In the foothills around Wonalancet village Hiking –––––
Around mid-afternoon tended to stay in the middle last Saturday, as cold air of the road, away from moved swiftly into the area, the groomed track on the Ed Parsons left and a skating path on I decided to do a 4.6 mile loop hike in the foothills around the right. Soon, I met two the village of Wonalancet, an attracpair of x-country skiers. After a left tive hamlet of Tamworth located at hand curve, I took a right at a small the base of the Sandwich Range. “trail” sign, and continued on another To get to my starting point, I drove groomed road, following blue blazes north on Route 113A from Tamworth on the trees for the foot path. village, and in six and a half miles, just Soon the Gordon Path left this road after the white Wonalancet Chapel, on the right at an opening in the scrub. turned right on the dirt Ferncroft I didn’t see a trail sign at that turn. Road, and started down it towards the But soon I found blue blazes again, large hiker parking lot located in the reaffirming my way. smaller hamlet of Ferncroft (which Finally, I was on a quiet snowy incidentally, is in the town of Albany). foot path in the woods, with only the To my surprise, looking across the tracks of wild animals indicating any field, I could see that the parking lot previous passage. The trail climbed a was not only full but overflowing. I low ridge and started gradually down had never seen it that full. Although a the other side. In another fifteen minSaturday, it still seemed odd on such a utes, I spied a house ahead. I walked winter’s day that was getting progresout to the side of Route 113A, next to sively colder and breezy. Only upon the Wonalancet Chapel. returning to the parking lot later Removing my snowshoes, I walked would I find out from a lone hiker that down the road past the chapel, took there were a couple large groups up a right on Ferncroft Road, and in 50 on Mount Whiteface and Mount Pasfeet on the left, came to a trail sign at saconaway. the end of a driveway. This WonalanIronically, though my hike was cet Outdoor Club trail sign was for the closer to “civilization” and not nearly Red Path. I headed down the driveso difficult as theirs, I saw no one in way though a field and into the woods, the woods that afternoon. This is part passing a house before the trail conof the reason I recommend this intertinued. esting and quiet loop hike around In my short walk back into “civilization,” I hadn’t seen a soul. Wonalancet. It was getting colder as I climbed I walked down the parking lot to the up the 0.7 mile Red Path. I was evenwoods, paused, and put on snowshoes tually heading for Mount Katherfor only the second time this winter. ine (1,371 feet), a low summit above There were a few inches of new snow, Wonalancet. I paused to adjust my with a thin layer of crunchy snow on layers, so I could stay warm yet not top. It would definitely be easier in sweat. snowshoes. Then I reached the junction at Tilton Then, instead of taking a left on the Spring. A thin pipe ran into a square Old Mast Road (one of a few Sandwich pool of spring water lined with an old Range trails that start there), I went stone wall. I thought of when the hillstraight on the 1.2 mile Gordon Path side was devoid of trees. I wondered — the first trail on my loop hike that if the stone wall was built during the day. It began on a logging road that New England sheep era in the early to was groomed as a cross country ski mid-1800s. trail. see next page To avoid disturbing the ski trail, I
from preceding page
most of their hunting is done in a "sit and wait" style. They have a direct, strong, and steady flight with deliberate, powerful downstrokes and quick upstrokes. When I overflew them, they looked like large, white moths as they flapped just above the tundra.
Dave Eastman also broadcasts “Country Ecology” four times weekly over WMWV 93.5 fm. As Vice President of the Lakes Region Chapter/ASNH, he welcomes you to monthly programs at the Loon Center in Moultonborough. He is available at: cebirdman@ hotmail.com for consultation.
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