Spring Rambling, Part I

Catching up on a series of shorter hikes this spring, mostly with the purpose of checking trails for the next (2027) edition of the AMC White Mountain Guide.

 

I hadn't been up Boy Mountain (2,241 ft.) in Jefferson in a long time, so it was time for a re-visit. This privately maintained trail is open to respectful hikers, starting off US 2 just west of Carter Cut Road. The route is well-marked by signs and arrows and packs a bit of a punch, ascending 650 ft. in 0.7 mi. The open viewpoint at the top, furnished with a bench, is ample reward, with a fine view of the Presidentials.

 

A great look into Castle Ravine.

 

The view also takes in the trailless Dartmouth Range and the distant Bond-Twin Range, with Mt. Lafayette peering over in back.

 

 

 

Nearby, a short easy trail starting at the Castle Trail trailhead leads to Rollo Fall, in the Randolph Community Forest.

 

 

 

In late April I made the spring maintenance trip to my adopted Kettles Path in Waterville Valley.  It was good to see that the turnpiking and ditching placed by  trails professional Ryan Harvey and his team, with funding support from WVAIA, had resolved the annual spring flooding and erosion issue on the first part of the trail. Thanks, Ryan!

Hello, there!

 

 

A beech blowdown along the approach to The Scaur.

Cleared.

Cleaning drainages.

 

 

The reward at the top: the view from The Scaur, looking south at Sandwich Dome. 

 

 

 

I had not ascended the western route to Hurricane Mountain, a little bump on the long south ridge of Mount Moosilauke, in a dozen years. I always love the pastoral feel along the fields at the start of Glencliff Trail.

 

I made a short side trip to look at the Dartmouth Outing Club's Great Bear Cabin, open to the public by reservation only; obviously Dartmouth-affiliated folks get first dibs.

You have to hand it to DOC when it comes to privies. How about a two-seater?

 

 

The Hurricane Trail is a quiet route ascending through some nice woods on the west side of the ridge.

 

The uppermost part of the trail gets a little steep, rough and wild.

 

The trail is mossy and magical as it traverses the broad crest of the ridge through a softwood forest.

The trail's appeal increased in 2016 when DOC opened a spur path to a viewpoint on the south side of the trail.

 

 

 

It's a humble view, but a nice one, looking south to Stinson Mountain, Whitcher Hill and Carr Mountain.

Just for variety, on the way down I bushwhacked across to the Glencliff Trail. The first part of the whack led me through a marvelous open hardwood forest. I came out on Glencliff Trail a mile or so above the trailhead.

 

Before heading home I checked out most of the nearby Town Line Trail, paying a visit to Jeffers Brook Shelter.

More DOC privy art.

 

 

A nice cascade on Jeffers Brook, near the shelter.

 

 

I took a look at the dreaded ford of Oliverian Brook from the Rt. 25 side. Usually requires wading and in high water it's a no-go.

 

 

 

Two days later I headed down to Orford to hike a recently opened trail that will be added for the next edition of the guide. Stonehouse Mountain Conservation Area is a 270-acre privately owned parcel under conservation easement with the Upper Valley Land Trust. A loop trail to its summit was recently opened, and my co-editor, Ken MacGray, worked with Jason Berard of UVLT and landowners Bob and Christie Hedges to facilitate its inclusion in the guide. There is a parking area and kiosk for the trail on remote Stonehouse Summit Rd. in Orford. 

 

This map shows the trail up the mountain and a proposed trail connecting Stonehouse with the adjacent Mountain View Farm Conservation Area.

The direct route to the summit climbs steeply at times. 

 

 

The trail approaches the summit through a gorgeous mossy softwood forest.

 

 

Summit sign. Stonehouse is a NW satellite peak of Smarts Mountain.

 

The longer section of the loop descends gently along the summit crest through a fine forest of spruce and red pine.

 

 

 

Then it descends through a rocky oak forest.

A framed view of Smarts Mountain.

 

 

 

A bit farther down the loop comes to a nice ledgy viewpoint.

The vista looks across the Connecticut River valley to Mt. Ascutney on the left and more distant Vermont peaks on the horizon. The loop over Stonehouse Mountain is 2.1 miles with 770 ft. of elevation gain.

After hiking Stonehouse in mid-afternoon, I had time for an evening hike to the Eastman Ledges, a wonderful viewpoint on the Kodak Trail (part of the AT)  at the south end of Mt. Cube. The hike begins with a half-mile walk up Quinttown Road beyond the parking spot at a gate.

The Kodak Trail, built by the Dartmouth Outing Club in the late 1980s, is the most scenic route to Mt. Cube. The trail name reveals classic DOC humor.

The trail starts with a mellow climb through nice hardwood forest.

This patch of Trout Lilies was all closed up for the evening.

 

 

 

Quartzite rocks on the approach to Eastman Ledges.

The viewpoint is a great quartzite perch with a close-up view of Smarts Mountain and its long, sweeping north ridge, which the J Trail (AT) follows.

 

Smarts summit, with its fire tower just poking above the trees. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking SW to Stonehouse Mountain (L), Bundy Mountain (R), and the fields of Mountain View Farm.

Long view to the Green Mountains in Vermont.

The Killington Range. The view here is a big payoff for a round trip of just 2.2 miles with 640 ft. of elevation gain.

 

North of Three Ponds

 

The long northern section of the Three Ponds Trail, starting from a trailhead off NH 118, is remote and very lightly traveled. At times over the years it has been notoriously overgrown and difficult to follow. When I checked it for the current (2022) edition of the AMC White Mountain Guide in 2020, it was well-cleared and could be followed with care. But recent reports suggested that was no longer the case, and with a new edition due in 2027, it was time for a re-check. I set off late morning on a fine spring day.

The first section follows a wide snowmobile trail. No problem following the trail here!

A sign marks where the trail splits off to the left.

Most of this trail section passes through hardwood forest, so there was a Trout Lily feast this day.

One of only a handful of old yellow blazes seen in several miles.

This sign marking the crossing of an old logging road has seen better days.

 

Starting at this crossing, the trail becomes harder to follow in the open hardwoods. As the saying goes, "follow with care." It took me a minute to figure out that the trail goes to the left of the dead tree.

 

A gorgeous hardwood forest it is.

A faint footway.

When the leaves come out, this spot will be overgrown.

 

 

 Catskill-like glade.

Farther up, I spotted a small mountain meadow off-trail, and discovered a view of Mount Moosilauke and its South Peak.

Closer look.

 

A meadow-y stretch of trail.

A nice cluster of Trout Lilies.

Plenty of blowdowns along this route.

And more.

 

A wild stretch along the west side of Whitcher Hill, passing by some boggy terrain.

Moose!

Crossing a snowmobile trail after descending an obscure section of trail off the flank of Whitcher Hill.
 

 

 

Attractive headwater of Brown Brook.

 

Wild spruce forest on the approach to the Foxglove Pond bog.

The trail is much easier to follow through here.

 

The trail skirts the edge of the Foxglove Pond bog. With its long vista of the Carr Mountain ridge, it's perhaps my favorite spot in the Three Ponds area.

Wider view.

Pitcher Plants.

 

I bushwhacked through the woods to visit the chain of beaver meadows west of Foxglove Pond bog.

 

Plenty o' hobblebush to push through.

Approaching the westernmost meadow, tucked in against the north ridge of Carr Mountain.

 

Shelves.

Meandering stream. 

 

 

A wonderful remote spot, and there was even a spot to sit at the shore for a while. I noticed several small white pines populating the meadow.

From the meadows I bushwhacked back towards Whitcher Hill through hardwoods.

Now that is a balanced rock!

I continued bushwhacking up towards Whitcher Hill, crossing Three Ponds Trail and the snowmobile trail, then passed a few interesting ledges.

I made my way up to a meadow-like opening I had spotted on Google Earth. There was no view, but it was a pleasant spot. 

Gorgeous hardwoods as I made my way up to another meadow I have visited several times in the past.

Another nice spot.

Years ago this had a view of Carr Mountain and Foxglove Pond. Now all you can see are the tops of Carr and one of its northern bumps.

 

I decided to bushwhack up over the summit of Whitcher Hill, traveling in the same direction as the parallel Three Ponds Trail. Hardwoods continued steeply well up towards the summit.

Into the conifers.

 

A beautiful mossy spruce forest on the summit plateau.

 

 

This little bump is considered the summit. To my surprise, there was a register. This 2565-ft. hill does not have enough prominence to make it onto regular peakbagging lists. The register was placed by avid bushwhackers in 2022, and mine was only the second entry since then.

 

I bushwhacked 3/4 mile down the gentle NW ridge of Whitcher Hill. I lucked out in that the woods were mostly open the whole way.

I was happy to find good going, as I was running a little late.

The last part of the whack was through hardwoods. But when I reached the location of Three Ponds Trail in one of its obscure sections, I couldn't find it, even with my GPS track from the way up. It was 7:15 pm with two miles to descend and I was getting a little anxious.

By chance I wandered to the meadow with the Moosilauke view that I had discovered on the way up, and from there I knew exactly where to find the trail. Whew! I did lose it briefly one more time on the way down but was able to follow it the rest of the way and made it out before dark. It's always an adventure on the north side of Three Ponds Trail!