The nights at Jigger Johnson Campground, White Mountains, deserve their own post. Past Labor Day, the campgrounds emptied out and I was facing the nights in almost total solitude with the cold, the howls and the silence. The no-electricity campground is run very professionally and in good spirit.
With incredible active geology and beautiful waterfalls, Sabbaday Falls easy trail, New Hampshire, is a great introduction to the wonders of the White Mountains. Hidden pools, multiple cascades, explanatory panels and safety rails.
Boulder Loop Trail, White Mountains, NH. An exhilirating climb led to opening vistas of mountains and forests from rock ledges. Glacial boulders covered in black lichen dotted the way. Using the interpretive trail map, I learned a lot about trees (including the amazing hemlocks), rocks and forest preservation.
Beauty upon beauty in the “horizontal” walk of Greeley Ponds. Enjoying the incredible vistas of gathering storm clouds over forested mountains, and huddling together with a group of scouts in a rain shelter, I started this incredibly rewarding walk in the rain, but soon it was dry enough to enjoy both the macro and the micro worlds that kept emerging around me, as well as some socializing opportunities..
I did not really conquer that peak – the Mount Washington Guided Tour van did – but I got a view and a future challenge. It was a tough decision making process. I strolled around the summit, famous for its extreme weather, watched the cogwheel train, took pictures.
Intending to get to one place and reaching another, I was lucky to find myself on top of the amazing Cathedral Ledge, seeing a magnificent vista. Also a highly interesting social encounter with a female rock climber and a night drive on a desolate road.
Last sortie into the White Mountains at the magical Lost River Gorge and Caves easy access reserve. Roots make impossible overground journeys to provide trees with grounding and nutrients, water cascades down tunnels to erupt in beautiful waterfalls, boulders conceal caves, crevasses.
Experiencing a change in climate, landscape, way of life and mode of travel, I crisscrossed the corn fields of Vermont to end up in the aptly called Lazy LIons Campground in the midst of nowhere, met some great guys there, learned to eat S’mores and found out where custom granite tombstones are made in a place aptly called “Forever”.
Lake Champlain Islands, VT. I reconnected with my water element on this set of beautiful islands, replete with history, geology, nature and atmsophere. I settled into Grand Isle State Park Campground, met some great people and trees on the beach, and at night, communed with the spirit of a magical tree.
Isle La Motte – Extraordinary beauty and wildlife. The oldest fossilized reef in the world at Goodsell Ridge Preserve. Site is also features: WTT – Walk Through Time: Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going? Another site of interest: St. Anne’s shrine, a religious historical monument.
As an “authentic” Vermont experience, I picked Macintosh apples at Hacket Farm, South Hero, Highly recommended – fresh, fun and inexpensive. Also: Driving to Burlington to take care of my car insurance claim, then rewarding myself with a great Japanese meal at Hana’s.
Transferring into my first leanto and studying the variety of habitats on the Ironwood Trail, I spent another charming day on Lake Chmaplain.
Fisk Quarry Preserve, La Motte VT. An extraordinary chain of events led me from a quarry turned nature preserve, featuring the oldest fossilized reef, to the house of the people who fought to ascertain this is protected and safeguarded for future generations. Also an art barn and a pizza dinner in a home atmosphere.
New York State welcomed me with colorful fruit stands and pristine glacial lakes, The Keene furniture stores featured a rich and authentic mountain culture, clearly not for vegetarians, though. Far from the lights of the Big Apple, my new campsite at Drape’s Acres was a picth dark, desolate post-season affair.
Climbing two sections of Mount Whiteface, I saw how Nature takes after the Olympic human enterprise, how sunrays reflect back from mountain valleys into space and how a cloud collector in the Adirondacks measures pollution blowing over from Shanghai.
The nights at Jigger Johnson Campground, White Mountains, deserve their own post. Past Labor Day, the campgrounds emptied out and I was facing the nights in almost total solitude with the cold, the howls and the silence. The no-electricity campground is run very professionally and in good spirit.
With incredible active geology and beautiful waterfalls, Sabbaday Falls easy trail, New Hampshire, is a great introduction to the wonders of the White Mountains. Hidden pools, multiple cascades, explanatory panels and safety rails.
Boulder Loop Trail, White Mountains, NH. An exhilirating climb led to opening vistas of mountains and forests from rock ledges. Glacial boulders covered in black lichen dotted the way. Using the interpretive trail map, I learned a lot about trees (including the amazing hemlocks), rocks and forest preservation.
Beauty upon beauty in the “horizontal” walk of Greeley Ponds. Enjoying the incredible vistas of gathering storm clouds over forested mountains, and huddling together with a group of scouts in a rain shelter, I started this incredibly rewarding walk in the rain, but soon it was dry enough to enjoy both the macro and the micro worlds that kept emerging around me, as well as some socializing opportunities..
I did not really conquer that peak – the Mount Washington Guided Tour van did – but I got a view and a future challenge. It was a tough decision making process. I strolled around the summit, famous for its extreme weather, watched the cogwheel train, took pictures.
Intending to get to one place and reaching another, I was lucky to find myself on top of the amazing Cathedral Ledge, seeing a magnificent vista. Also a highly interesting social encounter with a female rock climber and a night drive on a desolate road.
Last sortie into the White Mountains at the magical Lost River Gorge and Caves easy access reserve. Roots make impossible overground journeys to provide trees with grounding and nutrients, water cascades down tunnels to erupt in beautiful waterfalls, boulders conceal caves, crevasses.
Experiencing a change in climate, landscape, way of life and mode of travel, I crisscrossed the corn fields of Vermont to end up in the aptly called Lazy LIons Campground in the midst of nowhere, met some great guys there, learned to eat S’mores and found out where custom granite tombstones are made in a place aptly called “Forever”.
Lake Champlain Islands, VT. I reconnected with my water element on this set of beautiful islands, replete with history, geology, nature and atmsophere. I settled into Grand Isle State Park Campground, met some great people and trees on the beach, and at night, communed with the spirit of a magical tree.
Isle La Motte – Extraordinary beauty and wildlife. The oldest fossilized reef in the world at Goodsell Ridge Preserve. Site is also features: WTT – Walk Through Time: Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going? Another site of interest: St. Anne’s shrine, a religious historical monument.
As an “authentic” Vermont experience, I picked Macintosh apples at Hacket Farm, South Hero, Highly recommended – fresh, fun and inexpensive. Also: Driving to Burlington to take care of my car insurance claim, then rewarding myself with a great Japanese meal at Hana’s.
Transferring into my first leanto and studying the variety of habitats on the Ironwood Trail, I spent another charming day on Lake Chmaplain.
Fisk Quarry Preserve, La Motte VT. An extraordinary chain of events led me from a quarry turned nature preserve, featuring the oldest fossilized reef, to the house of the people who fought to ascertain this is protected and safeguarded for future generations. Also an art barn and a pizza dinner in a home atmosphere.
New York State welcomed me with colorful fruit stands and pristine glacial lakes, The Keene furniture stores featured a rich and authentic mountain culture, clearly not for vegetarians, though. Far from the lights of the Big Apple, my new campsite at Drape’s Acres was a picth dark, desolate post-season affair.
Climbing two sections of Mount Whiteface, I saw how Nature takes after the Olympic human enterprise, how sunrays reflect back from mountain valleys into space and how a cloud collector in the Adirondacks measures pollution blowing over from Shanghai.