TDawg
Well-known member
The seed to this hike got planted in my head a couple Decembers ago on a hike with my girlfriend to "The Scaur" in Waterville Valley. Poking through the trees, you're able to get a limited view to the Osceolas and I noticed a cool looking cliff and talus field on a SEern shoulder of E. Osceola. Even from afar you can tell it is kind of rounded out in the middle, like an amphitheater. This cliff is also visible from the North Tri. slide, other points to the SE, the upper part of Greeley Pond Trail, but it is best seen (which I discovered yesterday) from the gravel bank on the Timber Camp Trail (below.) Anyone have an official name for this spot, because I have dubbed it, "Timbercamp Amphitheater" in the meantime. 
The approach to the Timber Camp on the Greeley Pond trail was kind just "ho-hum" other than the fact that the beginning of Livermore road is loaded with Painted Trillium, among them, the largest trillium flower I have ever seen. And then there were some White Violets near the Timber Camp Trail junction. From the end of the Timbercamp Trail I took a bearing at the cliff and set out into the woods. The going was pretty freakin' thick at first so I started with the "Bushwacker's Mantra." "It can't go on like this forever, it can't go on like this forever,.....," (who was it that had that as their signature at some piont) until it opened up a bit, but there were still a ton of downed trees. Before too long it got VERY thick about 40 yards before breaking out in the open. It was very nasty, coupled with the fact that I was now in an area of big boulders with deep holes made for some slow going, picking my way wisely. At this point, I admit, I may have uddered a, "What the F*%# am I doing?!?!"
After clawing my way through the thick stuff, on my hands and knees at times, I was rewarded with fine views across WV to points S, SE, and E. Above the High Camp clearing below, there were distinct lines made by the old logging roads. The views were made even better, in my opinion, by the fact that the town was nowhere to be seen unlike many other WV viewpoints. The peakbagger in me climbed to the top of the talus, right to the base of the cliff, where a view of Mt. Chocorua appeared. I didn't linger directly below the cliff for long, for fear of falling rocks. And oh yea, behind me was pretty cool to look at too, a natural amphitheater. (taken from down lower on the way out)
I sat in this spot for a loooong time protected on the downhill side of a large boulder taking it all in while snacking, it was a great spot. I took video of a hawk or vulture soaring around, as well as some of my own commentary. Since there was plenty of broken rock around, I figured I'd build a cairn. It came out pretty nice I think, quartz top rocks and all.
Instead of fighting through what I came up, I decided I would descend to the east towards the Mad River and Lower Greeley Pond, so I set a bearing to where I thought the pond would be and went for it. The going was tricky at first through large boulders, and deep holes. Once the boulders eased up the going was "not bad" for the most part all the way to the Mad River, which I hit just below the Greeley Ponds Tr. crossing where the hiking and ski trails split. I took the ski trail to a favorite spot of mine at the south end of Lower Greeley Pond, a fantastic spot in the Whites.
I would sit here on a large boulder for an hour and a half enjoying a few more snacks and some fine Tuckerman Headwall Alts while listening to some Grateful Dead, Neil Young, and Pearl Jam on my iTouch, just relaxing. From here I could look up to where I had been on the SE side of East Osceola. I reluctantly departed soon after the sun disappeared behind the East Osceola cliffs for the 3 mile walk back to the car.
On the way out, at the Greeley Pond/Kancamangus Brook Ski Tr. junction near the old logging camp, a large porcupine caught my eye off the side of the trail. It was just my luck that my camera had completely died just 5 minutes before this while taking a pic at an old logging camp site, wouldn't even turn on, oh well. I watched him/her for about 5 minutes from about 15-20 yards, and it was pretty obvious that these things have little/if any natural predators. It was unafraid of me, just going about it's Porky-business, stopping and looking at me then continuing on. It was the first porky I've ever seen, pretty cool lookin. Looks like it could sure do some damage though, especially the quills on it's tail.
It turned out to be a great afternoon with great views, paid for in blood and other scratches, I also got poked in the eye by a branch. It still feels weird when I blink, is that bad?? All totally worth it!!
Slideshow here
The approach to the Timber Camp on the Greeley Pond trail was kind just "ho-hum" other than the fact that the beginning of Livermore road is loaded with Painted Trillium, among them, the largest trillium flower I have ever seen. And then there were some White Violets near the Timber Camp Trail junction. From the end of the Timbercamp Trail I took a bearing at the cliff and set out into the woods. The going was pretty freakin' thick at first so I started with the "Bushwacker's Mantra." "It can't go on like this forever, it can't go on like this forever,.....," (who was it that had that as their signature at some piont) until it opened up a bit, but there were still a ton of downed trees. Before too long it got VERY thick about 40 yards before breaking out in the open. It was very nasty, coupled with the fact that I was now in an area of big boulders with deep holes made for some slow going, picking my way wisely. At this point, I admit, I may have uddered a, "What the F*%# am I doing?!?!"
After clawing my way through the thick stuff, on my hands and knees at times, I was rewarded with fine views across WV to points S, SE, and E. Above the High Camp clearing below, there were distinct lines made by the old logging roads. The views were made even better, in my opinion, by the fact that the town was nowhere to be seen unlike many other WV viewpoints. The peakbagger in me climbed to the top of the talus, right to the base of the cliff, where a view of Mt. Chocorua appeared. I didn't linger directly below the cliff for long, for fear of falling rocks. And oh yea, behind me was pretty cool to look at too, a natural amphitheater.
(taken from down lower on the way out)
I sat in this spot for a loooong time protected on the downhill side of a large boulder taking it all in while snacking, it was a great spot. I took video of a hawk or vulture soaring around, as well as some of my own commentary.
Since there was plenty of broken rock around, I figured I'd build a cairn. It came out pretty nice I think, quartz top rocks and all.
Instead of fighting through what I came up, I decided I would descend to the east towards the Mad River and Lower Greeley Pond, so I set a bearing to where I thought the pond would be and went for it. The going was tricky at first through large boulders, and deep holes. Once the boulders eased up the going was "not bad" for the most part all the way to the Mad River, which I hit just below the Greeley Ponds Tr. crossing where the hiking and ski trails split. I took the ski trail to a favorite spot of mine at the south end of Lower Greeley Pond, a fantastic spot in the Whites.
I would sit here on a large boulder for an hour and a half enjoying a few more snacks and some fine Tuckerman Headwall Alts while listening to some Grateful Dead, Neil Young, and Pearl Jam on my iTouch, just relaxing. From here I could look up to where I had been on the SE side of East Osceola. I reluctantly departed soon after the sun disappeared behind the East Osceola cliffs for the 3 mile walk back to the car.
On the way out, at the Greeley Pond/Kancamangus Brook Ski Tr. junction near the old logging camp, a large porcupine caught my eye off the side of the trail. It was just my luck that my camera had completely died just 5 minutes before this while taking a pic at an old logging camp site, wouldn't even turn on, oh well. I watched him/her for about 5 minutes from about 15-20 yards, and it was pretty obvious that these things have little/if any natural predators. It was unafraid of me, just going about it's Porky-business, stopping and looking at me then continuing on. It was the first porky I've ever seen, pretty cool lookin. Looks like it could sure do some damage though, especially the quills on it's tail.
It turned out to be a great afternoon with great views, paid for in blood and other scratches, I also got poked in the eye by a branch. It still feels weird when I blink, is that bad??
All totally worth it!!Slideshow here
Last edited:
