Sunny Woods and Ledges: 4/17/19

Early spring at its best: bright blue skies, 50s, open hardwoods, bare ground, and sun-warmed ledges. Visited some favorite haunts on lower Acteon Ridge (Sandwich Dome).

Icy on Old Waterville Road, spikes on at the start.

Monorail on Yellow Jacket Trail. Twenty minutes of this was enough for me.

Off the trail and into the hardwoods.

Beech tree with a twist.

Oak monarch.

Wrap-around ledge.

Beautiful valley.

Boulder land.

A miniature crack cascade.

Mossy flank.

Neat overhang.

Tiny ephemeral cascade.

Going up.

Boulders provide endless entertainment in the open woods.

Steep ridge.

Looking west across a rock face to Carr Mountain, Mt. Kineo, Cone Mountain and Mt. Cushman.

Mt. Moosilauke through Dickey Notch.

Dickey Mountain Cliff above Welch Mountain Ledges.

Made to order for April: a sunny, south-facing ledge perch.

Rolling ridges lead out to the Campton Range.

Springtime, and the livin' is easy.

Ledgy corridor.

Oak guardians.

Granite expanse.

Mt. Cardigan behind Tenney Mountain.

Sandwich Notch.

Campton Range, end-to-end.

Mosses and lichens plead, please don't trample me. Walk only on leaf cover or bare rock.

Late afternoon light.

Early spring scene. The little brook in the foreground will likely be dry in a week or two.

I spotted this little nest last November. It somehow made it through a rough winter of snow and wind.

Speckled.

Pretty little brook, not shown on any map.