The flanks of Mt. Washington at the head of the Great Gulf. Scree is the rock shed from a mountain as it erodes. Click on the image for a larger view
Tag Archives: Mt. Washington
The Presidentials
Mt. Washington is the most prominent member of what is known as the Presidential Range in New Hampshire. These are other Presidential peaks: Mt. Adams on the left Mt. Madison in the center. Click on the image for a larger view.
White Mountains
White Mountain National Forest from Mt. Washington. Click on the image for a larger view.
Exploitation
At some point in time, either deposited by a glacier or eroded from the mountain, a boulder settled in this valley. Why this tree thought it might be a good place to grow is a mystery, but it did. And from the size of the trunk, it was fairly successful. Click on the image for a larger view.
Resisting Change
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Memorial Day Weekend
Naomi and I went to the White Mountain National Forest on Saturday. The weather was hot and humid—unusual for this time of year, especially since the temperatures reached 93°F. This is also one of the busiest weekends to travel to this park. While it would have been nice to be at the cool summit of Mt. Washington, we had no desire to jostle with the crowds. We had lunch at the bottom of the auto road and simply enjoyed the view. Click on the image for a larger view.
Twilight
Twilight is a strange phase; not light enough to be day, not dark enough to be night. To human vision, forms lose their solidity as they disappear into shadow; to the camera, they almost appear to glow from within. Click on the image for a larger view.
Being, Becoming
Why life? Is this self-organizing matter a natural outcome of a universe? Is it the nature of a universe to desire consciousness? The Great Gulf Wilderness was carved out by ice in the last glacial period, leaving a world of rock. Yet, in spite of this harsh terrain, life thrived. Layers upon layers of organisms colonized and built this beautiful world. Unlike the eroded mountain it inhabits, it diversified into unimaginable complexity. Click on the image for a larger view.
The Northern Forest
Naomi and I took a trip to the Great Gulf Wilderness Area last weekend. Instead of standing on the head wall of the glacial cirque, we had entered the base of the valley. The Northern Forest is a unique ecosystem that stretches from the Adirondacks in northern New York, through Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and into the Canadian maritime provinces. At the base of Mt. Washington, the forest is mixed. The structure is complex: life carves out spaces in a three-dimensional world that stretches from the forest floor to the canopy. Even glacial erratics, large rocks dropped by retreating glaciers, become home to fern, moss, and trees. Click on the image for a larger view.
Living on Edges
The tenacity of life, the ability to hang onto existence in some of the harshest conditions, always amazes me. A delicate balance that does not take very much to lose—a few footsteps from a careless hiker could cause irreparable damage, as could a rock slide. Climate is a constant source of stress. This collection of moss, grass, and wild flowers is at the head of the glacial cirque that is home to the Great Gulf Wilderness Area, just below the summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. Click on the image for a larger view.
