The objective of my second of three early April bushwhacks in the wild region north of Rumney's Rattlesnake Mountain was a trailless 2488-ft. summit variously known as Willoughby Mountain, or, more correctly, the West Peak of Willoughby Mountain. I had first visited this mountain on a long Rattlesnake Mountain to Carr Mountain bushwhack with JR Stockwell in 2005, and went there again on another whack a few months later. On both visits I found a good view out towards Smarts Mountain from the bare ledge at the summit.
For my approach, I started up the unofficial "Dump Run" mountain bike trail from Buffalo Road and then followed old logging roads northward. In shaded areas there were thin patches of recently fallen snow.
In sunny areas the new snow was already gone.
After the logging roads petered out, I bushwhacked up a familiar ridge through open, snow-free hardwoods.
There are some large oak trees in this area.
Approaching a wild talus field that I've visited several times, most recently five days earlier.
Cool overhangs.
Looking out to Mt. Cardigan from a steep ledge on the edge of the ridge.
A beautiful hardwood drainage below.
A burly oak.
A favorite ledge higher up on the ridge.
Nice spot to hang out in the spring sun.
Smarts Mountain off to the west.
Zoomed.
Another ledge just up the ridge.
Partial view from the upper ledge.
Heading north towards Willoughby Mountain, I ran into some old snow on an initial short descent to a col.
In a few spots it was almost a foot deep.
Beyond the col, bare south-facing hardwoods beckoned.
Climbing to an unexpected ledge.
From the top, a decent view south.
Zoom on Mount Cardigan.
Above the ledge, I entered a dark and snowy conifer forest.
Approaching Willoughby along a broad and gentle shoulder. The terrain was confusing in here, with numerous little knobs and dips.
I was not surprised to find that the view west towards Smarts Mountain is now almost completely obscured. Ditto for a look north towards Carr Mountain from another ledge.
My consolation prize was finding a summit register hidden in the scrub. It was placed in 2010 by my peakbagging friend Keith D'Aleesandro. The last entry before mine was from December 2023. As noted above, this is technically the western peak of Willoughby Mountain. The USGS Rumney quadrangle shows the actual Willoughby Mountain as a broad 2340-ft. summit - 148 feet lower than the west peak - close by to the SE. I traversed that wooded summit on a 2005 bushwhack.
Though viewless, the summit ledge was a nice sunny spot to relax for a while.
I wandered around the summit area and found this gorgeous hardwood glade a bit down on the east side. Somewhere high on the west side of this peak is a mineral site that is sometimes called the "Eight-Ball Mine," though internet research reveals that it is more properly called the "Eight-Ball Mica Prospect." Several pits were dug and the location was thoroughly investigated by USGS geologists in the 1940s. It would be fun to try and locate this site on a future bushwhack.
Mount Cardigan and distant Croydon Peak from the ledge I stumbled upon along the south shoulder of Willoughby.
On the descent, I found a different perspective on that crazy talus jumble.
Wide angle view.
A sort of natural bathtub on a red pine knoll.
Crossing a nameless brook below a nice cascade.
The remote cellar hole I've visited several times.
I had not seen this memorial before. It was drawn to my attention by an email from my friend Ray "Jazzbo" Caron, who has done his own explorations in this area. I wonder what the connection was. A mystery in the forest north of Rattlesnake.
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