Now that I'm retired, I'm doing some shorter hikes in between full day treks. Have to take advantage of the awesome weather we've had this month.
SHELBURNE RIVERLANDS
Carol and I checked out this easygoing trail system on lands recently conserved by the Mahoosuc Land Trust along the Androscoggin River. The trails were built and are maintained by the Shelburne Trails Club.
There's a signed parking area off North Road in Shelburne.
A kiosk explains the story behind these conserved lands.
We agreed that the River Trail was the highlight of the system.
At one point a side path drops down for a beautiful view of the Androscoggin.
Riverside rambling.
A bench for enjoying the scene at the junction of River Trail and Forest Trail.
The Highland Trail loops over a low knoll.
There are two signed viewpoints but the views are very limited at present. The Shelburne Trails Club may open these up this fall.
A nice stretch of the Forest Trail. There's a total of about three miles of trail in this network.
BLACK MOUNTAIN (BENTON)
On a day of 100-mile visibility I climbed this favorite 52 With a View peak via the Black Mountain Trail off the end of Howe Hill Road. Note that the 0.2 mile into the parking area from the end of the maintained road is rough, rutted and slow going. I spoke with a hiker who bottomed out in his Impreza.
The hike starts with a walk up a logging road.
The trail itself follows the remnant of a jeep road that served the former fire tower on the summit.
There are a few rougher spots up higher, but overall the trail is moderate with relatively good footing, and the woods are nice.
Black Mountain Trail meets the steeper Chippewa Trail just below the summit.
The extensive quartzite ledges on the summit crest are a tale of two vistas. On the west side there are vast views across the Connecticut River valley to the mountains of Vermont.
On a clear day nearly the entire chain of the Green Mountains is visible.
A zoomed portion of the view. Mts. Abraham and Ellen on the left, the Signal Mountain Range in the center, and Mt. Mansfield on the right.
South view with Sugarloaf close by. Cardigan to the left and Smarts/Cube/Piermont/Ascutney to the right.
A ledgy battlement runs west-east along the crest.
My favorite view on Black is on the east side, looking across an expanse of wild country to the huge sprawling mass of Moosilauke.
Zoomed.
I especially like the view into slide-scarred Tunnel Ravine.
View towards the Kinsmans and Franconia Range.
Zoomed.
The perks of retirement.
REDSTONE QUARRY
Carol's geocaching passion brought us to this interesting area in Conway, where a new "Adventure Lab" - an educational form of geocaching - had been published. In recent years the extensive trail network in this area has become more formalized, and eight interpretive stops have been created, relating the history of this large granite quarry at the foot of the Green Hills.
Cartographer Larry Garland has contributed a trail map showing the route, starting at a large parking area on Hemlock Lane, off the North-South Road.
A happy geocacher.
One of the interpretive signs.
What it's interpreting.
Nice easy graded paths.
Another stop on the route.
This was a big operation.
A side path leads to the base of a huge talus slope of granite blocks.
An unofficial but well-used path leads up to a viewpoint at the top of the blocks, looking across the valley at the Moat Range.
And also to Chocorua.
Cliffs above the talus.
The path up to the location known as Green Quarry is paved with flat rocks.
The story of Green Quarry.
There are two large derricks here.
And a small pond. What a fascinating place!
WATERVILLE TRAILS
On one of the few cloudy days we've had in September I headed down to Waterville Valley to check in on a few trails around the village center. From the Snows Mountain parking area I headed up Cascade Path. which starts with a stiff climb past several residences...
...including this recently built trophy home.
The Boulder Path is one of the oldest Waterville trails.
Part of it follows a wide and pleasant X-C ski trail.
Only a few of the classic WVAIA trail signs remain.
A nice section alongside Slide Brook.
The Boulder for which the trail is named, residing in Slide Brook.
Next I meandered my way back and then over to the Elephant Rock Trail.
Elephant Rock. The tree that formed the trunk is long gone.
No view of Osceola from the top of Snows Mountain Ski Area on this day.
I descended the short but interesting and rugged Greeley Ledges Trail. A very short spur leads to the top of one of the ledges. No distant views anymore, but a neat down-look into the forest.
An unofficial path leads down to a view of this ledge from below.
Farther down the slope there are more ledges.
An interesting place.
Next I followed Snows Mountain Trail down to the lower ski slopes.
Some nice foliage here.
An unexpected treat was watching kids from the Waterville Academy practicing their ski jumps. Note the airborne skier in the center of the photo.
Waterville Valley is known as the Birthplace of Freestyle Skiing.
The skiers have a soft landing on what looks like a giant air mattress.
I concluded the tour with a walk along the scenic Mad River Trail.
A vivid maple along the river's West Branch.
This WVAIA trail has recently been upgraded with relocations and some fine rock work.
A pretty scene along the Mad River.
These massive step stones were placed a few years ago.
Another example of impressive trail construction.
I looped back to my car through the town center, using the Village Trail part of the way. This even has trail lights to show the way!
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