Friday night photography is always a good time. I set out with my buddy Eric to shoot the Milky Way. The conditions were all lining up. The moon was just a thin sliver in the sky and was going to be setting around 11PM. The forecast called for mostly clear skies. The Milky Way should be visible after 12PM.
The International Space Station (ISS)
We decided that we would try out Pitcher Mountain. It was not a long hike and offered views in all directions along with a fire tower.
We met up around 9PM that evening and carpooled up to the trailhead. It was about 50 minutes outside of Manchester. Once we got there we grabbed our gear and started the walk up. It took us about 20 minutes to reach the summit.
Star Trails at Pitcher Mountain Fire Tower
When we arrived the moon was just about to set and its thin crescent shape was blood red. We tried to get a few shots but it set to fast to capture anything decent.
From here I did a few test shots with the camera while playing with the red headlamp lights. I noticed a streak in the first test and saw a small steady dot of light moving in the sky. I immediately thought International Space Station. I showed my buddy and he looked it up on his phone and confirmed it was the ISS.
Low laying clouds obstructing the Milky Way
I took a few more shots and tried to compose it in a picture as best I could but any composition in pitch black with a long exposure is mostly luck.
After a few shots I when to the other side of the tower. I wanted to try and get some star trails. So I aimed my camera to the north. I wanted to make sure the tower was in frame so I used my 11mm lens and set the exposure to BULB. I let is sit there for about 40 minutes.
The Ranger Cabin all boarded up.
When I finally went to check it out I was somewhat pleased with the results. Star trails are fun but they take a long time.
While we were waiting for the star trail pictures to come out we noticed some thin clouds rolling in. This would obstruct our view of the Milky Way. As we waited the clouds got a little thicker so we decided to make our way back down.
I did not have any luck with the Milky Way but Eric did get a good shot between the clouds. On the way down I took.a few pictures of a boarded up cabin with a little red light.
We got a few good shots so I would call the trip a success. I’ll have to try again sometime for the Milky Way.
So one sunny Saturday morning my wife and I decided we would go up and check it out.We talked about spreading some of our own dogs ashes there. We lost Lucky, our Cocker Spaniel about 6 months ago. So after a little discussion we grabbed Luckys ashes and spread the majority of them in our back yard along the dog run he loved so much. We took the remaining ashes with us as we made our way to Vermont.
Dog mountain is right of the main route and easy to find. When we go to the property we found parking and started walking around. The grounds are made up of a number of walking trails and have some art and sculptures at different locations. There is also a small church called the Dog Chapel and next to that there is a good sized gift shop.
We decided we would head toward the Chapel and the Gift Shop to start. Due to social distancing rules only three people are allowed in the Chapel at a time and it was already occupied so we headed over to the Gift Shop first.
After browsing a bit I had to use the rest room where I found the most unique faucet shaped like a dog and you lift the tail to start the water flowing. Cool.
After purchasing a few items we went over to the Chapel. Inside there are a lot (thousands) of pictures and notes on the walls left by people who lost a beloved pet or in most cases a family member. We spent some time reading many of the notes and looking for a place to leave a picture of our Lucky-doodle.
I thought I would be sad in here but I was not. I was actually grateful that this pace existed. I can’t believe I had never heard of it. It was really nice to see so many notes and pictures of loved pets.
In side there are also a number of dog theme stained glass. They are beautiful and very well done. Once we placed our picture of Lucky we took a walk up one of the trails to a place called “Angel Dog Overlook”. So we climbed the hill and at the look out there was a large pillar with a Dog Angel on top. It had a beautiful view and even a fire hydrant for the dogs to enjoy.
Here we spread what was left of the Lucky’s ashes. We knew he would like this view. As we made our way back to the car I thought about how much Lucky would enjoy this place. Dog are allowed to roam free on the property and explore the trails, play in the pond and in the summer they even have dog parties. How cool.
When the time comes for us to get another dog I will be bringing them to this place to walk around the trails and say hello to Lucky. This is a magical place and if you are a dog or animal lover you will want to visit and you should.
One of the things I love about summer is a later sunset. I can work a full day and still have time to enjoy a quick hike and catch the sun drop below the horizon.
Since this was a Saturday, there was plenty of time to meet my friends Laura and Summit for a hike up Mt. Kearsarge in Wilmont, NH.
I was feeling a little slow so we meet early to allow us (me) enough time to get to the top in time for sunset. We started out in Winslow State Park. Fortunately the gate was open to reach the state park parking lot. NOTE: There is a fee to enter the park in the summer time.
Date:
04-10-2021
Location:
Wilmont, NH
Distance:
2.6 mi
Elevation Gain:
1,013′
Total Time:
3 hr 59 min
Parking:
10+ cars
Difficultly Rating:
Moderate
Going up the Winslow Trail
We started out doing the same counter clockwise loop we always do. Up the Winslow trail and down the Barlow trail. When we started out the sun was shining and the sky was blue with a only a few clouds in the sky.
It was warm but not hot and it cooled as we got higher up. There were no leaves on the trees and we kept getting hit by sunbeams shinning between the trees.
The Winslow trail was pretty dry for this time of year and we were very happy about that. That means that there were no bugs swarming us as we ascended. The Winslow trail is also one of two trails I know of that has a half way marker. The other is the White Dot trail in Monadnock.
As we got closer to the top we took a quick break at the first view point. The sun was getting lower so we continued on to the summit. When we got to the top there was only one other person there. I was surprised because it was such a nice day.
Orange Sunset
We took some pictures, ate a sandwich and enjoyed a summit beer. As the sun finally set we packed up our stuff and headed down the Barlow trail. I love the top section of this trail because there are a lot of lookouts and it is always pretty in the sunset afterglow.
There was no moon this night so it got dark quick. We got our headlamps out as it got more in the woods. Laura’s headlamp soon fizzed out and was forced to be “one of those hikers” who got down by the light of her cell phone. About 10 minutes later I noticed that my light was also going very dim and I too was now “one of those hikers!” Lol.
We continued down by cell phone. As we got lower, the trail got muddier and even a little soupy in some places. When arrived back at the State Park it was very dark and the stars were shinning bright. I wish I had my camera with me. This would be a great place for some night photography.
Over all great hike. Moral of the story, make sure you have extra batteries.
Lots of people have asked what my XC ski setup is. So I decided to give it a quick review for those wondering. First off I’m a big guy. So I needed something strong that would also help me stay on top of the snow when I break trail in the woods. But also wanted to be able to take it on a groomed trail. Basically an all around ski.
Fischer S-Bound 98 on the Beaver Brook trails, New Hampshire
First of all I should note that I’m new to this sport. I’ve alpine skied for over 30 years but the first time I put my BCX skis on, I fell right on my ass. It was like learning to ski all over again.
Sunny day on a groomed trail at Pine Hill, New Hampshire
At first even snow plowing was a difficult feet. Now that I’ve had a little practice I’ve become more comfortable with them. Although turning and stopping are still a bit of a challenge.
I’ve had these skis for a few years now. I have take them around some local xc tracks and around some golf courses and had a lot of fun with them. I’ve also taken them out in the woods in areas I would snowshoe and they worked great.
We have had a good winter, especially in southern New Hampshire this year. I had a chance to take them out on some groomed and ungroomed trials around the state. Pine Hill, Beaver Brook, Bear Brook State Park, Jackson Ski Trails, Nansen Ski trails and others all had great conditions and allowed me to try my skis in different terrain. Many times I was pushed beyond my comfort zone and lived to tell the tale.
Breaking trail through the Birch trees at Saint Gaudens National Park, New Hampshire
The skis them selves have metal edges like an alpine ski. They also have a large section on the middle of the ski called the “Crown” or the area with the “Fish Scales”. This is the area that gives you traction when going uphill.
Presidential views at Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge, New Hampshire
These skis also have an accessory called an EZ Skin. This is a more aggressive set of scales that you stick to the bottom of the ski for increased traction when going up steep hills.
The BCX 6 boots are very comfortable and waterproof. This is important when you are breaking a trail in deep snow. My feet and ankle feel very secure in these boots and that is important to me. Lastly, I really like the laces for the boot get covered by a zipper so I don’t have frozen lace knots.
The Bindings are manual bindings but are easy to get into. They are beefy and strong and have worked perfectly so far.
Chilling out at Bear Brook State Park
The reason I got the Fischer S-Bound 98 skis was because I planed to do more back country exploring. Similar to what I would do on snowshoes. This is where these skis are the most fun. The flotation is great on fresh snow. Even deep snow. These skis were made to blaze a trail.
On groomed trails I am still a little clumsy. These skis do not fit in a track either so if you are looking to fly around a groomed corse these are not for you. But if you are looking to just have a fun time on the trails. These are a blast. I’m still getting better at turning and stopping but much better at it then at the beginning of the season.
Nansan Ski Club at Milan State Park, New Hampshire
I would like to take these skis out onto a open hill with some fresh snow to practice my down hill turning. It would be great to experiment with different kinds of turns if I had to room to play around. Maybe I’ll bring my skis with me the next time I go downhill skiing and practice with them for a while. We will see.
A last minute change of plans led to an incredibly fun day exploring a haunted hike. I met friends Katlyn and Kahtoolas for this hike in Alton on a bright sunny day. It was such a nice day I was second guessing whether we should be exploring a cave.
From what I have read this is no ordinary cave. This was a Devil’s Den. I had first heard of this hike in the Haunted Hikes book by Marianne O’Connor. This hike has intrigued me for a while and I was glad to finally be able to check it out.
Little overhang rock
We arrived at the parking area on Merrymeeting Road. There was enough room for about 5 cars on the side of the road. This is where the Chesley Class 6 Road starts and takes you the trail head at the base of Devils Den Mountain.
Once we arrived at the trailhead we took a few pics and started up the mountain. As we got closer we could see the cliffs jetting out of the ground. The rocky slabs are massive. We first stayed to the left and headed up to the top of the mountain. The top is pretty flat and mostly open with some nice views. Although once the leaves pop on the trees the views will be limited.
We took a quick break here and enjoyed the scenery then headed back down toward the cave. On our way we got side tracked by a heard path we thought might be a short cut. It was not. It was a dead end. So we back tracked to the trail below us and followed the Green Blazes to the bottom of the den.
Inside the Devil’s Den
The walk along this trail was beautiful, it follows the face of a long rocky ledge. It looked like something right out of the Flintstones.
The blazes end and you have to climb up to the entrance of the den. Just as we stated up to the Devils Den a porcupine jumped out in front of my friends dog and gave us all a scare. We deiced we would go into the cave one at a time and the other will would Kahtoolas at the bottom.
An old hinge in the rock that used to hold a gate, maybe used to imprison witches?
I was first to go climb up and go into the cave. A few people were up there so it was easy to find. Once at the opening I got down and crawled into the cave. I noticed right away the old iron hinges on the side of the rock wall. It is rumored that they used to lock up witches from around the region.
Other roomers were it was a native American burial ground, maybe a ceremonial cave for rituals. Some say it might just be a shelter for people in the region to escape bad weather. What ever you choose to believe it is both creepy and interesting.
Climbing up to the Devils DenOld Stereograph of the “Path to Devil’s Den” Circa 1865
Inside the cave it was really icy and dark. I did have my headlamp but I did not go all the way in. Perhaps I’ll try again in a few weeks when things thaw a bit. I took some pictures and then made my way back out. Once out I headed back down to let Katlyn go into the cave.
Once we were done we started heading back and talked about checking out the summit of Mt. Molly. Our GPS showed us that the trail was right on the same path we were walking on. So we decided to check it out.
Views from Mt. Molly
Turns out this was a great decision. Once we reached the top of the mountain we were surprised to see what great views we had. There were a few others up there enjoying the view as well and we noticed that there is a log book to sign. So we did.
After enjoying the views for a while and some snacks we started back down. While looking at the GPS we noticed that there was a cemetery located along the trail so we decided to look for that as well.
Broken Gravestone in an old family plot
When we got near to where the cemetery was we noticed a few caller holes from some old structures near a stone wall. We would have to follow this wall to get to the cemetery because there were not roads or trails to it.
When we arrived at the cemetery we first noticed a large grave stone that said:
Behind it we noticed another stone that was helping support the first stone. We could not read what the second stone said because it was broken in many pieces. As we looked around we also saw a number of other stone looking rocks standing on end. They were not very tall and were not inscribed with anything.
Miles Chesley Grave
Once we finished looking around we headed back to the where the cellars were and found some other artifacts and signs of old buildings before heading back to the car.
What a great day! I love it when a small hike turns into an unexpected adventure. To anyone else going to visit the Devil’s Den I would highly recommend taking a side track up to Mt. Molly. Totally worth it.
I was excited to be staying in Jackson after hiking up to watch the Inferno Race. I brought both pairs of xc skies. But, when I got to Jackson most of the trails had already melted. Many of them were already dirt paths.
There were some broken trails here and there but nothing that resembled any fun. So I decided to take a ride up Carter Notch Road and see what the conditions were up there. I was happy to see they were open and had plenty of snow on them.
The next morning I got up and bought myself a ticket then headed up the notch. Once I parked I grabbed my Fisher S-bounds and headed out. Conditions were very different in the sun and in the shade.
Date:
03-21-2021
Location:
Jackson, NH
Distance:
2.5 mi
Fee/Pass
$24
Elevation Gain:
70′
Total Time:
2 hr 0 min
Parking:
10+ cars
Difficultly Rating:
Easy/Moderate
Carter Notch Ski Trail in Jackson, NH
In the shade it was more like ice and in the sun it was soft granular snow. One was fast and the other was slow.
I explored a few miles of green curser trails. As the sun got higher in the sky the skiing became much better. I stayed out for about an hour and a half and then headed back. I wanted to try my other skies out down in some of the flatter fields.
When I got to the lower parking, the lot was full of mud. I grabbed the thinner classic skis a friend of mine let me try and walked over to the snow covered trail. I roamed for a few fields till I came across a trail closed sign.
The snow is melting fast on the fields in Carter Notch.
I thought to my self, this is it. End of the season. So I took my time getting back to the car and packed in my skis for the year. It was a really good year and I was happy for all the time I got to spend on my skies.
