The inspiration for this bushwhack excursion came from my friend Dennis Follensbee ("alpinebee"), who emailed an endorsement of the Razor Brook area in the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness for some ASAP (April Snow Avoidance Program) wandering. More specifically, the open hardwoods on the west side of Mount Parker, which encloses the Razor Brook valley on the east. I have long been fascinated by this long, trailless Wilderness valley, but had neglected this region in recent years. Thanks to Dennis for rekindling my interest.
With Bear Notch Road closed, I drove the long way around to Bartlett and set off late on a sunny, crisp morning on Mount Langdon Trail.
A short distance in along the trail, on the right, is the grave of Dr. Leonard Eudy, who was living in Bartlett in 1877 when he treated an outbreak of smallpox in a lumber camp. Though he saved some of his patients, he contracted the disease himself and died a few months later.
The first mile of Mount Langdon Trail is a mostly pleasant walk (except for a wet section near the start) along an old logging road on private land.
The trail enters the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness just before crossing a brook, and shortly passes this nice cascade.
Open hardwood forest abounds at lower elevations in this part of the Wilderness.
I left the trail about 1.5 miles in and began a long northwesterly traverse across the western slopes of Oak Ridge and Mount Parker. In the first section I pushed through some fairly prickly conifer forest.
Then I broke out into some sunny hardwood forest.
This went back and forth a few times but eventually the hardwoods prevailed.
Along the way I crossed several small streams that feed into Razor Brook.
Well into this mile and a half traverse I stumbled upon this artifact. Don't know what it is; there was no sign of a lumber camp in the immediate vicinity.
A random grouping of boulders.
Farther along I passed through this wonderfully open hemlock grove.
Crossing another tributary stream. One of the pleasures of a long bushwhack is reading the terrain: seeing the many features of the landscape and relating what's on the ground to what's on the map.
After crossing several more small drainages, I ascended onto the broad SW ridge of Mount Parker.
The open, mature hardwood forest on this ridge was a joy to weave through.
Some large old maples in here.
On Google Earth I had spotted two ledgy patches on the lower part of this ridge. I had hopes that there would be views. Here the first ledge band could be seen ahead.
I had to navigate a route around its left side.
Rugged terrain!
But no open view.
This Wilderness has its own Clam Rock.
Between the first and second sets of ledges was this beautiful shelf. This part of the ridge was reminiscent of the Catskills - open hardwoods with alternating ledge bands and terraces.
A smaller ledge band.
A steep approach to the second set of ledges.
No real view here, either - just a peek at Mount Tremont.
I took a late lunch break on a lovely terrace behind these ledges.
From here on up, as Dennis had noted, the climb was steep.
Looking back.
Not going up that way. The cliff band extended across the slope.
The two-foot contour Lidar map from the NHGranit website helped me find a way around the cliff band on the left.
I worked my way up and back around to the top of the cliffs and found a ledge with a view!
And a pretty good one, peering down into the Razor Brook valley backed by Mount Hope and Hart Ledge, with Mount Whiteface, East Sleeper, Mount Tremont, Mount Kancamagus, the Osceolas, Mount Huntington and Mount Carrigain in the distance.
More to the north were Mount Nancy, Mount Bemis, and the Bond-Twin Range.
A nice spot to hang out in the sun for a while.
Most of the climb from here was unrelievedly steep through conifer forest. Not overly thick, but plenty of grabby, prickly branches.
Yup, it was steep.
The rough side of Parker.
Progress was slow, but eventually I broke out onto Parker's western view ledge, a favorite spot. The sharp peak of Mount Crawford is prominent at top center.
I settled in for a long break in the late afternoon sun.
Off to the SW, the Sandwich Range could be seen beyond Bear Mountain, Bartlett Haystack and Mount Tremont.
Another good look down into the Razor Brook valley.
A closer look at Mount Crawford, with the Willey Range and Mount Jackson behind on the right, behind Crawford Dome. Hidden in shadow just to the left of Crawford Dome is a cliff we call "The Razor's Edge."
Wide angle shot of the ledge and view.
A short but quite thick bushwhack (no herd path) brought me to the 3013-foot summit of Mount Parker and the Mount Parker Trail. The view north to Mount Washington beyond the Rocky Branch valley is why Parker is on the 52 With a View List. The dark, flat-topped mass of Mount Resolution looms to the left.
Mounts Eisenhower, Franklin and Monroe to the left of Washington, Boott Spur to the right. Upper Rocky Branch Ridge on the far right. East Stairs juts out at upper center, with Mounts Davis and Isolation above. A unique view!
Zoomed some more. Good look at Oakes Gulf headwall to the left of Washington.
From a ledge on the SE side of the summit, Mt. Shaw, the Gemini, Kearsarge North, Pleasant Mountain and the Green Hills beyond the lower Rocky Branch valley.
Iron Mountain, with the Doubleheads peering over on the left.
A solitary white pine eking out an existence on the summit.
The Wildcats and Carter Dome.
Wide angle shot of the summit northward view.
Typically good footing on the Mount Parker Trail as it descends off its namesake peak. It's a very pleasant, winding trail, and has just been adopted by Dennis Follensbee - thank you!
Last few surviving bits of monorail.
Down into the hardwoods.
Junction with Mount Langdon Trail in the col between Mount Parker and Oak Ridge.
One blip on the Mount Parker hike is the 250-ft. return climb of Oak Ridge. Overall the round trip hike via Mount Langdon and Mount Parker Trails is 7.8 miles with 2800 ft. of elevation gain, equivalent to a moderate 4000-footer.
Evening sun in the oak forest on the south side of Oak Ridge.
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