Getting ready for a quick hike up West Rattlesnake Mt. in Holderness New Hampshire
Some collogues and myself decided to do a short post voting hike.
It was a chilly start to our Rattlesnake Mt. hike over Squam Lake. Temps were in the mid to high 40’s when we arrived at the trail head. The wind was blowing around 20-25 miles per hour and that made it feel a little colder.
View of Squam Lake and the Belknap Mountains in the background
The trail was free of debris, but leaves were piled thick on some sections hiding some roots, rocks, and depth of steps. Caution needs to be taken to insure we did not slip or tip.
arriving at the cliffs and our first views
There were several signs along the trail stating that there was work being done. We noticed a bunch of logs that were brought up and waiting to be used. Overall, the trail was in very good shape and been well cared for.
Rays of sun shining down on us
When we arrived at the ledges of West Rattlesnake the views were spectacular and we had the summit to ourselves.
View of Red Oak Fire Tower shot through my binoculars
We sat and enjoyed the warm sun on the rocks for a bit. The air was crisp and clear and there were no clouds in the sky. This was a perfect hike for today and everyone really enjoyed it.
A road trip adventure exploring some haunted and interesting sites around the White Mountains. Many of the sites were inspired by the book Haunted Hikes by Marianne O’Connor.
Devils Footprint
Our adventure began deep in the woods on Sandwich Notch Road searching for the Devils Footprints. The Devils Footprints are a series of holes eroded into the granite in the shape of shoes and spaced like steps. It is said that when the devil left the area, he left the area.
They are located about 2.2 miles from the start of the road. There is some parking right next to the footprints.
Devils Foot PrintsClose up of one of the footprints compared to my boot.
P. Wentworth 6mls 1838
Across the street from the Devils Footprints is one of Americas oldest billboards. The words “P. Wentworth 6mls 1838” are chiseled into one of the large rocks on the side of the road. According to the Sandwich Historical Society the sign would let passersby know that Paul Wentworth’s store was 6 miles ahead. It was very cool to still see this advertisement after 184 years.
The words “P. Wentworth 6mls 1838” carved into the granite rock.Close up of the “1838” carved in the rock
Pulpit Rock
From here we made our way down the road to Pulpit Rock. A large rock that jets up from the ground near the side of the road. The rock is quite large and would certantly make a grate platform to preach from. We explored the area around it and climbed up to the top. History says that Joseph Meader, a Quaker minister would preach Sunday sermons to local residents from the top of this rock.
Looking up at Pulpit RockLooking down from Pulpit Rock
Town of Livermore, NH
We left Sandwich and headed north toward the old New Hampshire ghost town of Livermore. The town is located on alongside the Sawyer River Road in Hearts Location. There are several pull offs along the road. Fortunately, we had a map of the former town so we could locate and identify a number of buildings and artifacts.
Livermore is an old logging town that peaked in the early 1900’s. There are many foundations that still exist including a school foundation, store, sawmill and a number of artifacts.
There was a lot to look at and made sure to explore the sight thoroughly. One of my favorite spots was the cellar of the old General Store. Inside this celler was an old safe with the door removed and placed next to it. The safe still had some of the ornate design around the edges.
We searched for a while to locate an old cemetery in the town but were unsuccessful so we decided to move on to our next stop and then have some lunch.
Mossy covered foundation wall in the town of LivermoreThe remains of the old Power House in the townDetail of the corner of the safe that is located in the General Store foundation.
Nancy Barton Grave and Marker
Our next stop looked like it was right off the road and would be a quick one. But we were wrong.
We made our way up to Notchland Road to search for the site where Nancy Barton was found frozen to death and buried. There is a well-marked trail at the end of the Notchland Road that leads you to this site. When we got out of the car we were greeted by Mia the local dog that lives at the Notchland Inn at the start of the road. Mia walked with us on the short hike to the Burial spot. The trail is well marked and we had found the site pretty quickly. The book mentions a plaque too so we started searching the grounds looking for it.
We spotted an old cemetery and thought the marker we were looking for would be there but it was not. However we did find the grave of Able Crawford, one pioneers of the White Mountains and that was pretty cool.
We continued to search but could not find the marker anywhere. We read the description in the Haunted Hikes book over and over again but were coming up with nothing until we noticed it mentioned the plaque was in the Inn.
So we ventured over and inquired with a worker who invited us in to the Inn. The plaque was located in the parlor of the inn leaning up against the fireplace. The Notchland Inn is a beautiful place, in a beautiful setting and I would love to stay the night here sometime.
Nancy Barton’s grave where she froze to deathThe Notchland Inn, Hearts Location
There is another marker in the Notchland Inn’s parlorAble Crawford, Died, July 15, 1851 AET. 85 years
Lunch At The Willy Family Landslide Site
We were both now very hungry and headed over to the Willy Landslide site for lunch. I was surprised to see how many people were out and about at this stop but we found a sunny picnic table and ate.
After lunch we explored a short trail before heading over to the site of the Willy Family Tragedy. A family that was killed when a landslide fell from the mountain behind their house. We saw the outcrop of rocks that would have saved them if they had just stayed inside their house. There is also a plaque at the front of the site that memorializes the tragic event.
View of Mt. Willard from the Willey Pond picnic areaThe Willey Boulders changed the path of the landslide that killed the Willey Family..
The Hermit of Crawford Notch and His “Ship”
We moved up the notch to an area called the “Gateway” in search of English Jack also known as the Hermit of Crawford Notch. We were looking for his old shanty shack that he called the “ship”. Here he would entertain tourists and sell them postcards and walking sticks. The structure is no longer there but we were hoping to find a couple of old artifacts and maybe some sort of foot print of his cabin. We were unsuccessful on this attempt to locate the site of the “ship” or any sort of artifact that might have been left behind.
We bushwhacked high above the “Gateway” of the Notch and surrounding area but were not quite sure where he might have set up. I’ll have to do some more research on him and the location of this dwelling. If anyone knows where I could find this information out please let me know.
High above the Gateway looking for the site of the Hermit of Crawford Notch’s homeBushwhacking above the Gateway looking for any artifacts from English Jacks “ship”
Saco Lake Pet Cemetery
Next stop was a quick one. We were looking for a pet cemetery near Saco Lake in Crawford Notch. The cemetery is located near the northern entrance of the Saco Lake Loop trail. We walked a short ways in and just after a stream crossing there is a small spur trail to the cemetery. If you reach the lake you’ve gone to far.
Pet Cemetery
There are three pet graves visible. Munchen, Betty and Puck were all buried here. Not sure if they were dogs, cats or some sort of other pet though.
Crawford Path Sign
Next a quick stop to the start of Crawford Path. Americas oldest continually used hiking trail. Also the site of “100’s of Deaths” and undoubtedly one of the most haunted trails around. There are a number of different ghost stories associated with this path and the mountains it goes over.
The sign at the beginning of Crawford Path
The Hermit of Crawford Notch and His Grave. The grave stone for the Hermit of Crawford Notch also known as English Jack
The sun is getting low in the sky so we decided to make one more stop in Twin Mountain on our way home. Since we did not find the Hermit of Crawford Notch’s home we could find his final resting spot in the Straw Cemetery of Twin Mountain. His grave was easy to find and appropriately marked.
This was a really fun road trip and was pretty accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
The grave stone for the Hermit of Crawford Notch also known as English Jack
Livermore was a small town located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The town was incorporated in 1874 and existed until 1949 when the last two residents left the town. Livermore was a logging town started by the Saunders family from Massachusetts. My friend Melissa and decided to make it a stop on a haunted road trip in the White Mountains.
Livermore school house foundation
The town has been abandoned for several decades and only foundations and a few artifacts remain. I still wanted to view for myself what was left of this once thriving town before it becomes totally reclaimed by the land.
We found a pull off on the side of the road where we started our search. There was a foundation across the street from us so we took a look around. First thing I noticed was a clump of large burr’s attached to my arm and back that took a little time to remove. This would not be the last of the burrs. We also noticed a number of apple trees along Sawyer River Road.
Some artifacts along the school foundation
According to our map we were not far from the foundation of the school house at the end of the town. So we decided to start there. The foundation is easily viewable from the road and we noticed a few artifacts along the outer edge of it. Mostly pipes and some old glass and metal.
Then we started to make our way down toward the river. It was a pretty steep and leafy decent down to the river. We located the section of land that was used as the log pond. It is only a stream off the main river now. We also saw some old twisted train tracks and railroad ties where the stream met back up with the river.
Piece of railroad track along the river
Next we decided to explore the old saw mill that was at the front of the Log Pond. This is just a row of concrete foundations covered with moss now but very cool to see. We walked inside for a bit and found a few more metal artifacts.
Old rungs mounted in a large stone by the Log Pond
We continued up toward an old crumbled brick building that we believe to be the old power plant. At the top of these ruins was a structure with what looked like an old round brick chimney. Some very good masonry work went into this structure.
A cylinder of bricks that looks like a chimney
We moved along toward the General Store, office and engine house. There were only foundations left for all of these structures but inside the general store foundation was an old heavy safe. The door was removed and off to the side. Didn’t see much inside except for some fallen leaves but is was still pretty cool. I wondered what kinds of things were kept in this safe when it was in use.
An old safe in the foundation of the Livermore general store
After that we made our way across the street to search some more of the old town. We were hoping to find an old cemetery that I had read about but we did not have any luck finding that.
We continued across to check out the last few foundations and make our way back to the car.
top of an old glass bottle
We did not see any ghosts or feel the presence of any spirits but I did think a lot about people that lived here. Wondering if they build some of the artifacts we saw. Or maybe drank from some of the bottles we found. There certainly is a lot of history in the White Mountains. I’m fortunate to have opportunity to explore these unique places.
Flume Visitors Center and Skookumchcuck trail head.
Difficultly Rating:
Easy/Moderate
Whenever I’m in a new city or location I look to see if there are bitable paths and trails. I feel like touring a city is always best on a bicycle. This also goes for cities and places I’ve been to a number of times.
I recently finished the Manchester Bike Tour in Manchester, NH. This is a 30-40 mile ride around the city of Manchester and supports the Manchester Conservation Commission.
The tour is open to all levels of riders and takes about 4 hours to complete. Some of the faster riders opt to take the 40 mile route and go around Lake Massabesic. The tour usually meets at the Eversource Energy Park parking lot about 7am and bikes start rolling around 7:30ish.
The tour starts with a short but steep up hill climb to Elms Street and goes north to Amoskeag Bridge. Once across the river it continues along the Northwest side of Manchester and around Rock Rimmon down to the Rail Trail by West Side Arena.
Water Works Building
The rail trail is scenic and offers views of the river and some painted mural tunnels. At the end it meets up with the Hands Across the Merrimack pedestrian bridge and continues south toward Nutts Pond and the first rest stop.
At the rest stop there is a bike pump and some simple tools if you need to make any adjustments. The tour offers water and snacks at the rest stops.
We start again down the Nutts Pond Rail Trail and head south toward the airport. The tour rides around the entire airport which has some gradual hills and some excellent views. Toward the end is the next rest stop at the Airplane Museum.
Bikes at Massabesic Lake
The Airplane Museum is open for free to all bike tour participants and has restrooms for people to use. This is stop is very cool and offers a lot of history about the Manchester Airport.
The tour continues and weaves its way past Crystal Lake and eventually toward Lake Massabesic where there is another rest area if you are looking to go around the lake.
Weston Tower
We opted for the 30 mile version so we did not stop at that rest stop.
We kept peddling and passed the Derryfield Country club and soon after found our way to Derryfield Park where there is a steep climb up to Weston Observatory.
Perhaps one of the best perks of riding in this bike tour is that Weston Observatory is open to the riders. From the top you have a great view of the City of Manchester. From here on out the ride is mostly downhill as we weave through the tree streets of Manchester’s Eastside back to Energy Park.
Views of Manchester from Weston Observatory.
It is a Great feeling costing into Energy Park. For one I’m usually tired but I also know there are Puritan Backroom Chicken Tenders waiting for all the riders.
This is a fun tour and a great way to see the sights of Manchester and learn a little history. I’ve done this tour almost every year since it started and still enjoy it. If you and your family enjoy a good bike ride you would enjoy this ride.
Enjoying the Autumn colors on Bayle Mountain. This is a great Fall Foliage hike that is not to busy with people.
Date:
10-09-2022
Location:
Ossipee, NH
Distance:
3.2 mi
Elevation Gain:
808′
Total Time:
5 hr 29 min
Parking:
5+ cars
Difficultly Rating:
Easy
Some friends asked if I wanted to join them for a hike up Mt. Bayle on Columbus Day weekend. This was a perfect suggestion. Foliage was at its peak in the White Mountains and Lakes Region in New Hampshire. Tourists are flocking into the state by the thousands. The roads and trailheads are overflowing with people from around the world to see the reds, orange and yellow leaves that cover the mountains and valleys of New England. This was the perfect hike because it is a small off the beaten path. Away from all the major mountains and popular drives.
The Orange gate at the beginning of the hike.
We met up in Pembrook, NH and followed each other up Route 28. A beautiful drive that takes you through lots of rolling hills and farmlands and eventually to Rt. 16 in Ossipee. From here we drove to Pine Hill Road, Connor Pond Road, Ossipee Road and finally to Marble Road where there is parking for about 8 cars. Parking is clearly marked and clearly marked where you cannot park.
The trail junction to head up Bayle Mountain.
This is an easy hike and fun for families with young children. We had a 3-year-old with us so the pace was a little slower usual but it was nice to take in all the scenery around us. The temperatures were a bit chilly starting out and the sky was cloud covered in the mountains but the sun was trying to peak through.
Going up through the boulder fileds
We left the parking lot and started up the road. Just before a bridge there is a right hand turn with a couple of off shoots. Be sure to choose the trail with the orange snowmobile gate in front of it. The first .7 miles is somewhat flat and easy going along an old dirt road.
Liberty playing on some of the slab ledges toward the top.
When you come to the junction to start up the Bayle Trail, you will see a small cairn on the left and a faint red blaze on the tree. This part of the trail is .5miles and is well marked and easy to fallow. From here the trials climbs gently until you get to the base of the boulder fields. You will know when you get here because the rocks just pop up and are enormous. As we climbed through the boulders the footing was good and mostly rocky and rooty steps as we ascended.
View of Bald Moutain and Mount Whittier from Bayle Mountain
As we climbed the rocks got more spectacular. We came across one huge boulder that was cracked in half and others that had small trees growing on top of them. The trail started to get steeper, and we were climbing up some steep slabs for a short bit. We soon found ourselves at the ledges. The views of the Ossipee Range were opening up and the sun has finally come out.
Fall Colors in the Ossipee Mountains
We continued to climb up to the official summit. The foliage was beautiful. Lots of colors everywhere and in all directions. We took some pictures and explored the summit a bit and sat down for a break and some snacks.
Mount Roberts out in the distance
Then we went and found the mountain register and signed it. (Look for a round can attached to a tree in the South East area of the summit cone). We explored a little more. So many different views from all angles. After a few more pictures we started to make our way back down.
Lots of great views in different directions on Bayle Mountain
On the way down we started to move a bit quicker. We saw a quite a few people heading up to the summit and we let them pass. The dogs were having a fun time too. By the time we got back to the gravel road Liberty was completely tired out.
Don’t forget to sign the register.
Overall, this was a really fun and interesting hike. Bayle Mountain is even mentioned in Marianne O’Conner’s Haunted Hikes book. Legend has it that Sasquatch or Wood Devils have been spotted on Bald Mountain just a mile and a half way. Some sections of the Ossipee Range are very remote and not all the mountains have trails to their summit and would make them an ideal habitat for strange creatures like those. This might be worth exploring a little deeper to Bald Mountain one of these days.
The scaur is an outlook with a great view of Waterville Valley.
Liberty and I decided to take a semi early morning walk out to check it out. We arrived at the Livermore Parking lot off Tropli Road about 9am. Lots of room for cars but there is a fee to park there if you don’t have a White Mountain Parking Pass. There are also restrooms at the parking lot if you need to use them.
Date:
9-24-2022
Location:
Waterville Valley, NH
Distance:
4.5 mi
Elevation Gain:
658′
Total Time:
3 hr 7 min
Parking:
2 0+ cars
Difficultly Rating:
Easy/Moderate
Liberty standing on the top of the Scaur
We started out of the parking lot on to Livermore Road. This is a class 6 road that runs through part of the valley. There is a little bit of elevation but most of it is flat. We passed a few side trails and several cross-country ski trails that belong to the Waterville Valley XC network.
Views of Waterville Valley
After about a mile we reached the Kettle Trail that would lead us to the Scaur. This trail starts out with a little elevation and some rooty footing. We continued to climb up and the elevation starts to get a little steeper. There are several large boulders along the trail, and as we climb we can see a wooded ledge as we approach the base of the Scaur.
Staircase heading up to the Scaur
We start to walk up some stone staircases built into the trail. We soon made it to the Scaur Trail Junction. This is spur about .2 miles long that leads to an open rock ledge (The Scaur) with fantastic views of the valley. The autumn colors are just starting to change on the leaves. Peak season will be in week or two. We stayed for a bit and took a few photos and enjoyed the view.
Trail junction for the Scaur
The trip back down was pretty much the same just in reverse. Both liberty and I enjoyed this short hike. The trail was well marked and in pretty good shape. We meet a number of friendly people and friendly dogs along the trail.
