OUT AND ABOUT AROUND CRAWFORD NOTCH: 10/14/16

I spent a crisp, chilly day (that cleared off beautifully after morning clouds) checking out a few trails from the Cog Railway down to the Sawyer River area. There was still plenty of good foliage hanging on.

A sign marks the designated hiker parking lot below the Cog Railway Base Station.

Here I wanted to check out the status of the link trail from the Base Station to the Jewell Trail. The Jewell Link starts right beyond the Cog's Platform A. This is a 0.2 mile walk up from the hiker lot.

It immediately crosses the Ammonoosuc River. The former bridge here is gone and this can be a difficult crossing. The regular Jewell Trail from the WMNF parking lot does have a bridge over the river. From here the link climbs 0.3 mile to the Jewell Trail.

As I drove past Bretton Woods, Mt. Jefferson was emerging behind the Mt. Washington Hotel.

Century-old pet cemetery along the Saco Lake Trail.

View across the water.

The steep little side path to the viewpoint called "Idlewild."

An old metal railing is a safety feature.

Mts. Field, Avalon and Tom across Saco Lake, from Idlewild.

Footbridge over the start of the Saco River.

Signs at the Willey House Site.

Along the peaceful Pond Loop Trail.

View across Willey Pond along the Pond Loop Trail.

The steep slopes of Mt. Willey.

Beaver dam on the Saco River.

Looking south down the Saco.

The Sam Willey Trail is a very pleasant stroll.

Crawford Notch view from the Sam Willey Trail.

This bench was placed here by John Dickerman, Crawford Notch State Park Manager.

Two paths diverge around a venerable maple.

Interesting sign at the start of the Sam Willey Trail.

The south end of the Webster Cliffs from the Webster Cliff Trail parking.

Along part of the new West Side Trail, blazed but not yet officially open, a roly-poly route along the lower west slope of Crawford Notch between the Ethan Pond/Webster Cliff trailhead and the Kedron Flume Trail. Next year it will be extended south to the Pleasant Valley Picnic Area and the start of the Maggie's Run trail. This excellent system of new trails on the floor of the Notch (also including the Saco River Trail) has been developed over the last few years by John Dickerman, manager of Crawford Notch State Park, and his crew.

An interesting boulder along the West Side Trail.

A side trail near the bottom of the Kedron Flume Trail.

These boulders are thought to have split the 1826 Willey Slide, sparing the house (but not the occupants, who fled into the path of the slide).

Viewing platform in front of the boulders.

View of Webster Cliffs from the platform.

On to Sawyer country.

Leaf-strewn walking along the Sawyer Pond Trail.

The layout at Sawyer Pond Campsite.

The classic Sawyer Pond view of Mt. Tremont and Owl's Cliff.

Owl's Cliff and its great rocky eye.

The sprawling ridge of Tremont.

Sawyer Pond Shelter. Surprisingly, there was no one around late on a Friday afternoon.

Little Sawyer Pond, hidden on a shelf above the big pond.

Looking towards Mt. Tremont.

Gripping the earth.

An Irene washout along the Sawyer River Trail.

An obscure brook crossing by a beaver dam on the Sawyer River Trail.

The mark of Irene on the Sawyer River.