Kevin Judy and Emma
Well-known member
Dutchman's Breeches Dicentra cucullaria
For those who don't follow Emma's adventures this is probably of little interest, but to those who do, I'm sure you will be glad to know that she is back on the trail! After a successful hike to Mount Major and Straightback Mountain on Sunday with her mom, I decided to hike something a little more difficult yesterday. On the advice of one of the best photographers I know we headed to Rattlesnake Mountain in Rumney. I had been told that the climber's parking lot was a great place to shoot wildflowers, and indeed it was! I wish I had gone a week or so earlier as many were already starting to fade, a sign that this incredibly early spring is beginning to pass into an early summer.
After an impatient Emma allowed me to shoot away in the parking area, we set out to find a hiking trail which I knew led to the summit, but I was unaware as to where the trailhead could actually be. Signage in the parking lot gave no clue, although all the major rock-climbing routes were extremely well mapped. With some solicited advice we set off down the road a piece to where we found some stairs that led up and we began our hike. The trails led into a tremendous boulder field below the cliffs, but then petered out. Undeterred, we picked our way, yes, bushwhacked, along the ridge, just far enough away from the edge of the cliffs that my heart wasn't in my mouth when Emma ventured in that direction.
Emma cools down in a nice mudhole on the summit.
We eventually found the actual trail near the summit and followed across the bare rock expanse, enjoying the views of the Baker River Valley below us and the beautiful shapes of Carr and Stinson Mountains to our north and northeast. Near the summit we found Bluets and Early Saxifrage and found that the Hobblebush was beginning to bloom. Near the cliffs we watched as a Peregrine Falcon rose on the thermals and gave us a flyby. It was beautiful spring warmth with a nice breeze that kept the blackflies at bay.
Emma takes in the view of Stinson Mountain on this lovely day!
On the summit we could see the destruction caused by wildfires of a few years previous, but things certainly seem to be on the mend. Nature's resiliency is such a marvel! I was pretty warm at this point, but couldn't imagine what it felt like to make this climb in a fur coat. Emma found herself a nice big muck puddle an jumped right in. Muck could be her favorite thing and she ducked her face right in! Once her body temp got back to manageable she climbed back out and had a good shake, obviously refreshed! we followed the trail back down and had a one mile roadwalk back to the car.
Trailing Arbutus (Mayflower) Epigaea repens
It's been seven or eight weeks since she injured herself and at her age the mending is a slow process. We didn't help things with a couple of big hikes before we realized the extent of her injury, but she seems to be on the mend. Today she seemed no worse for having made this hike, so we'll try again Saturday. We've all been itching for some quality mountain time!
Complete set of pictures here.
KDT
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