Continuing to catch up on recent hikes...
MOUNT AGASSIZ
I hadn't been up this little peak (2,387 ft.) in decades, It's ascended via an old, paved toll road and offers a wide southern view at the top. It remains open through the courtesy of the landowner - hikers should be respectful and keep away from structures at the top.
This parking area at the base of the old road off Rt. 142 appears recently constructed - thank you!
The road makes a fairly relentless ascent - 600 ft. of elevation in 0.8 mile.
Scanning the views from the clearing at the top: Hale, Peak Above the Nubble and the Twins.
Garfield and Lafayette beyond nearby Mount Cleveland.
Cannon, Kinsmans, Moosilauke and Clough.
Looking out towards the Easton valley and Vermont.
THREE PONDS LOOP
While scanning some online trip reports, I came across several that noted beaver flooding impacting the Donkey Hill Cutoff near the Mount Kineo Trail junction, in the western Whites. A couple reports noted that bushwhacking was required to get around the flooding. This was new very late last year or this year, as I had just been to that junction last October. Beavers can change the landscape quickly.
On a cool, breezy afternoon I headed up the Mount Kineo Trail off the trailhead for Three Ponds Trail on Stinson Lake Road. The attractive trailside cascade on Brown Brook was in good flow.
Junction signs.
There has indeed been recent beaver flooding in this area.
With the low water levels of late summer, the flooding on the trail was minor, but this could be a problem in wet seasons, as it was in early summer this year.
I love this view of Mount Kineo across the vast Brown Brook Marshes, reached via a short side path off Donkey Hill Cutoff.
Farther along the Cutoff I ran into stalwart former Pemi Valley SAR teammates Walter Durack and Pam Bales. We had a nice visit.
Looking back across the beaver dam crossing on Three Ponds Trail just north of the Donkey Hill Cutoff junction. The crossing was pretty solid, though careful attention to foot placement is required.
Nice sitting rock on the shore of Upper Three Ponds.
Carr Mountain seen from the north end of Middle Three Ponds. A very peaceful spot.
Middle Three Ponds towards the south end.
Wetlands abound along this 5+ mile loop.
Dusk at an off-trail beaver meadow on Sucker Brook.
BLUEBERRY MOUNTAIN (BENTON)
One of my favorite small peaks is Blueberry Mountain in the Benton Range. While most hikers, myself included, usually climb Blueberry from its SE trailhead on Long Pond Rd., I also enjoy the longer climb from the NW. This trailhead is located on Page Rd. in Benton (off Lime Kiln Rd. near East Haverhill) in a quiet rural area. The short spur road to the start of the trail has been badly washed out, so hikers must use limited roadside parking on Page Rd.
It's only 0.1 mile to the actual start of the trail. (Note that the mileage to the summit should be 2.8.)
The trail starts out on a wide old woods road under tall oaks.
Along the lower half of the trail there are several sections with old stone walls in an area of abandoned farmland.
Some nice hardwood walking.
Well up on the mountain, the trail climbs through a mossy spruce forest.
At ~2,300 ft. you come to the first of many inclined granite ledges fringed with shrubs and scrubby conifers.
Early hints of fall color.
Serene scene.
First western views, out to the Signal Mountain Range in central Vermont.
If you zoom in you can see the brilliant white slide scar on a shoulder of Spruce Mountain, at top center. I think Blueberry is where I first noticed this spot in late summer of 2024, shortly after it fell. I was fortunate enough to visit it earlier this summer. An amazing spot.
Southwestern view to Killington on the horizon.
The ledgy crown of Sugarloaf, a Benton Range neighbor.
Full sweep of the western view.
Looking north to Sugarloaf, Black Mountain and The Hogsback.
Quartz intrusion.
A little scramble on the side path up to the true summit of Blueberry (2,663 ft.).
The ledgy summit, which offers only restricted views.
From here, I launched a thick, shrubby bushwhack seeking an elusive ledge that I had failed to find on previous attempts.
There are many ledges on this scrubby ridge. This time, with an assist from Lidar maps, I found the right one.
Wide open, better than expected. Mount Kineo and Carr Mountain seen beyond Glencliff.
Smarts and Cube on the right, far off to the south.
And the best of all Blueberry vistas, Mount Moosilauke and Slide Ravine.
I could study four slides or slide patches that I've visited over the last few years.
I think I'll hang here for a while.
After bushwhacking back to the trail, I visited the flat trailside view ledge where I have enjoyed many a happy sojourn.
Homeward bound.
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