April 9th and 10th were two glorious spring days to be outside, with wall-to-wall sun and comfortable temperatures.
WEST END FARM TRAIL (Concord, NH): 4/9/23
Carol and I headed south to Concord on Easter afternoon for some 99% snow-free walking. We did a section of the West End Farm Trail, a 7-mile route maintained by the City of Concord. This trail is highly recommended by Ken MacGray, editor of the AMC Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide. We parked by a kiosk at the Dimond Hill Farm, a beautiful hilltop property located along Route 202. Thanks go to the owners for allowing access to this gem.
Expansive fields surround the farm buildings, with peeks at the hills off to the east.
We first headed south, picking up the trail across Route 202.
The trail at first follows this farm road across a large field.
At the edge of the woods we found the first of nine geocaches hidden along this part of the route. The trail generally follows old woods roads, running level or gently downhill though pleasant woods of hemlock, white pine and hardwoods.
A mile and a half from the farm we reached our turnaround point, where the trail scoots beneath I-89 and continues down to its southern terminus on Silk Farm Rd.
On the way back we made a loop along the red-blazed Weston Trail, an attractive footpath that parallels a huge elongated beaver wetland. I made a short bushwhack to catch a view of the swamp. Along here we heard our first spring peepers of the season.
Smooth and snowless walking.
Stone walls abound in this area.
We continued back to the farm and went a half-mile to the north, stopping for a break at these Adirondack chairs generously provided by the Dimond Hill Farm.
Just beyond was this curious arrangement of multi-colored painted doors, that apparently is a labyrinth to walk through.
We continued north and downhill to the site of an old ice pond, its concrete dam still in place.
This was by far the most interesting and challenging geocache of the day, requiring a long stretch over a deep gap to grab the container. A map of the West End Farm Trail (along with dozens of other trail maps) can be viewed on the city's website: https://www.concordnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9163/Map-26-West-End-FarmTrail
DICKEY MOUNTAIN: 4/10/23
With warming temps turning snow to mush, it was time for a hike that would be at least partly on bare ground. The lower half of the south-facing trail up Dickey Mountain, part of the popular Welch-Dickey Loop Trail, is one of the earliest to dry out in the Whites, and the many granite ledges on the trail's upper half are exposed early in the spring as well. I knew there would be snow and ice in the spruce-wooded sections between the ledges and approaching the summit, but to my mind it beat slogging through choppy, softening snow all the way up and down a higher peak.
The first mile of the trail was 99% bone dry as it ascends through an oak-dominated hardwood forest. There were only two minor muddy spots, making this section a good choice with minimal impact during mud season.
Impressive rock step work on a steeper section at the top of the hardwoods.
As is usual in spring, there was a very icy section on the final spruce-shaded approach to the first big ledge. Traction is essential through this section at this time of year.
Bare rock on the massive ledge known as the Dickey Cliff, a fine objective in its own right for a hike of 2.4 miles round trip with 1150 ft. of elevation gain.
From here there is a nice view across the bowl between Dickey and Welch Mountains to Sandwich Dome, its great southern ridges, and Sandwich Notch.
A hiker and his two friendly dogs head up the big slab.
Dickey (L) and Welch (R).
Looking west from a higher set of ledges.
Mount Moosilauke, still wearing a snowcap.
Monorail forming on the next ledge.
Vast south-facing slabs on the upper mountain.
Plenty of snow, with more monorail, on the final approach to the summit.
Brilliant sun and no wind at the summit ledges, conducive to a lengthy sojourn on the bare rock, after a long winter. Welch Mountain looms close at hand.
Excellent views of the Sandwich Range.
Scaur Peak, the Tripyramids, the Sleepers and Mount Whiteface.
Classic view of the Tris, with parts of both the North Slide and South Slides visible.
I lounged here for nearly two hours, including a fairly long snooze. In that time only one hiker passed by.
I love the view north to the wild, trailless southern spurs of Mount Tecumseh, with the main summit peeking over in back.
Nice angle on the Franconias.
Descending off the summit, you catch a spread of ridges to the NW: Mount Moosilauke, Mount Wolf, the Kinsmans, the Cannon Balls, Cannon Mountain and the Franconias.
The descent off the base of the Dickey Cliff was a little tricky.
Evening sun in the hardwoods. Ahh, spring.
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