A Chance Meeting at Georgiana Falls (30-Jan-2010)

[1HappyHiker]

For the past several weeks, there has been a project that has required my attention and it has had some impact on the time available for outdoor activity, like hiking for example!

I was able to break free from this project on Saturday around noon. This didn't leave a lot of time. So, a plan was quickly concocted for a short hike up the Georgiana Falls Trail. Then from the end of this trail, I planned to do a short bushwhack to Bog Eddy which is a place I'd never been before. About midway up the Georgiana Falls Trail, I had a chance meeting with a very nice guy named Owen who I'd never met before. He had also gotten off to a late start, and incredibly, he had the same exact itinerary in mind! We joined forces and continued our adventure together.

The views from Bog Eddy were the highlight of the day. A few of the snapshots taken from that location are shown below.

Bog Eddy Viewpoint: Mt. Pemigewasset and Portion of Franconia Range

Bog Eddy Viewpoint: Kinsman Range

Bog Eddy Viewpoint: Mt. Wolf (highest peak at upper left of photo)

On the way up to Bog Eddy, a snapshot was taken from near the top of the Georgiana Falls/Harvard Falls complex. From here, you peer down at I-93 off in the distance. Probably many of you have seen this vantage-point in the distance as you travel northward on I-93. Particularly during the winter months and during the Spring run-off, it appears as a "white spot" near the top of a ridge on the west side of the Interstate corridor in the vicinity of Lincoln.

Looking at I-93 from the Top of the Falls

With the day already shortened by a very late start-time, there wasn't a lot of latitude to extend this trek to include other destinations in the immediate area. However, there was enough time to include a short whack up to the unattractive swath cut through the forest for the high-voltage power lines. There were no expectations for any great views from there, but since it was close by, it had to be investigated!

It was a very easy open-woods whack to the power line. From the particular spot where we stood on the swath, there were some rather uninspiring views toward Lincoln. There was an OK view toward the Kinsman Range.

Power Line Viewpoint: Kinsman Range

Although the hike was relatively brief, it was an unexpected pleasure to have a chance meeting with Owen who I had never met. And, it was fantastic to get to a spot where I had never been, i.e. Bog Eddy.

1HappyHiker

 

[bryan]

cool hike. really interesting pictures of the surrounding peaks. thanks for sharing them.

bryan

 

[NeoAkela]

John,

Thank you for this report! I was wondering about this waterfall after our warm spell last week, since I look up that way almost every day on my way home from work. Was there any water flow left, or is it frozen solid again? I particularly like that ice formation that you can see in the lower left side of your photo - looks like quite an impressive mass of icicles.

Bog Eddy seems like a great winter destination. I've only seen it from afar atop the Indian Head cliffs during the warmer seasons. Thanks for sharing the views from that location!

 

[NewHampshire]

Didn't bring any ice skates for the bog? I am actually surprised to see so much thin ice and open water for what has proven to be a rather chilly winter so far!

Brian

 

[1HappyHiker]

cool hike. really interesting pictures of the surrounding peaks. thanks for sharing them.

Bryan, thanks for your reply. Not "tooting my own horn", but it was a pretty "cool hike". My only regret is that I got such a late start.
I would've liked to have had the time to poke around up there a little longer. But hey . . . it will always be there. For certain, I'll make a return visit there sometime.
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I was wondering about this waterfall after our warm spell last week, since I look up that way almost every day on my way home from work. Was there any water flow left, or is it frozen solid again?

Chris, on the day of this hike, there was some limited water flow in Harvard Brook at the lower portion of the trail. However, things became progressively more frozen the higher I climbed along the banks of the brook. At the time of day I was there, the lighting along the brook was a bit "funky". Below is the only decent photo that I got of one of the frozen cascades. (This particular cascade was probably about 3/4 of the way up the trail.)

Frozen Cascades

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I particularly like that ice formation that you can see in the lower left side of your photo - looks like quite an impressive mass of icicles.

Yes . . . I thought a real photo enthusiast such as you might appreciate that! I was unable to safely work myself any closer to that particular ice formation. But, for your viewing pleasure, below is an isolated snapshot.
(Those icicles are arranged in such a way that it sort of reminds me of a grooming brush of some sort!)

Icicle Close-Up

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Didn't bring any ice skates for the bog? I am actually surprised to see so much thin ice and open water for what has proven to be a rather chilly winter so far!

Brian . . . nope didn't bring any ice skates . . . and I'll tell you that if I did, it would have been literally like "skating on thin ice" (as the expression goes!). With the frigid temps we've been having, I was surprised to see such open water. I was even more surprised that there were a number of unreliable ice bridges along the route. There were some spots as high as 2,100 ft where there I was breaking through ice to unfrozen H20!

Further regarding Bog Eddy itself, below is a photo similar to one in my original posting. However, this one shows a beaver lodge on the right side of the photo. I have a very limited knowledge of what beavers do in the winter. Do they do something that results in areas of open water like seen in my snapshot? You know . . . like having some raucous lodge meetings or something?

Beaver Lodge

 

[Jazzbo]

Cause of the Open water

I think the cause of the open water has something to do with the recent warm and heavy rains. I recall last winter we had something similar where frozen rivers were suddenly inundated with relatively warm large volumes of runn-off. These events might be enough disturb ice bridges and flood ponds with open water. I recall Dr D's TR their annual Pemi Wilderness ski traverse and rivers had flooded preventing them from doing the usual stream crossings.

One reason your the ice formations on falls were so nice is because recent rains overflowed formerly snow-covered ice structures. I was up Ripley falls recently and they were sort of ho-hum because whatever ice structures were covered with snow at the time, but I bet if you went up there this same weekend you'd be treated to re-freshed ice structures due to recent rains.

Gee I wish I could be up there now taking advantage of the good whacking conditions. Maybe this weekend I get to sample some. I'm planning to hike the Carters from 19M brook and intend to whack the last bit back to 19M brook from Imp Trail. Hopefully conditions will continue until then.

I agree that mass of icicles is pretty wild! Good shooting!

 

[1HappyHiker]

Ray, thanks for taking a moment to post a reply and put forth your thoughts about the cause of the open water and the weakened ice bridges.

Hope you have an enjoyable time hiking the Carters this weekend. And, also hope you have a fun time at whacking from the Imp Trail over to the 19 Mile Brook Trail. That's a great whack, and saves considerable time. I've often wondered why there isn't an official connector between those two trails. Maybe it has something to do with crossing Cowboy Brook, but I can think of a few water crossings on official trails that can be more challenging than that!

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

More great stuff!

Great Tr and pics, John! Those icicles remind me of the baleen hair which is found on some whales! They filter plankton with it and thus feed almost continuously while moving through the ocean.

KDT

 

[1HappyHiker]

Great Tr and pics, John! Those icicles remind me of the baleen hair which is found on some whales!

Thanks Kevin for your comments and for the link. Hmmm . . . baleen hair . . . an interesting analysis! Well, if nothing else, it was certainly one whale of a collection of icicles!

 

[mtruman]

Interesting analysis Kevin. Baleen hair huh? Good thing it was John that was there and not Jonah!