BREEZY POINT BUSHWHACK: 11/4/13

On a cold, sunny and crisp November day I teamed up with John "1HappyHiker" Compton for a day of exploration along the lower south ridge of Mt. Moosilauke. Our launching point was the scenic Breezy Point trailhead (at the end of Breezy Point Road off Rt. 118), and our objectives included a beaver pond along Merrill Brook and the wooded, trailless peaks of Bald Hill (2397 ft.) and Chokecherry Hill (2971 ft.). We knew there would be few views on this trek, but there was the promise of some fine open woods based on intel provided by bushwhacking friend Keith D'Alessandro.

The open fields of Breezy Point were once home to resort hotels known as Merrill's Mountain Home (1860-1915), the Breezy Point House (1877-1884) and the Moosilauke Inn (1885-1953). The view here includes nearby Carr Mountain.

The Moosilauke Inn was presumably situated on this flat area. Mt. Moosilauke can be seen in the background on the L. This area was added to the WMNF in 1995.

For a mile we followed an old logging road along the slope south of Merrill Brook.

Then we bushwhacked down to the edge of the chain of beaver meadows that ends in a small pond at its west end. Here we had our first peek at Chokecherry Hill.

The pond at the west end was frozen, but still offered a clear view of Chokecherry Hill.

With binoculars we thought we could see a potential viewpoint up there.

Our next objective was Bald Hill, not too far west of the pond. The approach was a gentle climb through wonderfully open woods.

November is a great time of year in the hardwoods.

This was the only ledge we found on Bald Hill, which lost its baldness many years ago.

This little bump appeared to be the high point of the broad, flat summit.

After a bit of searching, we found a small ridgetop bog to the north of the summit; this opening was visible on the Google Earth image of Bald Hill.

Next we followed the gentle, broad ridge leading across from Bald to Chokecherry, winding through scrubby ridgetop beech forest.

At the base of Chokecherry Hill there was an abrupt transition to conifer forest. The going was scrappy for a while, including this area infested with old blowdown.

John contemplates the route on a steeper part of the climb up Chokecherry.

The woods opened up nicely on the upper part of the climb for some fine whacking.

We spent some time thrashing around the blowdown-strewn summit looking for views, with no success, so we worked our way down to a sunny spot on the south side for a late lunch break.

After lunch, we dropped a short distance into these fine woods.

Just below, we entered an upper finger of hardwoods at 2800 ft., where we passed these two remarkable old yellow birches.

Another angle on the old trees.

Another gnarled yellow birch with a mossy backdrop.

Keith D'Alessandro had promised open Catskill-like hardwoods on the south slope of Chokecherry Hill, and we were not disappointed.

These woods were stunning in the late afternoon November sun. We had to stop for a break to savor the scene.

Descending through the hardwoods, with Carr Mountain in the distance.

The gorgeous woods continued well down the slope.

We ended up back by the Merrill Brook beaver pond and skirted along the west shore, where we saw the remains of a crude shelter.

Working our way along a herd path on the shore. Note the old pot hanging from the tree.

Late afternoon sun on Chokecherry Hill.

An old stove in the woods, model No. 9.

Hiking back down the logging road towards the ridge of Mt. Kineo.

Last rays of the sun on Mt. Cushman and Mt. Kineo, from a clearing just above Breezy Point.

Nice view of Mt. Kineo, ending a fine day in the November woods.

PAWTUCKAWAY STATE PARK: 10/29/13

Headed south on a beautiful crisp late fall day to check some trails in this gem of a park, the finest wild area in southeastern New Hampshire. The main hike for the day was an eight-mile loop over South Mountain. I started out from the park entrance road on the Woronoco Trail, built by volunteers from the New England Mountain Bike Association and opened in 2005. The name is an Abenaki word for "winding about," and the trail does indeed meander into the center of the park with many twists and turns.

At 0.9 mi. there's a short "Overlook" side path.

One of the nicest spots in the park, gazing across a vast marsh to cliff-dotted South Mountain.

Zoom on the South Mountain cliffs.

Late fall color along the Woronoco Trail.

Deep hemlock woods cloak much of Pawtuckaway's rolling terrain.

On to the Split Rock Trail, built by NEMBA in 2010. This route opens up some nice loop hike possibilities.

A split rock along the trail - one of several for which it could be named.

One of several large glacial erratics along the Split Rock Trail.

Pieces have calved off this rock on the other side.

This towering monolith is the most impressive erratic along the trail.  Three stories high?

After traversing the Split Rock Trail, I followed the Shaw Trail westward to the South Ridge Trail.

Climbing towards South Mountain, the South Ridge Trail passes this peaceful beaver pond.

A rocky cleft along the ridgecrest.

Pawtuckaway trail sign at summit of South Mountain.

The fire tower on the 885-ft. summit of South Mountain.

View of Middle Mountain and top of North Mountain from summit ledges.

Mt. Kearsarge in the distance, with ledge on Middle Mountain in foreground.

I followed an orange-blazed spur path down to a great sunny ledge with views south and east. There's surprisingly little evidence of civilization in the foreground part of this vista.

Pawtuckaway Lake, with the overlook marsh along the Woronoco Trail in the foreground.

I bushwhacked down to the top of an impressive cliff. A tiny but rugged mountain.

I headed back up to the summit and climbed to the top landing of the fire tower for a little better view of Middle and North Mountains. The Pawtuckaway Mountains are a classic semi-circular ring-dike of ancient volcanic origin. In addition to its interesting geologic features, the park is home to many wetlands and several unusual plant communities. There's a wealth of information in the Ecological Inventory of Pawtuckaway State Park.

Looking west, the view from the tower includes the Pack Monadnocks and Mt. Monadnock seen beyond the Uncanoonucs. Also visible were the Hancock and Prudential buildings in downtown Boston - an appropriate sight the day before the Sox clinched the World Series!

Descending south along the South Ridge Trail through ledgy hemlock forest.

I returned to my car via the gentle woods road known as the Mountain Trail, passing along the shore of Mountain Pond just before reaching the road.

Before heading home, I walked a recently re-opened footpath on Big Island called the Big Loop Trail. This was mostly a 1.3 mi. woods walk, but one spur trail led down to a nice view of the south end of Burnham Marsh.

Another spur led out to the park beach on Pawtuckaway Lake. What a fine park - if we lived closer, we would spend a lot of time here.