The National Weather Service forecast called for cloudy skies in the AM, then gradually becoming mostly sunny. This was a novel interpretation of "gradually," as the clouds were lower than ever by late afternoon. I still had an enjoyable walk into Tunnel Brook Notch from the north on this raw, chilly Novemberish day, and managed to get partway up onto the biggest slide on Mount Clough for some fog-shrouded views.
Still some foliage along Tunnel Brook.
One reason I wanted to do this hike was to check on reports of a washout along the gravel road section of Tunnel Brook Trail. It's a big one, presumably caused by a cloudburst this past summer. There must have been a prodigious rainfall, as the brook that flows through here is quite small.
Pleasant autumn strolling along the gravel road.
Snowy slope of Mount Clough in the distance.
Along the trail section of Tunnel Brook Trail.
Leafy scene along Tunnel Brook.
Maple glade at the entrance to Mount Moosilauke's Tunnel Ravine.
Beaver meadow view of Mount Clough ridges.
A sprinkling of snow approaching the beaver ponds in Tunnel Brook Notch.
View of northern Clough slides across a beaver pond.
View of Clough slide #5 (out of 9). The pale ledge in the center of the photo was calling.
Though not lengthy, the bushwhack up onto the slide was steep with slippery footing and dripping wet conifers.
Emerging along the lower slabs of the slide.
Crossing a rocky gully.
I came out just above the pale ledge.
This ledge is a fine perch overlooking the north end of the notch.
This light-colored rock appears to be Bethlehem granodiorite, as shown on the recently completed Bedrock Geologic Map of the Mount Moosilauke Quadrangle, mapped by Peter J. Thompson. At the base of the ledge is a contact point with the darker metamorphic rock of the Littleton Formation.
View looking north.
View looking south.
It was tempting to go higher on the slide, but the rocks were wet and slippery and the afternoon was getting on. I'd been up on this slide several times before and once climbed to the top en route to the summit of Mount Clough.
Descending alongside the steep lower slabs.
Rock overhang in the slide track.
Looking back at where I'd been.
Near dusk, finally a hint of clearing.
No comments:
Post a Comment