Southeast Ledges, Mount Moriah: 9/17/24

Continuing on a Wild River Wilderness theme, I climbed the Stony Brook Trail to the col between Mount Moriah and Imp Mountain, scouted out my route from a ledge on the Carter-Moriah Trail, then dropped into the upper Moriah Brook valley on the Moriah Brook Trail and made a scrappy bushwhack to the expansive bare ledges on a southeastern spur of Moriah. I was rewarded with sweeping views over the Wild River Wilderness.

Despite the beautiful sunny, summer-like weather, mine was the only vehicle at the Stony Brook trailhead when I set out at 9:45 am.

A small flume seen from a footbridge a short way in from the trailhead.

There are frequent views of Stony Brook as the trail follows a rooty course through hemlock forest in its lower section.

The crossing a mile in was easy with the current very low water levels.

Beyond the crossing the grades are easy for a long way, though the trail seems to have suffered from erosion in recent years.

There are still some sections with good footing.

After a small brook crossing at 2.3 miles, the trail climbs more seriously.

There is gnarly footing in places along the upper part of the trail.

The final pitch leading up to the col and the Carter-Moriah Trail.

Junction signs and Appalachian Trail blaze.

Heading north, in just a minute or two the Carter-Moriah Trail reaches the first of two ledges overlooking the upper Moriah Brook valley and the ledgy southeastern ridge. The gold birch foliage was really popping.

 

The second ledge has a great view up to Moriah's south cliffs. The Carter-Moriah Trail runs across the top of those, affording excellent views.

When I first arrived here, I was a little tuckered out from the stiff ascent to the col, and I thought the whack to the ridgecrest ledges - seen at top center - looked daunting. Maybe it would make more sense to just continue up the trail to the summit of Moriah.

But after resting and replenishing, an adventure into the upper Moriah Brook valley was calling.

Down we go.

Into the Wilderness.

After the first steep drop from the col, the trail crosses a boggy area. Thanks to adopter Bill Robichaud and helper Fawn Langerman who cleared out and improved this section in August.

Here there is a peek up at the south cliffs.

I descended to the next level along the trail, then started the whack to the ledges, 500 ft. above.

When John "1HappyHiker" Compton and I snowshoed up to these ledges thirteen years ago, we found some nice birch corridors and not much thick going. Things sure have changed since then. Small scrubby conifers have filled in under the birches and the whack was scrappy pretty much from start to finish.

This was the only birch glade I came across on the ascent, and it was small.

 

I came up to a ledgy wall and had to make a quick scramble up at this spot.

I emerged on the first open ledges high on the flank of the ridge.

Looking across to Moriah's south cliffs.

After pushing upward through some dense scrub, I reached ledges near the ridgecrest, with views back to the Moriah-Imp col and the peaks of Madison and Adams.

A corridor through friendlier woods led me to the crest of the ridge.

 

Made it! Elevation here is 3300 ft.

The ledges are dotted with glacial erratics.

More erratics.

Looking up the ridge.

So much open rock! The bare ledges on this ridge are the legacy of a ca. 1895 forest fire that consumed 4,000 acres in the Moriah Brook-Bull Brook area, triggered in slash left by the Wild River Railroad logging operation.

The Carters rise to the south, with long ridges sweeping down into the Wild River Valley.

Adams and Madison behind Imp Mountain.

 The Crescent and Pliny Ranges could be seen through the col.

 

 

 Peering down into the lower Moriah Brook valley, with Meader Ridge and the Baldface Range beyond.

I spent more than an hour here lounging in the late summer sun.

I had hoped to get a good view of the 2011 "Bugs Bunny Slide" in the basin below Mount Lethe, and this perch had a good angle on it, but the September sun was too low and the slide was severely backlit and shadowed. You can just make part of it out under the peak of Middle Carter.

What a perch!

Almost 4 o'clock. Time to head down the ledges and drop back into the scrubby woods.

A couple of small white pines were eking out an existence at 3250 ft.

Looking back up.

 

 

 

Last look at the Carters.

 Back into the thick of it. This was goggles territory, and blood was drawn on arms and legs.

I was happy to get back down to the Moriah Brook Trail, though the 350-ft. climb back up to the col was not thrilling.

I popped back up to the ledges on the Carter-Moriah Trail to contemplate where I'd been.

Birch gold aglow in the evening sun. With 3.7 miles to go, it was time to head down, the last mile by headlamp.

 

 

 

Wild River Ramble: 9/12/24

I had a craving for a helping of Wild River Wilderness. With the Wild River Road approach from the north closed due to storm damage, the best option was to hike in from the south off Carter Notch Road out of Jackson. My objective was a ledgy 3132-ft. knob on the east side of Carter Dome, which from previous visits I knew had sweeping views of the peaks around the upper Wild River Valley. From experience I realized the bushwhacking would be tedious at times due to extensive brush. In addition to the views, the rewards would include the supreme sense of isolation out there, and the birch glades that go on forever.

The easiest access to the southern end of the Wild River Valley is the Bog Brook Trail. The current low water levels would make the eight brook crossings along the trail easily manageable. 

Mushroom explosion.

The Wildcat River is the biggest crossing on the trail, and it was pretty easy this day, though the rocks were a bit slick.

Though the grades on Bog Brook Trail are mostly easy, there is a lot of this, even in a dry season.

There are some very pleasant sections as well.

The trail skirts this attractive wetland just before it meets the Wild River Trail at 2.8 miles.

Beautiful woods along the rolling 0.7 mile section of Wild River Trail that links with the Rainbow Trail.

I headed a short way up the Rainbow Trail before starting the mile-plus whack to the ledgy knob.

The lower part of Rainbow Trail passes through nice hardwood forest. Higher up, there are gorgeous birch glades. I would pass through plenty of these off-trail.

In we go.

Nice maple glade. Although the grades are mostly easy and the woods open, the whacking on this broad slope is slow going due to near-constant pushing through knee to waist high brush and ferns, with uneven and often rocky footing beneath.

In some areas the brush is chest-high.

Into the endless birch glades, the legacy of a huge 1903 forest fire.

There is abundant moose sign in this area. With rutting season about underway, I was hoping I did not startle a bull in the dense undergrowth.

Ferns taking on their fall hues.

After a tedious traverse of a meadow with hidden water seeps and holes, I came into this glorious birch glade with low undergrowth.

Oh, my!

Brush getting higher again, but still picturesque.

Crossing Red Brook after a long traverse.

Ascending more steeply towards the knob.

 

View of the Baldfaces and Eagle Crag from the top of a wide-open glade.

The knob in sight ahead.

Sable, Chandler, Kearsarge North and Doublehead.

One of several moose beds spotted along the way.

Approaching the col behind the knob.

A short climb through darker woods.

 

The ledges!

A commanding view over the upper Wild River Valley. Black Mountain on the right.

Beaver meadows on the valley floor.

Profile of the Baldface Range.

The ledgy Baldfaces.

I love the sweep of the remote Spruce Brook valley leading up to Carter Dome (L) and Mount Hight (R).

 

At the head of the valley is a cirque-like basin. The Black Angel Trail cuts roughly across the steep upper face of Mount Hight.

Rainbow Ridge, the open southern knob of Carter Dome traversed by the Rainbow Trail.

The Sandwich Range in the distance seen through the broad gap of Perkins Notch.

A wide spread of the range, from Scaur Peak and Mount Tripyramid on the right to Mount Chocorua on the left. Iron Mountain in front.

This perch was a hard place to leave, but a four-hour exit awaited.

There was actually a moose path on the back side of the knob.

I guess they enjoy the views, too.

I navigated a return route higher up on the slope to see if it would be any better going. It started through a vast birch graveyard.

Another moose bed.

An amazing scene.

A small cascade and pool on Red Brook.

Some pretty good going here.

Can't get enough of this.

Not so good here.

Early foliage at a mountain meadow.

Hello hobblebush, my old friend.

At least it was a colorful embrace.

Prettiest meadow of the day.

I was happy to reach the Rainbow Trail. After a short break, it was time to hustle back along the trails. For the last section I used the longer but easier Forest Service gravel road that leads back to the trailhead, avoiding three stream crossings in the gloaming. I was grateful that no bull moose appeared on the road ahead of me. I was lucky, for after driving just a couple hundred feet on my way out from the trailhead, a bull moose loomed in my headlights and trotted off into the dark forest.