Manchester, NH Skyline during the Independance Day Fireworks
I’ve been wanting to try and shoot the fireworks from a mountain top for a while. This year things worked out with timing and weather.
Once I arrived at my location, I realized I forgot one major accessory in the car. Yes. Bug spray. I was trying to set up in shorts and a short sleeve shirt surrounded by dozens of buzzing mosquitos.
I didn’t have time to go back to the car so I just kept swatting while trying to get some test shots done. Fortunately, some other people came along and let me use some of their bug spray.
Fireworks in Manchester, NH
I was shooting with my Nikon D-7100. I had my 70-300mm lens on there, and my ISO switched between 100 and 200. My aperture ranged between f8 and f22 depending on my shutter speed. That ranged between 3 seconds and 20 seconds.
Once everything was in place I just waited for the fireworks to start. I was about 8 miles from the fireworks location from South Uncanoonuc. I had my lens zoomed in between 200mm and 300mm most of the time.
I got a good variety of shots. Some of these photos are full frame but many of them are cropped. This was a fun experiment. The photos came out much better than I had expected.
Downtown Manchester, NH FireworksCropped image of fireworksCropped image of fireworksManchester skyline with fireworksFireworks displayManchester, NH fireworksFireworks over Manchester.Manchester skyline at night with fireworksFireworks in Manchester, NH
The weather was forecasted as being very hot and humid. I believe the weatherman used the word oppressive humidity.
So my sister and I decided to try and beat the heat on this Juneteenth holiday and go walk around the Alpine Garden on Mount Washington. We figured it would not be as hot or humid up there. Boy was I wrong.
Standing above the Alpine Garden on Mount Washington
We got a somewhat early start and were at the Mount Washington Auto Road entrance around 10am. We paid the toll fee ($40 for driver and vehicle and $25 each additional person) and started up the hill.
We drove slow and it was not very busy. It was still very humid though. When we got above treeline we noticed all the mountains around us were kind of hidden in the humid air.
The large cairn at the top of Huntington Ravine and the sart of the Alpine Garden Trail
When we arrived to the Alpine Garden Parking lot there were a few other cars there. This lot is at about 5,200’ or about a 1000’ below the summit. We grabbed our gear and started out into the rocks.
Our plan was to go out as far into the garden as we could. Our turnaround time was about 11:45 or so. So we could get back to the car and back home before 4pm. So this was going to be a quick trip.
Mountain views and Mountain avens (Geum peckii)
To get the Alpine Garden trail from this point you have to climb down a few hundred feet. This will land you at a large cairn at the top of Huntington Ravine. On our way down the small breeze we had disappeared and I could really feel the heat and humidity. I was sweating a lot for going down.
Views of the Wildcat mountains from the Alpine Garden Trail
The trail down is very rocky and a little steep. Caution was used in every step. When we got to the bottom by the large cairn there were a few other hikers there that had just come up Huntington Ravine.
labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum) before they bloom
One of the hikers did not look to good and possibly had some signs of heat exhaustion.
The other hikers gave him some water and I told him our car was up about 400’ in that direction and there was cold water and food if he wanted to rest and that we could give him a ride back down when we got back from our walk.
Walking along the Alpine Garden TrailDiapensia (Diapensia lapponica) past its prime
He said that sounded like a good idea and started up with the others. We continued on our walk on the Alpine Garden. This area is much flatter but still has a slight grade down toward Tuckerman Ravine.
A trail cairn in the garden
Time was ticking away pretty fast. I was also feeling the heat. When the wind would stop it was very hot and humid and even breathing the air was very warm.
Little bluet (Houstonia caerulea)
We walked for a ways and took some pics of the flowers that still remained. It was well past peak but there are always a few flowers poking around. At about 11:55 I mentioned that we sister we should start back. I knew it would be very slow going for me up the steep part of the trail we came down.
We made our way back slowly and up to the car with many breaks and a few photos. We could see the Cog Railway and the Cog parking at the summit.
Make sure to stay on the path.
When we got back up toward the parking lot I could see my sister was talking with the guy we meet. He looked much better and decided to take us up on the off to ride down.
Everyone got in the car and started down. We did take a couple of stops on the way down to let the breaks cool. This is especially important since it was already hot outside. One of the stops a big plume of smoke came out from my front tires.
A cluster of Little Bluets
We made it to the bottom safely and without any car damage. Lol. We dropped our friend off at Pinkham Notch where his car was and made our way back home. We were back in time for 3:30pm so everything worked our well.
Because we (mostly me) were slow moving we did not make it out to far into the garden. I plan on coming back this year and doing this hike again. Perhaps a loop up to the top and down again as well.
It was a bit drizzly, but temps were perfect for a hike up to the Mt. Waternomee plane crash memorial. Since it was Memorial Day, this seemed like a good choice for a hike.
We call these “Paper beats Rock” when we see a tree growing over a large rock.
I met up with my sister and family and we drove up to the trail head. The temps were in the high 50’s and low 60’s. The parking lot is small, there is room for about 6-8 cars if people park correctly. Also, the lot comes up quick on your right and is easy to miss.
Trillium (Wood Lily) flower along the trail.
This is not a maintained trail so there is no kiosk or signs just the lot and a fire road gate.
We started up the fire road. This portion of trail is very easy with a gradual grade. It is wide enough for a small vehicle to get through. This section is flat. The chilly temps helped keep the bugs at bay on this damp day.
The road continues for about 1.2 miles before ending in a small field. There is a small cairn that marks the well-traveled heard path. From here the trail is marked by orange survey tape.
From here the road is more of a rooty foot path that follows the stream. With all the rain and drizzle, we had to be extra cautious about rocks and roots. We continue along the bank for a way until it crosses the stream. The water is low, so we had no problem stepping on stones to cross. Liberty was happy to be playing in the water.
Beautiful waterfall off the trail. This is right where the trail starts to go up, up, up.
Once on the other side the trail rises steeply for about 100 yards. From this point on the trail, terrain varies from moderate to steep in different areas. There were many breaks on the way up.
The trail is the steepest just before the first piece of wreckage. But once you get there it kind of stops you. This piece of wreckage was from a B-18 Bomber that crashed into a mountain. This is an area where people lost their life.
some of the first wreckage we came across.
From this point there are several herd paths that lead to different pieces of the plane. Some are pieces of wing or engines; others are from landing gear and even a smashed-up front of the aircraft. On every piece of wreckage there is at least one American flag.
Part way up the site there is a plaque that lists the crew of the plane many of them died but amazingly some of them lived.
You can still see an old painted star from a wing on the plane.
After we walked around for a while we started to make our way back down. Again, we had to be careful about slippery rocks and roots. The rain mostly held off. It was a little chilly up at the crash site but as we descended, I could feel it warm up.
The memorial plaque at the site.
The trail is well marked but if it is your first time out there you may have to pay extra attention.
I’ve done this hike several times before, but this was my first time doing it on Memorial Day. It felt very appropriate. Let us never forget that freedom isn’t free.
An old engine from the plane.
It also seems like every time I’ve done this hike, I’ve come across Trillium (wood Lily) flowers. This time we did see some, but most have already bloomed. But there were a few dark purple one. We also came across several Lady Slipper flowers.
Stoddard Rocks is a fun hike in Stoddard, New Hampshire with lots to see. The trail was done in a lolly-pop loop that included lake views, an old mill site, and some amazing glacier erratics.
My friend Melissa and I were looking something local with a little history and a bit more than just a hike with a view. Also, something neither of us had done yet.
The forecast was for sunny skies and temps around 50ish degrees. Perfect weather. Parking at Pickerel Cover trail head is located on Shedd Hill Road. There is room for maybe three cars if everyone parks considerately.
Blowdowns right from the beginning.
We started up the trail to the main Kiosk. We stopped for a quick photo to document then continued. Soon after we met up with a couple of dogs, their owner was not far behind. We chatted a bit and he let us know there were a few blowdowns along the trail and a lot of blowdowns on the Unmaintained trail.
We soon arrived at Dodge Farm Road junction and continued toward Pioneer Lake and Stoddard Rocks. At one point we passed a large beaver dam. After another .3 miles we were at the base of the Lake. Down below we saw a structure that looked like an old mill.
A large beaver dam on our way to Pioneer Lake.
We walked through the structure, and it seems like a mill with a gap for a water wheel the stream flows through. We took a few more pictures of the structure. From the base of Pioneer Lake, you can see the hill Stoddard Rocks sit upon.
We decided to do the loop counterclockwise and start the loop with the Unmaintained trail around the lake. We were warned about lots of blowdowns, but the trail seemed pretty tame at this point. As we hiked on we were going through some mud and the trail started to turn into a brook. But only for a short distance.
Pioneer Lake, The high point in the background it where the Stoddard Rocks are.
There were a lot of blowdowns, but they were easily walked around or over and sometimes under. We saw an old metal bottle someone put on a tree. This tree also seemed to have a long talon, like an eagle! So of course we needed a pic.
The Unmaintained trail follows the contour of the lake all the way around to the start of the hill. We reached the Stoddard Rocks South Trail that takes us up to the summit. The incline is easy to moderate in some spots, but it is not very long.
An old mill on the Pioneer Creek
Near the summit we started to see some large rocks but when we got to the summit there was no mistaking these enormous glacier erratics. Stoddard Rocks. Some of them are 30-40 feet high.
We explored these mammoth rocks and climbed up on one and took a quick brake to enjoy the scenery.
One of the large glacial erratics near the summit.
After our break we went down the Stoddard Rocks West Trail. It started out a bit slab-y and I had to watch our footing for a little ways. Of course there were blowdowns all along the way. At the bottom we reached the loop junction and continued southwest toward the Dodge Farm Road junction.
View of Stoddard Rocks
The trail is wide and somewhat road like to the junction. On the way up we came across some of the old tree shells that have been burned out from the 1941 Stoddard-Marlow fire that burned through the area. These tree trunks were very large, you could still see the blackened wood on them.
Lunch break on the Stoddard Rocks
The trail started to level out near an old apple orchard. There are still some skeletons of the trees standing but most did not look alive. Near the junction there was an old foundation with a well next to it. We pulled the lid off to see if it still had water and it did.
A large dead tree that had been burned in the 1941 Stoddard-Marlow Fire.
We decided to hike up a bit further on the Dodge Farm Road to the high point then tuned around. Once we were at the junction we deiced to take another Unmaintained Trail down. This one had a bunch of blowdowns. But still easy enough to get around.
Creepy old Apple Orchard
It took us by an old pond and swamp which involved a small stream crossing and a rock hop. Then we climbed back up to the Pickerel Cove and Dodge Farm Road junction. From here we were only about .3 miles back to the car.
Looking into the well.
On our way back we passed two other people heading in for a hike. We hadn’t seen anyone since the very beginning of the hike. If you are looking for something different in southern New Hampshire I would recommend this hike.
Skiers Welcome. Non-Skiers, Don’t even think about it
Date:
4-7-2024
Location:
Waterville Valley, NH
Distance:
5.81 mi
Elevation Gain:
343′
Total Time:
4 hr 1 min
Parking:
10+ cars
Difficultly Rating:
Green, Blue, Black +
After a great day at Bear Notch XC Touring Center, I decided to make the best of a beautiful weekend and head up to Waterville Valley Nordic Center. Weather forecast was for clear blue skies and temps in the upper 40’s.
I met up with my friend Jay and we headed up to Waterville. Waterville’s snow repots stated that the area near the town square was very thin, but the northern side was groomed and skiing well.
One of the forest signs along Tripoli Road.
We stopped at the ticket center to purchase a $29 pass then headed up to the Greely Pond Parking lot. When we got there, we were a bit surprised when we saw the lot was already overflowing. 40+ cars. We forgot that there were lots of people in the state due to a solar eclipse happening the next day. New Hampshire is in the path of totality.
We were lucky, someone just left, and we found their spot. Others were circling the lot several times waiting for someone to leave.
Heading up Lower Osceola Trail.
After we got geared up we walked through the muddy lot and over the bridge to Tripoli Road. We started up Lower Osceola Trail. The trail has a small incline and marked as a green. The snow was a little soft but still skied well.
Along the way we saw a lot of forest signs, a Kiosk and soon came to the Osceola Campground. We decided to ski through the campground on our return and continued along.
The entrance to the Osceola Campground
We came to the John Deer and Moose Run trail Junction. There was a small warming hut and lots of people coming and going. We decided to start with John Deer. This is a blue and had some climbing.
As the morning warmed up the snow was getting a little softer. We soon came to the junction of Upper Osceola which is an advanced black trail. Jay decided to venture up. I would continue John Deer.
The Warming Hut
The trail had a muddy spot about 100 feet after the junction and I had to remove my skis to cross. After that the trail was in pretty good shape. There was a stream crossing that was a bit thin but skiable. This trail had rolling ups and downs.
When I got to the bottom, I waited for Jay who was not far behind. At the main junction we talked with some other skiers for a bit and then continued down Moose Run.
Trail Junction Sign
This is a green trail and flat. The snow is softer and a little slower now. We skied to the loop junction and went clockwise onto the Wicked Easy Trail. When we connected back to Moose Run, we took a quick break to grab a snack.
I was starting to look forward to skiing back. Most of the grade would be downhill. When we got back to the Lower Osceola junction, we took a few pics of the hut then started to ski down.
Heading back down the trail
The snow was much slower than I thought it would be. We made it down to the Osceola Campground loop and skied in. We checked out some of the sites and decided to have lunch on one of the picnic tables.
The sky was blue and the sun was bright. After our break we skied out and back down to the trail head. This was a good end of xc season ski.
If there’s snow on the ground, I guess I’ll keep skiing. I decided to take an early trip up north towards Bartlett, New Hampshire and check out a place called Bear Notch XC Touring Center.
This house is over 222 years old!
My trip up there took me through some crazy weather in Franconia Notch and Crawford Notch. Weather in Bartlett was a little cloudy but overall it was pretty darn nice.
Bear Notch XC Center is only about a mile or two from the west end of Crawford Notch.
When I arrived, I pulled into the driveway. This place is kind of cool and has a lot of history. The white house I was told is about 222 years old. That itself is kind of cool.
Inside the warming hut
A women came out on the porch and said she would sell me a ticket. So, I purchased a ticket which was $23. She gave me a map and showed me which trails were open and groomed.
She then directed me to the parking lot in behind their giant warming hut. She also told me that around 12:30 PM they put out some homemade freshly baked bread that is complementary to the skiers. And there is soup that is available for five dollars a bowl. This was already sounding like it is going to be a great day.
The Bear Notch XC Ski Covered Bridge.
The parking lot was much larger than I thought. Probably holds about 20 to 30 cars. It was a little muddy, but that was fine. I got my boots on grabbed my skis and poles and started towards the hut to check it out first. I just wanted to take a peek inside and see what it looks like.
After that, I walked over through a small, covered bridge where the trail started. I started up trail #2 which follows a river for quite a way.
Waterfalls along the trail
A little ways in I came across a small camp next to a water fall. Very pretty and lucky are the ones who get to use it.
The trail was well groomed for both classic and skate skiing and there was a good 2 – 3 foot base. The snow was a little soft and wet, which did slow down some of the gliding. Temps were in the mid to high 30s.
Small camp along the river.
When I got to the top the trail meets up with an old logging Road. Once on the logging road, there was a nice downhill glide over a small Brooke, and from here I jumped onto Trail #5.
This trail also went through the woods and was very scenic. From here I kind of waved around a bit onto 5A and 5B and 6A. I kind of even got a little turned around at one point.
Well groomed trails.
I finally made it back towards the road on 5a then crossed the road onto Trail 20. From here, the trails were a little flatter and rated green, but very scenic.
Before long, I made it to the railroad tracks. The trail dips down towards the Glen Ellis river, and followed it for a ways. This is a very scenic part of the trail.
Views of some mountains near Crawford Notch
I skied out to the beginning of the loop of Trail 30 before heading back towards the cabin. At the junction there was a lot of mud.
On my way back, I crossed a small railroad trestle. They had warned me I may have to take my skis off, but there was enough snow to ski over it.
Enjoying the day so far.
At this point, I jumped off the track and onto Trail 13 and looped around the lower field area. Towards the end of this loop, you end back up near the road and across the street from the parking lot.
By this time it was just about 12:30pm so I put my skis in the car and headed over to the warming hut. a few skiers I had talked with earlier.
Coming up to the Glen Ellis River
bought myself a bowl of creamy tomato, pesto soup. And shortly after the host brought out some freshly baked bread. I grabbed a nice piece because those are my favorite.
Cross country ski center is definitely on my favorite list. I’ve always heard great things about it and it was awesome to finaly ski it.
Views of the mountains and the river
This is very different than big resort cross country skiing. Most of the people here are local or families or friends out for a few hours of exercise and beautiful scenery. Met lots of great people on the trail, can’t wait to see more of it.
Skiing around the lower fieldThe map of the full trail system.
