Sun setting behind the Presidential Range in the White Mountain National Forest. Click on the image for a larger view.
Tag Archives: Nature
Alpine Garden
Just below the summit of Mt. Wahington is an area known as the Alpine Garden. Being on the leeward side of the range, this meadow is sheltered from some of the harshest weather on the mountain. Click on the image for a larger view.
Mt. Washington
Mt Washington, located in the White Mountain National Forest, is the highest peak in New England at 6,288 ft. or 1,917m. While not particularly tall, the climate can be harsh. The fastest recorded wind gusts on the surface of the Earth were measured here on April 12th 1934: 231 mph or 372 km/h. Winters temperatures are extreme, reaching to below –40º. Even in the summer, the summit temperatures are rarely above the mid 50sºF, about 12ºC. And when you visit, there is a good chance of rain or snow.
The mountain was originally known to the Abenaki as Agiocochook, “Home of the Great Spirit.” The spirit of the revered Abenaki chief Passaconaway was said to have ascended into heaven from this peak.
This view is from just below the summit near Nelson Crag. Alpine Garden and the head of Tuckerman Ravine are just below. Click on the image for a larger view.
White Mountain National Forest
The White Mountain National Forest is one of the largest wilderness areas in New England, covering 1,225 sq. miles or 3,039 km². While many come to this area for the mountains, there is plenty to explore below the peaks. Ellis River runs off Mt. Washington and down Pinkham Notch. Click on the image for a larger view.
Crawford Notch State Park, NH
The White Mountains in New Hampshire is home to Crawford Notch State Park. The park is in the middle of one of the largest national wilderness areas in New England, the White Mountain National Forest. This area is known for its beauty and weather; rain and snow are a constant threat in these mountains. Crawford Notch is also the source for the Saco River that follows through Maine and into the Atlantic Ocean. Click on the image for a larger view.
The Immaculate Lawn
Lawns are very disciplined spaces. Trimmed and managed into a perfect carpet of green. This is important. This is the way it is done. A flawless lawn is an exemplary symbol of the advances of mankind.
When Naomi and I moved to Maine, we rented a house in Jefferson. It was situated on an acre of land. The lawn mover we were given to maintain that one-acre lawn had broken. In a short time, the discipline of the lawn had been lost. What replaced it was very different (click on the image for a larger view). The lesson was not lost on us when we moved into our home.
Liquid Light
Summer is the season of liquid light—forms and edges seem to melt away. Our forest becomes a chapel dedicated to a goddess of color. Click in this image for a larger view.
Height of the Land
Height of the Land in Rangeley is a magical place. Overlooking Mooselookmeguntic Lake, this spot makes you feel like you are standing at the top of the world. Click on the image for a larger view.
Mooselookmeguntic Lake is the forth largest lake in Maine, covering an area of 25.5 square miles or 66 square kilometers at an elevation of 1,467ft or 477m. It is part of the Androscoggin watershed. The name come from the Abenaki meaning “moose feeding place.” That evening, as we were leaving, we spotted a female with her calf.
Mountain Sky
Our Sunday trip to western Maine ended in Rangeley. Mountain skies always seem special. Their ephemeral forms fascinate me. Clouds create an illusion of substance, but, within the space of a few minutes, can dissipate into the air that bore them. Click on the image for a larger view.
The Source of the Androscoggin
Not far from Grafton Notch State Park, Umbagog Lake straddles the border of Maine and New Hampshire. This lake is the source of the Androscoggin River, which flows through New Hampshire and into Maine, eventually joining the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay before emptying into the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean. The name of the river is thought to come from either the Eastern Abenaki or Penobscot tribe.
Textile and paper mills nearly killed the river, but it has slowly been recovering since the enactment of the Clean Water Act, which the Androscoggin inspired. While great strides have been made to improve the condition of the Androscoggin (it was once known as the “Andro-stinkin” and just swimming in the river would make you sick), industrial pollution down stream is still a serious problem. Click on the image for a larger view.
