grant peak (almost)

today i tried to hike grant peak in the ossipees. grant peak is the highest part of nickerson mountain.

i started at gilman valley road. there were some nice flowers:

i started up a logging road i saw on google earth:

it was wicked steep for long straight stretches:


there werent too many water bars but there was a big one at the bottom:

it looks like the logging road is washing down into the stony brook:

there were lots of logging remains:

there were also some deep ruts. it must have been a big skidder:

it was also a little bit muddy in places even though its been dry lately:

more logging remains:

more mucky stuff:

there was a view though i think of mount whitter:

the straight steep sections of the logging road, as well as trying to step over lots of branches and stuff made this a tougher hike than i thought. i was surprised how little stuff was growing up in the logging road even though the wood looks like it was cut awhile ago. im surprised the government is allowing this on the forest legacy area.

sentinal mountain

sentinal mountain is near dan hole pond. the summit has some ledges but it isn't 360 degree views. the hike up is quite a workout on a hot day.


but you can see the bellnaps

there's also a nice view if you keep walking west toward the camp merrowvista trails.

a walk in the stony brook valley

the other day i went for a walk in the stony brook valley. it is located between mount whittier and grant peak.

there were some neat ferns at the entrance:

awhile later i saw a nice field on my left. i decided to walk up it to get a view:

i saw a gravel pit behind it:

there was fresh dirt. they must have been using the bucket loader recently:


it was a pretty big gravel pit.

it started to rain a little bit so i turned around. i didn't know there was a gravel pit out here i thought it was just woods. it was nice to get out for a walk though.

update i read that in the "Grant of Conservation Easement" document filed with the carroll county registry on march 28 2002, chocorua forestlands had an "obligation to restore and reclaim the Gravel Reserve" after "two (2) years commencing on the date this Conservation Deed is signed". interesting. i think that would mean that in 2004 the gravel pit would have been closed. it looked active to me when i was there this year (2010).

a favorite trail of mine

a favorite trail of mine in the ossipee mountains is the gorilla trail. the gorilla trail goes from mount shaw to mount flag.

parts of it are very grassy and remind me of the south a little bit.















it is also really rocky.
















it was illegal to use the trail last year because it got closed by the government. it is now open again.

the ossipees from mount whiteface

here is what the ossipees look like from mount whiteface. mount whiteface is north of the ossipees.