Iceboating in New Hampshire

Let's go iceboating!

It is a rare day in New Hampshire to get perfect conditions for iceboating. We need thick ice, meaning 4 inches or more of ice, and smooth ice – requiring no excessive ice cracks or ice berms, and minimal snow to stop or grab the steel blades.

The sun was bright. The temperature was 18 degrees, impacted by a biting 20 – 30 mph wind. I removed my glove only long enough to take pictures and short videos. I then immediately returned the hand to the glove's sanctuary for immediate relief for the frozen hand. 

Our location is Perkins Pond in Sunapee, New Hampshire.  From the middle of the Pond, we get a direct view of the magnificent Mount Sunapee.

A Rare Opportunity

Iceboating can be a unique experience. Once you get over the initial, "What am I doing here" feeling, you sense being one with the boat. You hear the wind in the sail and the rumble of the runners over the ice. Indeed, at 18 degrees, you must dress in layers for relative comfort.

Learn More About Dundee's Iceboat

Our good friend, Dundee, is a very creative and skilled person. Today he would share his personally crafted iceboat for us – Steve M, Leslie, David, and myself.

 

Three 10" angle iron blades called "runners" support a triangular-shaped wooden frame with a front steering tiller made from an old hockey stick. The blades are attached to the boat, one on each end of the rear cross plank and one at the fore-end of the hull. The runner blade in the front is capable of rotation controlled by a tiller (the sawed-off hockey stick). There is a backrest cushion seat in the middle for the driver.

Dundee drilled a sail posthole near the front of the boat. In the hole, he positioned the mast from his summer "Sunfish" sailboat. (A Force 5 or Laser sailboat mast will work just as well.) A rope is tied to the sail and used by the driver to control the sail.
The boat with sail weighs about 150 lbs.

Starting, Steering, and Stopping

The boat is usually started by putting the boat sideways to the wind. You then pull onto the sail to capture the wind – and off you go. Making a U-turn is a learned technique, as if you turn too slowly you eventually slow the boat and stop. Good luck getting it moving again with body humping inside the craft, or worst, getting out and pushing and returning to the boat with a jump while avoiding getting hit with the boom.

The boat is steered with the hockey stick tiller to direct the front runner.

The driver pulls or releases the sail via the boom rope to angle the sail to catch the wind. The only seeming limitations to iceboat speed are windage, friction, the camber of the sail shape, strength of construction, quality of the ice surface, the level of skill, athleticism, and fearlessness of the sailor. There are many styles of iceboats. It is said, an iceboat of this style can go twice the speed of the wind, i.e., with a 20-mph breeze, your iceboat can reach a speed of nearly 40-mph!

Tacking or coming about, is a sailing maneuver by which a sailing vessel turns its bow into the wind through the 'no-go zone' so that the direction from which the wind blows changes from one side of the vessel to the other. The tacking method gets the iceboat up and down the pond. Catching the wind on an iceboat in the winter is exactly like sailing a sailboat in the summer.

Microspikes – essential for walking on ice

Certainly the sound of the wind is obvious in the video. In addition, the frequent crackling sound in the video is not the wind – it is the sound of microspikes as we walk on the ice. Microspikes offer safety from slips and falls, and give serious traction on ice for walking and tasks such as pushing the iceboat. 

Enjoy the video of friends iceboating in New Hampshire.

References:

• Ice Boating on Perkins Pond
  
• Ice Boating in New Hampshire - Bedford Community TV
• Iceboat.org 
• Tacking (sailing) 
• Sailing 

Hiking New Hampshire's Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Trail: 75-Miles on a Fourteen Trail Loop

Join Steve Priest as he shares an introduction and video of each of the Fourteen Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway (SRKG) Trails. The videos make the hike “come alive.” Each trail has tips, details on preparation, pictures, maps, and references.

Select your trail - and CLICK:

1. SRK Greenway Trail 1 Old Province Rd, Goshen to Newbury Harbor
2. SRK Greenway Trail 2 Old Province Rd, Goshen to Sunapee Town Hall
3. SRK Greenway Trail 3 Sunapee to Deerhill Springfield 
4. SRK Greenway Trail 4 ProtectworthTrail, Springfield, NH
5. SRK Greenway Trail 5 Springfield/New London to Great Brook Bridge
6. SRK Greenway Trail 6 Great Brook Bridge to Wilmot 4A Wolf Trees and Trails
7. SRK Greenway Trail 7 NH Route 4A to WilmotCenter
8. SRK Greenway Trail 8 Wilmot Center to New Canada Road
9. SRK Greenway Trail 9 New Canada Road to Proctor Academy
10. SRK Greenway Trail 10 Proctor Academy to Winslow State Park Mt Kearsage
11. SRK Greenway Trail 11 Rollins State Park via Lincoln Trail to Kearsarge Valley Road
12. SRK Greenway Trail 12 – Kearsarge Valley Road to Wadleigh State Park
13. SRK Greenway Trail 13 - Kezar Lake at Wadleigh Park to Chalk Pond
14. SRK Greenway Trail 14 – Chalk Pond to Newbury
    
    

    

    SRKG Medal of Completion

    
    Some folks call outdoor experiences “play.” If “play” is defined as the choice made to take a course of action based on the rewards of participation and getting a perspective that can only come from ‘doing,’ then outdoor adventures are play. Many adults and children do not play enough.
    
    " Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"
    

    ---------------------------------------------------

    Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

    

    
    Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics. 
    
    
    
    
    Additional Sources of Books at:
    Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
    E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : Steve's Book Outdoor Play Hiking New Hampshire’s Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Available for Purchase

Sunapee, NH: Steve Priest’s latest book Outdoor Play Hiking New Hampshire’s Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway: 75 Miles on a Fourteen Trail Loop, was released December 1, 2020.

The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge-Greenway (SKRG) Trail is a hidden gem of New England. Outdoor Steve’s goal is to share each step and strategy of this hiking journey across the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. 

A great Stocking Stuffer for the holidays, Thank You Gift, Table Book, and hiking insights to the SRKG.

Steve recommends the eBook to experience the uniqueness of Hiking New Hampshire’s Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Trail. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MDN1S16)

Steve shares a video of his personal experience on each specific trail. The videos make the hike “come alive.” Each trail story is a short read with tips, details on preparation, pictures, maps, and references. The book is also available in paperback.

Some folks call outdoor experiences “play.” If “play” is defined as the choice made to take a course of action based on the rewards of participation and getting a perspective that can only come from ‘doing,’ then outdoor adventures are play. Many adults and children do not play enough.

“Everyone should believe in something. I believe I’ll go Outdoors.” 

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

About the Author Stephen L. Priest lives in Sunapee, New Hampshire. He is the author of ten outdoor guidebooks and is a producer of community television outdoor documentaries. For more of Steve’s outdoor guidebooks and documentary videos, visit OutdoorSteve.com and Outdooradventurers.blogspot.com. Steve has been a Study Group Leader at Colby-Sawyer College, an assistant professor of information systems at Daniel Webster College (Nashua, NH), and an adjunct professor at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. Steve has served in the US Army.

Hiking Sunapee Mountain on Andrew Brook Trail to Lake Solitude

Hiking Sunapee Mountain on Andrew Brook Trail to Lake Solitude and its Overlook is a 4.8-mile out and back trail in Newbury, New Hampshire. 

When six friends from the Outdoor Recreation for Seniors (ORFS) group met on November 10, at 10 am on the Andrew Brook trailhead on Mountain Road, Newbury, NH, the temperature was near 20 degrees, light snow was on the ground. Ice was present the entire trail, and the hike would require crossing Andrew Brook many times, picking steps on half-submerged rocks missing those covered with snow and ice.

Lake Solitude, Newbury, NH. 

The hike is usually rated as moderate. I rate this day’s hike as difficult.  Some may rate it as foolish. 

Our round-trip time was five hours. 

Enjoy our injury-free hike video below.

++++++++++++++++++

"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

Steve Priest’s latest book Outdoor Play Hiking New Hampshire’s Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway: 75 Miles on a Fourteen Trail Loop was released November 5, 2020.

 

The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge-Greenway (SKRG) Trail is a hidden gem of New England. Outdoor Steve’s goal is to share each step and strategy of this hiking journey across the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

 

Steve recommends the eBook to experience the uniqueness of Hiking New Hampshire’s Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Trail.  Steve shares a video of his personal experience on each specific trail. The videos make the hike “come alive.” Each trail story is a short read with tips, details on preparation, pictures, maps, and references. The book is also available in paperback.

-----------

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Kindle and hardcopy at Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH.

Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics.



Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X

Arethusa Falls - the highest waterfall in New Hampshire

"Arethusa Falls in the White Mountains is the highest waterfall in New Hampshire."

This remark was enough for me to want to hike to the Falls and to ask my son Tim and our friend Mark to join me.

There are a few options to hike to the Falls. The easiest is to hike from the Arethusa trailhead on Route 302, directly across the road from Dry River Campground, uphill over a steady plethora of rocks and roots for 1.5 miles, clearly marked with blue paint blazes.

The second option, which we took, is one-tenth of a mile from the trailhead, Arethusa Trail meets the junction of Bemis Brook Trail, where you bear left on a marked yellow paint blazed trail along the Bemis Brook, and you hike to the brook via short spurs to see Fawn Pool, Coliseum Falls, and Bemis Falls. Bemis Brook Trail is very scenic, but can be challenging with plenty of rocks and roots.

At six-tenths of a mile, the Bemis Brook Trail takes a right and goes sharply uphill where I had to use my hands and knees, with help from pull-me up-trees, to climb for less than a tenth of a mile to intersect back to join Arethusa Trail. Admittedly, I had heavy breathing as my body worked harder to get enough oxygen.

There on, Arethusa Trail is maintained with granite steps, two wooden footbridges over descending Bemis Brook, and walk-over wooden planks laid in muddy run-offs. At 1.3 miles, the steady uphill Arethusa Trail intersects the Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail, but you continue left on Arethusa Falls Trail, climbing a steeper set of steps before descending to the Falls.

We relished the sights and sounds of the 200-foot waterfall. We returned directly to the trailhead on Arethusa Falls Trail. We could have taken Bemis Brook Trail on our way back down, but we wanted to take the most physically challenging Bemis Brook section at the beginning of the hike.

We savored the amazing New Hampshire foliage rainbow and sun soaked cornucopia of yellows, red, and orange-colored leaves.

The return hike was one hour.

On this mid-October weekday, we found the Trail somewhat busy, and I hear on weekends the Trail is enjoyed by families and leashed dogs.

Our overall time, with stops at the Bemis brook spurs, regular sips of water and energy bar stops, and time at the Falls was three hours.

Never say, "I wish I had hiked to Arethusa Falls.

The hike to Arethusa Falls was well-worth taking , and one can imagine that in the rainy season, the roar and spray of the waterfall would be even more awe-inspiring.

Click below and hike the Arethusa and Bemis Trails with Steve, Tim and Mark.

References

• Arethusa Falls Via Bemis Brook and Arethusa Trails

• Arethusa Falls Trail Hike in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire

• Where did the name Arethusa Falls come from?

• Note: The 200-feet height of Arethusa Falls is in dispute by some sources.  The "highest in New Hampshire" seems to be in agreement.

++++++++++++++++++

"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Kindle and hardcopy at Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH.

Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics.



Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X

Scouting the Connecticut River for NFCT Section 7

In late September The NH Humanities Zoom presented The Connecticut: New England's Great River. The largest river in New England.  I hiked many times into the Fourth Connecticut Lake, the headwaters of the Connecticut River on the Canadian Border.

My self-proclaimed fame is straddling the Connecticut at its Fourth Connecticut Lake tiny trickle of a stream, as is begins its 400+ mile trip to empty into the sea at Long Island Sound. In one area of its journey, the Connecticut is nearly half a mile across.  The Connecticut is America's only watershed-based national fish and wildlife refuge. 

The very informative presentation was by Adair Mulligan, an environmental biologist and natural resource planner. Adair is currently Executive Director of the Hanover Conservancy.

Adair  mentioned the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Section 7, and an eye-catching aerial slide of the Connecticut's Maidstone oxbow segment. 

A section of the River close to Maidstone Bridge is called Maidstone Oxbow. Oxbow means the River has twists and turns similar to a letter U of an oxen yoke. The River between Maidstone Bridge and the Wyoming Bridge, an approximately eleven-mile paddle of the River, is about a 7-mile drive between Maidstone Bridge and Wyoming Bridge. 

Our Assignment

I have never paddled the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) Section 7 from the DeBanville Landing, Bloomfield, VT, to the Wyoming Bridge in Guildhall, VT.

I suggested to my wife and paddling partner, Catherine, that maybe we should take a foliage ride to northern New Hampshire and while there, scout this Connecticut River section. And, while we were going in that direction, why not bring our canoe with us. Yes, was her response. 

Maidstone Oxbow identified in Red from Maidstone Bridge to Wyoming Bridge

Enjoy the below video as Catherine and I scout this section of the Connecticut 

Our Scouting Report

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail Section 7 follows the Connecticut River for 20+ miles from the Nulhegan River's confluence in Bloomfield, Vermont, to a meeting with the Upper Ammonoosuc, near Groveton, NH.  Friends and I have paddled many sections of the NFCT, but not section 7.

Catherine and I decided because of Adair's oxbow picture slide, to drive directly to the Maidstone Bridge Road put-in Stratford, NH, and then cross the bridge into Vermont and take the Route 102 road along the River to the Wyoming Dam in Guildhall, VT

When we take this Section 7 paddle, we would need parking for one of our cars at the put-in and one at the take-out. We did not go to Bloomfield, Vermont to look for available parking because a NFCT section 7 description noted available parking. The Maidstone Bridge and the Wyoming Bridge do have ample parking.

Addendum to our Scouting Notes

Put-in and Take-Out

The NFCT Section 7 is a 23-mile paddling trip that could be done in one day, or two days to include camping along the river. The NFCT put-in is at DeBanville Landing, Bloomfield, VT, at the signed parking area 0.1 mile south of the junction of Vermont Routes 105 and 102; or near the ball fields in North Stratford, NH. From U.S. Route 3 in North Stratford, left on Bridge Street, left on Main Street before crossing the River, and right immediately after crossing the railroad tracks.

Take Out: Before the Wyoming Bridge. The Wyoming Dam, located immediately downstream from the Bridge, once spanned the Connecticut River between Guildhall, Vermont, and Northumberland, New Hampshire. The remains of this dam are extremely dangerous to boaters and paddlers. Rebar still sticks up from the old concrete. Portage access is on river right on the Vermont side just before the Bridge.

The end of Section 7 is after the bridge in Guildhall, VT; or the Upper Ammonoosuc campsite and paddler access in Groveton, NH. From the US 3 bridge in Groveton, go south 0.5 mile to Normandeau Trucking lot on the right. Access is in the trees on the left side of this lot.

The river part in this area has a sandy bottom, and due to drought conditions, we had to keep our eyes open to not go aground. The high eroded banks show the Connecticut to be five to six feet higher in this area after snowmelt and in rainy conditions. Primitive campsites are open for use in woods and open fields. We need to check the campsite status page before embarking on your trip. (See below Connecticut River Travelers Trail: Campsites, Access Points, and Portage Trails web site.)

From the put-in at Maidstone Bridge (Maidstone, VT) downriver through the Maidstone Bends to Northumberland Bridge is about an eleven mile paddle. Notice my  above screen print with the River route in red where the oxbow turns. You can see the impact of the oxbows on paddle distance because when we scouted this section from our car on Route 102, the distance was seven miles.

Northern Forest Canoe Trail Section 7

All of the Connecticut River from the confluence with the Nulhegan in Bloomfield to the confluence with the Upper Ammonoosuc in Guildhall is considered Section 7. The recommended take out on the Connecticut if you are not paddling upstream on the Upper Ammonoosuc is 3 miles below that confluence at the Wyoming Dam. The paper map considers DeBanville the end of Section 6 and the beginning of Section 7. The end of section 7 is on the Androscoggin River in Errol, NH below the rapids under Route 26. Beyond that is considered Section 8.

References

• Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT)
  https://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/
• Connecticut River Paddlers Trail
  https://www.connecticutriverpaddlerstrail.org/crpt7/
• Connecticut River Travelers Trail: Campsites, Access Points, and Portage Trails
  https://www.connecticutriverpaddlerstrail.org/crpt7/campsites-access-portage-trails
• Paddling the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Section 2: Long Lake to Village of Saranac Lake http://tiny.cc/ma9o1
• Video and Blog: Paddling the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Section 6: The Clyde River - Island Pond to Pensioner Pond
  http://outdooradventurers.blogspot.com/2013/06/paddling-northern-forest-canoe-trail.html
• David Kotz Travel blog
  https://davidkotz.org/2013/08/26/just-around-the-river-ben

OutdoorSteve Has Hiked all Fourteen Trails of the 75-Mile Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway!

SRKG Completion Medal

Trail 9 New Canada Road to Proctor Academy was the last of the fourteen trails needed for me to complete the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway (SRKG) 75-mile loop. Trail 9 was extra special as family and friends accompanied me. Starting at 7 am at the northern trailhead at New Canada Road, Wilmot, NH, we hiked up, over and around Ragged Mountain for 5.5-hours before finishing the 6.5-mile trail at its southern trailhead at Proctor Academy, Andover, NH.

 

My sons Timothy and Shaun, Shaun’s daughter Madison and friend Sam, and grandson Carson, University of Mississippi junior, and friend Savannah, all joined me at 7 am at the New Canada Road northern trailhead in Wilmot, NH. The weather was clear and 72 degrees with wet and trail slippery conditions from the previous night’s rain. 

After going through a wet field, we began our uphill climb through the woods. We unexpectedly did a talus field climb for a few minutes, and after 2.7 miles of uphill, we came to the clearing at the ski summit of Ragged Mountain. We passed by the communications tower that helps at a distance, recognize Ragged from other mountains. We were two- hours and ten minutes into our hike.

After a fifteen-minute lunch break on the Ski Patrol hut deck and a brief tour of the scenic view of New Foundland Lake and surrounding countryside, we continued our trek following the trapezoid SRKG signs to Proctor Academy.

We found the trail to be very well marked. The one exception was the Balance Rock Trail where for about a mile, it we saw no signs in the direction (north to south) we were traveling, but once we turned around we readily saw the trapezoid sign. We surmised the person who put these signs out was traveling south to north. Later at the five mile mark, the signs returned visible to our direction of travel.

Spectaclar View of the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway peaks and Lake Sunapee

“The SRK Greenway is a 75-mile loop of hiking trails in central New Hampshire. The Greenway Trail System circles the Lake Sunapee area and connects Sunapee, Ragged, and Kearsarge Mountains.”

The above definition/description of the Greenway is taken directly from the SRKG.ORG web site. And what got me excited, was at the 4.1 mile ledge West Peak view, we could see directly in front of us the ski slopes of Mt Sunapee; from the right the Ragged Mountain tower we have just our lunch on; and to our left a clear view of Kearsarge Mountain and its communication and fire towers. And to top this off, we were able to discern a section of Lake Sunapee. Wow!! For a simple outdoor enthusiast, this point of view, was remarkable! Check out the below picture with the three red circles identifying each of the three mountain peaks. There in front of us is the SRK Greenway 75-mile loop. 

The Guide, Proctor Trail Sign, and our Phone Map App

As in all my prior SRKG hikes, I have relied on and referenced as I hiked, the SRKG Trail Guide. As we passed the six-mile voice call-out from my iphone we indeed were getting tired and looking for the end of the trail. The Guide listed 6.1 miles – meaning one tenth of the mile until we celebrate my 14th hike on the SRKG. This was the longest one-tenth of a mile I have ever hiked. It was steep downhill woods and went on for what seemed forever. When we finally emerged into the Proctor Academy parking lot, the sign at the southern trailhead said this was a 6.4-mile trail! Indeed, my MapMyRun had my hike at 6.5 miles, but who is counting. Expecting a tenth of a mile and receiving four to five times that distance caused us to chat about our exhaustion.

Summary

Overall a very well signed trail. The SRKG Trail Guide lists this trail as “Difficult.” I would agree, but it is not overwhelming. Of all the fourteen trails, this was not, to me, the most difficult or challenging.

This Trail 9 section is used SRKG and is maintained by the Ragged Mountain Fish and Game Club and Proctor Academy. Well done to all caretakers.

I now, never have to say, "I wish I had hiked the 14 Trails of the Sunapee-Ragged Greenway."

Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway (SRKG) Trails Hiked by OutdoorSteve and Friends - Click below links

1. SRK Greenway Trail 1 Old Province Rd, Goshen to Newbury Harbor
2. SRK Greenway Trail 2 Old Province Rd, Goshen to Sunapee Town Hall
3. SRK Greenway Trail 3 Sunapee to Deerhill Springfield (Video on Bedford Community TV)
4. SRK Greenway Trail 4 ProtectworthTrail, Springfield, NH
5. SRK Greenway Trail 5 Springfield/New London to Great Brook Bridge
6. SRK Greenway Trail 6 Great Brook Bridge to Wilmot 4A Wolf Trees and Trails
7. SRK Greenway Trail 7 NH Route 4A to WilmotCenter
8. SRK Greenway Trail 8 Wilmot Center to New Canada Road
9. SRK Greenway Trail 9 New Canada Road to Proctor Academy
10. SRK Greenway Trail 10 Proctor Academy to Winslow State Park Mt Kearsage
11. SRK Greenway Trail 11 Rollins State Park via Lincoln Trail to Kearsarge Valley Road
12. SRK Greenway Trail 12 – Kearsarge Valley Road to Wadleigh State Park
13. SRK Greenway Trail 13 - Kezar Lake at Wadleigh Park to Chalk Pond
14. SRK Greenway Trail 14 – Chalk Pond to Newbury

References

• Sunapee, Ragged, Kearsarge Greenway Web Site for Trail Maps and the SRK Greenway Trail Guide
• Winslow State Park
• Rollins State Park
• Hiking Eagle Pond, NH with Poet Laureate Donald Hall
• ORFS Hike Northern Rail Trail from PotterPlace Depot to Andover’s Softball field
• Sunapee Harbor Riverway
• Sunapee Harbor Riverwalk
• More Outdoor Steve Adventures

THANK YOU

Summary

Overall a very well signed trail. The SRKG Trail Guide lists this trail as “Difficult.”  I would agree, but it is not overwhelming. Of all the fourteen trails, this was not, to me, the most difficult or challenging.

This Trail 9 section is used by SRKG and is maintained by the Ragged Mountain Fish and Game Club and Proctor Academy.  Well done to all trail maintainers.

 Thank You.

My membership in the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway certainly enticed me to continue my quest. Thank you to all the volunteers who maintain the trails. The SRKG shares and uses many other trailway organizations, along with towns, state government, and private landowners.  Please know your commitment is very much appreciated.

Doing the 75 miles of fourteen trails of the SRKG it was never an individual effort – it included a variety of family and friends spread over two years.  I very much bow to them with many thanks.

In chronological order of participation are my thanks to: Jim (2), Patty (1), Catherine (2 plus scouting of 14 trailheads), Tim (4), Mike (1), Steve (2), Craig (1), Ellen (1), Mark (2), Kendall (2), Shaun (1 plus all blog posts editing), Madison (1), Sammy (1), Carson (1), and Savannah (1).

++++++++++++++++++

"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Kindle and hardcopy at Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH.

Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics.



Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X

Three days hiking in Lincoln, New Hampshire.

Long-time friends and hiking buddies, John, Lennie, and I, drove to LaFayette Campground in Franconia Notch to our registered campsite.

We arrived at 1 pm, set up our three tents, and headed for Georgiana Falls. Through a process of “Where do you want to go,” Lennie had selected Georgina Falls for the first of three hikes. One for each of the three days we stayed at the campground. 

Day 1: Hiking to Georgiana Falls in Franconia Notch, Lincoln, NH

According to Section Hiker referenced below, ”The Georgiana Path leads to two waterfalls in Franconia Notch, the lower and the upper Georgiana Falls on Harvard Brook. The 60 ft upper falls are a worthy destination and quite impressive after a rain. It’s located 1.3 miles up from the Georgiana Falls Path Trailhead off Rt 3, just outside of Lincoln, NH. The lower falls are also referred to as Harvard Falls.

You will need a certain amount of perseverance to reach the upper falls, however. The trail up is clear to the lower falls but harder to follow as you hike higher upstream. Look for sporadic red blazes and stay within sight of the brook, and you should be able to follow the many herd paths that lead up to the upper falls. The area is highly eroded and steep in places, but well worth the effort to climb, leading to a viewpoint directly across from the falls. Bushwhacking a bit higher, you can also climb to the point where the falls start their plummet over the drop."

Total Distance: 3.1 miles Round trip, w/ 750 feet of elevation gain. Level of Difficulty, as survived by Steve, was “extremely difficult.” I did not mean this rating in terms of hiking skill, but because of the effort climbing up, over and around boulders, over fallen logs, all the while doing this crawling up and the hillside. Plus it was up, up, and up.

Truthfully, if it were not for the encouragement (politely said) of John and Lennie, I would have readily turned around to return to the trailhead. The Section Hiker said it, “You will need a certain amount of perseverance to reach the upper falls.”

Day 2: Hiking Lincoln Woods Trail to Franconia Falls, Lincoln, NH

On the Kancamagus Highway, just outside of Lincoln, is the Lincoln Woods Trailhead, as announced by a large sign. A ranger station, parking area, and toilet facilities are available. Lennie, John, and I arrived early in the morning, and the parking lot was already beginning to fill up. As advertised, this is a very busy trail. 

We started our 7.1 round trip hike mile by crossing a long suspension bridge over the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. The river flow and scenic views from the deck are delightful to enjoy. However, our goal, Franconia Falls, was three-plus miles away, so we kept on moving.

The Lincoln Woods Trail follows an old railroad trail, which includes remnants of railroad ties, and kiosks of information on the long-ago railroad and this wilderness area. Once over the bridge, you go left and follow the Lincoln Woods Trail, a straight line trail for 2.8 miles

The East Branch, as well as some tributaries, accompanied the trail for much of the route. A few spur paths lead closer to the river shore. At 2.8 miles, we came to what looked like the end of the trail but was a 4-foot-high rock cement wall. On the other side of the wall was another long bridge, this one crossing Franconia Brook to continue further into the White Mountains National Forest.

We admired the views from the bridge, then turned back to follow a sign on the left showing .4 miles to Franconia Falls.

This Franconia Falls Trail follows Franconia Brook upstream to Franconia Falls.

Reaching the Falls, we dropped our packs and hopped over huge boulders to the middle of the Falls with elegant views of the water dancing over the rocks and finding its way heading downstream.

John and Lennie cooled their feet in the flowing falls. I stripped to my bathing suit and took a waist-high dip in the falls.

Statistics of our hike: Lincoln Woods Information Center to Franconia Falls and return.

• Lincoln Woods Information Center- Lincoln Wood Trail to Franconia Falls Trails Sign = 2.7miles
• Franconia Falls Trails Sign to Franconia Falls on Franconia Falls Brook = .4 miles
• Overall hike: distance 7.2 miles
• Overall Time 3.5 hours.
• Level of Difficulty: Easy. Beautiful family hike. BUT remember, this is a 7.2 miles hike. This distance may not be suitable for some in your group. Also, when in the Franconia Falls, this can be a perilous situation, so children, and others not paying attention, can be threatened by the Falls.

Day 3: Serendipity Loop Trail from Kancamagus Highway Lincoln, NH

This was our final day in the White Mountains. Our Georgiana Falls hike on Monday took a physical toll as we needed perseverance to reach the upper fall because of the effort climbing up, over and around boulders, over fallen logs, all the while doing this crawling up the hillside. Our Tuesday hike was not difficult, but did require a 7.1 mile hike. Wednesday’s hike was a one hour cool down with an easy hike before our two plus hours driving home.

Serendipity Loop Trail is a 2.3 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Lincoln, New Hampshire alongside the East Branch of the Pemigewosset River, and is suitable for all skill levels. The path is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching.

We saw some blowdowns in the East Branch of Pemigewasset River as we followed the river in our clockwise trail. We approached the water when we saw animal tracks we could not identify.

We had one decision to make when we reached the sign for our return trail. We were confused because the sign seemed to point us to continue along the river. However, Lennie’s Alltrail app map confirm we keep right on the return trail. During our discussions, Lennie and I compared my MapMyRun app with his Alltrails app. I put together comparing the different apps using the Serendipity Trail.

Enjoy this Serendipity Loop Trail video.

References

• Georgiana Falls in Franconia Notch 
• Georgiana and Harvard Falls, Franconia Notch, Lincoln, NH
• North American's Top Adventure Roads: Franaconia Falls
• Franconia Falls via Lincoln Wooods Trail
• Alltrails: Serendipity Loop Trail from Kancamagus Highway Lincoln, NH
• Wildly Exploring The Unknown

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"Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Kindle and hardcopy at Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH.

Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics.

Additional sources of Books:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X