Where to find birch/hobblebush glades?

[forestgnome]

Looking for large glades of birch with hobblebush understory to explore in the White Mtns. I'd like to take advantage of the weather this weekend. Our VFTT bushwackers must know of some.

Thanks

 

[Barbarossa]

The NW slope of N. Baldface is pretty wide open. Black in the same vicinity is birch clear to the summit.

The ridge between Blueberry & Jeffers is birch-y.

 

[kltilton]

The old Firewarden Trail on the backside of Hale has some nice birch glades.

 

[Mattl]

Forestgnome, You may already know of this one, but the Flat Mountain Pond area has huge areas of Hobblebush and Birch. Both to the south of the pond and to the north near both Flat Mountains. I have seen so many moose in there over the years. -Mattl

 

[Amicus]

One of the biggest birch glades (more a forest) I've seen at a relatively high elevation is on the Gorilla Trail, between Mts. Shaw and Flagg in the Ossipees. It is said to be the result of a big forest fire over 50 years ago - slow progression, it seems.

 

[Jazzbo]

Cherry Mountain

If you look up a TR I posted last summer about hiking the Cherry Mt Trail from height of land on the Old Cherry Mt Road. It will take you up to Cherry Mt ridge line which is mixture of spruce, birch, and very much hobble bush. You might try attempting it from Rt 302 following abandoned Black Brook Trail which also heads up to the ridge line. 1HappyHiker followed that route and it took him up to some clearings on way up. That's on my list of trails to find. The Black Brook Trail shows up on historic maps, but happens to fall along the border between 2 maps. It still shows up as a trail on my Nat Geographics TOPO.

 

[AndyF]

The Rainbow Trail between Wild River and Carter Dome has a large beautiful birch glade.

 

[rocket21]

One of the biggest birch glades (more a forest) I've seen at a relatively high elevation is on the Banana Trail, between Mts. Shaw and Flagg in the Ossipees. It is said to be the result of a big forest fire over 50 years ago - slow progression, it seems.

Gorilla Trail you mean But yes, there is a tremendous amount of birch throughout there.

In regard to Blueberry to Jeffers, I haven't hiked that ridge, but I believe you can follow an old trail, sparsely marked with cairns, from the Blueberry Mountain summit. I followed it for maybe 100 yards when snooping around up there a few weeks ago.

 

[marchowes]

Back of Whitewall:

http://www.hoosactunnel.net/adventure/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1700

There are also countless nice birch glades in the Northfield range in VT. and some damned nice ones in the Knox/Butterfield area in VT. None are as nice as whitewall tho.

 

[RoySwkr]

Maybe halfway up the Wildcat Valley X-C trail is a large birch glade growing in with brush which may be just what you want, it is mostly on woods roads thus far but last bit to ski lift is swampy

Summit of Chandler Mtn

The W side of Hale heading up to Zeale

The middle part of Zeacliff Trail

Actually such places are all over the Pemi

 

[Quietman]

It's been a while since I was there, but I remember a nice birch area on the Bondcliff Trail in the vicinity of the last stream crossing.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

South sides of Terrace Mountain and Unknown Pond Peak in the Kilkenny.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

It still shows up as a trail on my Nat Geographics TOPO.

Also shows on the Garmin maps: both the TOPO US 2008 and the Topo 24K National Parks East. Confirms the point made recently by DougPaul!

 

[Gris]

Yeah...

The Rainbow Trail between Wild River and Carter Dome has a large beautiful birch glade.

Don't have a map in front of me, not sure where Rainbow trial is, but intermittently along that area east of the Wild River on the backside of Carter/Moriah is pretty much like that. Lower reaches of Black Angel, etc. AND, also very secluded and beautiful.

 

[1HappyHiker]

Photos

Don’t know if it’s true in this particular case, but sometimes a picture is worth a 1,000 words.
Below are photos of 3 places listed by others who have responded to this post.

TAKEN FROM THE RAINBOW TRAIL

TAKEN FROM A SPOT OFF THE KILKENNY RIDGE TRAIL (near Unknown Pond)

TAKEN FROM THE FIRE WARDEN TRAIL

 

[peakbagger]

The area along the "engine" hill bushwhack off the Rocky Branch trail appears to have extensive birch glades, I can comment about hobble bush as I have only been through there in winter. I beleive the area is quite extensive.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

The area along the "engine" hill bushwhack off the Rocky Branch trail appears to have extensive birch glades, I can comment about hobble bush as I have only been through there in winter. I beleive the area is quite extensive.

It is extensive, and lots of moose live in the area.

Another area not yet mentioned is the Skookumchuck trail not too long after it climbs away from the brook. From there to the spruce zone there are lots of birch, hobblebush and moose.

 

[audrey]

Kevin beat me to it: Big Bickford Mt. off the Skookumchuck. Also, and nearby, the backside of Eagle Cliff as you descend towards and along Lafayette Brook.

In Maine, we whacked up Twin Mts near Cupsuptic Snow through endless ferny glades.

 

[1HappyHiker]

Oh! Just remembered another place that I visited recently that had an extensive birch glade, but cannot recall if there was hobble bush intermingled. Anyway, it was on the Tucker Brook Ski Trail which is located at the end of Tucker Brook Road which is off of Wells Road (near the Franconia Inn on Rt 116). Since this trail is part of the Franconia Inn X-C trail system, it’s courteous to check with someone at the Franconia Inn before going in there. I did.

 

[NewHampshire]

The Unknown Pond Peak area has a ton of Birch and ferns, but don't remember a WHOLE lot of hobblebush.

Brian

Edit: Oops, I see 1Happyhiker beat me to it!