An early onset of April-like weather, with predictably awful snow conditions, put me into a spring frame of mind. Could I find some bare ground hardwood bushwhacking in early March, in the Whites? To find out, I headed in to the Smarts Brook area for one of my go-to early spring whacks, up to the south spur of Bald Knob (at the end of Acteon Ridge, an extension of Sandwich Mountain). Over the years I've climbed to the big granite slab atop this spur a dozen or more times.
Per usual for spring conditions, the approach to the whack along the Yellow Jacket Trail was a river of ice. Spikes mandatory.
When I reached my launching point, I found...bare ground on a familiar south-facing slope in the hardwoods!
Boulder cave on a steep rocky slope.
Side view.
Climbing through a wild spruce forest.
Back in the hardwoods, a cool boulder.
A pleasant hardwood valley.
Base of the ledge atop the south spur. I circled around to avoid trampling lichens.
The broad top of the ledge.
Some white pines mixed in with the spruces and oaks up here.
Long view to the south. Peaks such as Mt. Cardigan were smothered in cloud on this rather gloomy day.
Haven't done this on bare rock for a while.
Looking SE into Sandwich Notch.
On the return trip I descended along the steep, ledgy ridgecrest.
An elongated ledge overlooked by gnarled oaks.
Peering across a cliff face to Cone Mountain and the lower ledges of Welch and Dickey Mountains.
Rock tripe.
View from the top of the cliff.
The Campton Range emerged from the clouds.
Steep terrain and slippery leaves mandated a slow, careful descent.
It appeared that wild turkeys had been foraging on this slope, likely looking for acorns. Is spring here for good, or will winter return?
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