Catching up on a few more spring hikes involving "field research" for the next edition of the AMC White Mountain Guide.
One day I took a late afternoon cruise over the Al Merrill Loop on Mount Moosilauke, a pleasant woods walk on quiet trails. The route starts at the end of Ravine Rd., past the Lodge.
I went clockwise on the loop, starting on the Asquam-Ridge Trail, which crosses the Baker River twice on classic Dartmouth Outing Club bridges. This is the first bridge.
Artifacts from a 1940s vintage Parker-Young logging camp.
A bypass around an eroded section of old logging road, with a unique name.
The second bridge, recently refurbished.
The Baker River would not be an easy crossing without the bridge.
Lots of good walking on Al Merrill Loop, following old logging roads.
Near the trail's high point on Moosilauke's Blue Ridge is this sign honoring the 10th Mountain Division.
Unfortunately the interesting view of the east side of Moosilauke is now almost completely overgrown. Hopefully DOC will clear it again someday.
More good walkin' on the way down.
The lower part, below the side path to John Rand Cabin, has gotten eroded. There are many of these little wooden bridges over small streams.
A former access route for Gorge Brook Trail passes by the '67 Bunkhouse.
I went a short way up Hurricane Trail to check on the high, "exciting" bridge over Gorge Brook. The railing collapsed last fall and repairs were underway.
Looking up at Ravine Lodge from an old swimming hole on the Baker River.
The next day I headed across the Kanc Highway to check the Moat Mineral Site Trail and Thompson Falls. Along the way I stopped at the Russell-Colbath historic site for a quick walk around the Rail and River Trail.
This is an easy and pleasant round trip of just 0.7 mile with a number of interpretive panels about the interesting history of the Albany Intervale.
The trail meanders through a peaceful pine and spruce forest.
At the far end it briefly passes by the Swift River.
On to the day's main objective, accessed off Passaconaway Rd.by a fairly long drive on remote roads.
A map of the area's trails.
The Mineral Site Trail has easy grades and good footing.
This is a very popular place for collecting smoky quartz.
In the designated collecting area there are excavation sites on both sides of the trail. I did not go into them but could see and hear a few folks working the rocks.
This is a major mountain biking area, and the second half of the 1.9 mile Mineral Site Trail descends by a series of easy-graded switchbacks beautifully constructed by NEMBA. Hikers should stay alert for approaching mountain bikers and be prepared to yield the way.
This trail is fun to walk.
From the bottom of Mineral Site Trail I followed FR379 down to the lower end of Thompson Falls Trail, which at first coincides with a mountain bike trail.
Thompson Falls Trail climbs through a beautiful hemlock forest.
The falls had a good flow,
View from above.
Moat Brook above the falls.
I found a lonely geocache near the bottom of Mineral Site Trail.
After climbing back up to the mineral site, I did some exploring, following the Tent Boulder Trail (mountain bike) across the slope above, passing near this talus slope of huge jumbled boulders.
The boulder for which the trail is named.
A glimpse of the wild cliff from which the talus originated.
From here I launched a very steep bushwhack to the top of that cliff and to some granite ledges farther up this slope on the flank of Middle Moat Mountain. The slippery dried leaves made for treacherous footing.
Crazy terrain up here.
Looks like a passable route up there. It was, barely.
Don't want to take a tumble here.
I crested the ridge above the cliffs and descended to perches at the brink.
Long views over low country to the SE.
Looking cross the Saco Valley to the Green Hills.
Side view of the cliff.
Peering down at the talus.
From the top of the cliffs I headed up the slope, soon reaching an area of broad granite ledges.
Classic Moats terrain.
The prize I was seeking was this huge granite slab with wide views. Kearsarge North is prominent in this vista across the valley.
Mount Washington, Wildcat, Carter Dome and the Baldface Range could be seen in the distance.
Wildcat, Carter Notch and Carter Dome.
Beautiful scene. Unfortunately it was getting late and I couldn't stay long.
I did not want to descend via the sketchy route I had used coming up. Using the two-foot contour lidar map I had printed out, I found a much better route down, at first over more open ledges.
The only tricky spot was getting off the steep base of the ledges. This little crevice was the ticket.
From here down it was amply steep but easily manageable, with open woods and good footing.
Yay for open hemlock forest!
On another day I headed up to Zealand Road, dodging the potholes and bulges on the miserable paved section, for a short hike on the Trestle Trail.
After splitting off from the popular Sugarloaf Trail, this is a quiet and pleasant woods walk, at first along the Zealand River.
This cool boulder is a highlight along the western half-mile of the trail.
Trestle Trail is split in two by a difficult crossing of the Zealand River, where a bridge was washed away years ago.
Crossing the river at the actual bridge location, where the rocks are huge, would be extremely difficult. About 40 yards downstream there is a spot where it would be possible to rock hop across in lower water. I could have done it this day were it not for one leap across a gap onto a wet sloping rock with a churning pool below. Not worth it.
I went back to the road and walked the eastern half of the trail separately, part of it leading through Sugarloaf Campground, not yet open for the season.. From this side you get a good perspective on the bridge site.
Before heading home I went across the street to walk the short (0.25 mile) flat trail to "Wildlife Pond."
Plank walkways lead into open wetlands.
This old beaver pond has some great views, with Middle Sugarloaf prominently featured.
A good look at the cliffs of the 'loaf.
I especially like the view of the sprawling ridges of Mount Hale.
From another spot you can gaze at Mounts Oscar and Rosebrook in the Rosebrook Range - the backside of Bretton Woods Ski Area. Wildlife Pond is a great little walk!
