Mt. Roberts and Faraway Mtn. November 29

[forestgnome]

Mt. Roberts Trail had a dusting at the bottom and about 6" to 8" of dry crusty snow at the top. I was hoping to extend bare-ground hiking for another weekend, but at least it wasn't deep and weather was beautiful.

There's lots of different residents in the Ossipees.

snowshoe hare...

spruse grouse (I think)

view from smmit (I think) of Mt. Roberts looking north...

The trail from there to faraway mtn. has tracks of different creatures just about the whole way.

bear...

bear food (beech nut husks)

moose...

creatures great and small...(sqirrel and bear)

some sort of mouse or mole tunneling around in the powder...

view from Faraway Mtn....

happy trails

 

[w7xman]

You definately got to see some neat stuff on the trip. Lots of life in the woods in winter...always fun to track it.

Nice shots on a nice hike!

 

[Amicus]

I would imagine yours was one of the vehicles I saw in the bottling plant hiker's lot around 1:30 yesterday. (I don't recall seeing it full before.) I had just used my limited time for a little hike to Hill 1223, which is the last bump on the ridge running SSW from Mt. Roberts. (Trail Bandit and Mary told me about a nice trail to it that leaves from around the bridge you cross, near the beginning of Ossipee Park Road.)

Lower down, there was less snow so fewer tracks. Sorry our paths didn't cross.

No comment on your "Faraway summit?" caption.

 

[Jazzbo]

A bizzare thought of some future world?

A bizzare thought of some future world? Maybe we should all carry GPS and simply state our coordinates in our TR's and conversation. Not mention place names?

 

[Jabberwalk]

I loved the pictures of all the animal tracks. I am a novice at winter tracks and your pictures were 'worth one thousand words'. Thanks for the post. Is winter really here for good??

 

[rocket21]

Wow, forestgnome was in the Ossipees! Great trip report!

 

[carole]

There's lots of different residents in the Ossipees.

Seems to be a lot of visitors, too. I was there, myself, recently.

 

[Jason Berard]

cool pics and TR, forestgnome. I think the snow tunnels may be from a vole. I could be wrong about that, but I think they are the usual culprits when one spots those shallow tunnels in the snow or ground. I think moles usually dig deeper, and mice don't dig? Not so sure about the mice part.....

 

[TrishandAlex]

You got a nice sampling of wildlife tracks -- great pictures! Looked like a nice day for a hike.

 

[forestgnome]

oops!!! I forgot to post the nightcap image...a cresent Moon setting over the hills..

My first hike in the Ossipees was very nice. I hope to bump into one some of our local VFTTers from the Ossipees next time

 

[grouseking]

Really cool!! And the last image that you posted of the crescent moon tops them in my book!!

grouseking