to the snowshoers who broke this trail out; otherwise we would not have made it up to the summit.
Harry lookin' good on his MSRs.
Harry's dog, Lady, led the way, periodically coming back to check up on the old slowpokes.
Yes, I would like a treat!
A stiff climb through hemlock and spruce lifted us to the viewpoint on the NE shoulder of Potash, looking across the Downes Brook valley at Mts. Passaconaway and Whiteface.
There was no shortage of snow over here in the Albany Intervale, at 2200 ft.
Climbing up the cone through a fine spruce forest.
A great view of Mount Passaconaway from the south outlook, just before the final steep climb to the summit. The Downes Brook Slide is in full view here.
Mts. Chocorua, Hedgehog and Paugus off to the east. As we were admiring the views here, a couple came up behind us and headed on to the summit - the only other hikers we would see during the day.
Climbing steeply up south-facing ledges through slushy snow.
We reached the summit shortly after the start of the eclipse. Spectacular views on this clear spring day.
North across the Albany Intervale to Mts. Huntington, Hancock and Carrigain.
The mighty Carrigain, behind Green's Cliff.
Mount Washington was a shining beacon.
We headed over to the SW side of the summit ledges, where you peer into the wild heart of the Sandwich Range. Mount Whiteface, with a huge slide dropping into the Downes Brook valley, is on the left. East Sleeper is right of center, and West Sleeper, scarred by its 2011 Irene slide in the upper Sabbaday Brook valley, is on the right.
A close look at Mount Passaconaway reveals part of its Northwest Slide, at top center of the photo,
Time to settle in for some eclipse viewing.
3:27 pm, approaching the maximum obscuring of the sun at this location, 98.8%. I did not try to shoot any zoomed in photos of the sun with a filter over my phone, preferring to take in the surrounding mountainscape in between peeks through my eclipse glasses.
The light was getting eerie, here looking west to Scaur Peak, the Osceolas and Mount Kancamagus.
Mount Tripyramid behind The Fool Killer.
Looking north to Hancock and Carrigain at 3:29, eclipse at maximum extent..
The Sandwich Range at 3:29. Even at 1% exposure, the sun's light was strong, but diminished such that sunglasses were not needed to cut the glare from the snow. And it was noticeably cooler than just a few minutes earlier.
Harry and Lady enjoying the show, as the sun's strength is renewed.
Light getting back to normal.
Late afternoon, descending on mushy snow, into the views.
Chocorua cuts a fine figure to the east.
Last view of the day.
Thanks for the show!
One of three tired but satisfied hikers.
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