Whitewall Mtn 6/25

[Barbarossa]

Saturday was going to be a steamer, so I drove up Friday night and slept in the Zealand trailhead parking lot. I woke at 4 AM, had some breakfast, got ready and was on the trail by 4:30. At the sport where the Zealand Trail makes a hard right, I crossed the river and went into the woods. I went uphill and soon found an old logging road. I followed the road uphill a while to avoid the beaver pond quagmire.

I turned back into the woods after a bit and was soon in a birch grove. Not quite open enough to play ultimate frisbee, but one could make do. There were plenty of moose sign and a short ways before I reached the A-Z trail, I woke a later sleeper. She hadn't done her fur yet, so she didn't stick around to have her picture taken. I don't understand moose snorts very while, but I think she said, "Eeew! One of those dirty things walked right into the bedroom!"

After crossing the A-Z trail, I just followed the birch grove uphill. I never found a summit cannister, but I did find a pretty open spot where the lady slippers grew like dandelions; mostly pink, a few white.

While wandering the woods looking for the cannister, I spotted an uphill slope. I followed, and soon found myself in spruce h3||. When I saw sunlight, I made a bee-line and found a road that looked like it had been abandoned for 20 years or so, but the was plenty of recent foot traffic. I'm not certain, but I think this was near the top of West Pierce. I followed this road for about 3 miles, just to see where it went. It did cross the A-Z trail high enough to consider climbing Mt Tom. It eventually took me to the Town of Bethlehem pumping station on the Zealand River.

 

[Barbarossa]

You've picked one of the neatest bushwhacks in the White Mountains. As a suggestion: take the A-Z trail from its intersection with the Zealand trail up to about 2550 feet then turn right and walk up a fern-filled birch forest almost to the summit of Whitewall.
the route over to the other two peaks is majorly boggy with 3 small ponds and extensive areas with insect eating bog plants. The direct route to the higher peak (West Field NHHH) from the boggy area is very steep and thick with big rocks.

Quite right, Bill. I enjoyed the walk so much that I didn't bother with navigation I just kept going uphill through the birch grove.

I found one of these bogs you spoke of. I saw some flowers that were a waxy green, almost pre-historic looking. Some of the blooms were turning reddish. I haven't seen very many ugly flowers, but these might qualify.

Wearing sandals was a big advantage. I sank up to mid-calf in the muck, which kept my feet nicely cool.

 

[dr_wu002]

Cool Trip Report! I have to check out on the map exactly where you are.

Don't you have those pictures from Conway as well?

If anyone doesn't believe about the sandals on the bushwhack, here's a picture from when Barbaross and I did Whaleback:

http://pics.livejournal.com/dr_wu002/pic/0000bdxd

-Dr. Wu

 

[arghman]

I found one of these bogs you spoke of. I saw some flowers that were a waxy green, almost pre-historic looking. Some of the blooms were turning reddish. I haven't seen very many ugly flowers, but these might qualify.

sounds like a pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea)? (whatever it is, sounds interesting. bogs are cool!!!) here's a photo I took at Philbrook-Cricenti Bog:

 

[Barbarossa]

sounds like a pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea)? (whatever it is, sounds interesting. bogs are cool!!!) here's a photo I took at Philbrook-Cricenti Bog:

That could have been it. They were mostly green. Only a few had any color. The blossoms looked like immature tomatoes.

Did you take that picture this weekend? This bog was fairly close to 3000', so they might be a little behind.

 

[post'r boy]

12-3-05

whitewall mtn needs a new jar, the cap is cracked and leakin'. bring a pencil too!!!

 

[MichaelJ]

The roads you mention finding are shown on the old USGS topo maps.

It's several hundred feet down then back up again to get to the road you finally exited on (whether by the higher east branch of it, or the lower west branch) from the summit of Whitewall, incredibly close to the pond. Did you see the pond?

Unfortunately, the topo doesn't tell me which peak (3526' ? 3691' ?) is West Pierce.

 

[post'r boy]

3691'

it's west field,i believe barb musta had a brain fart!!

 

[MarkJ]

Birch Groves

speakin of Birch groves,backside of Whitewall has none of the largest I've seen..........gotta love bushwackin,it was a nice one!!!MJ

 

[Nate]

Has anyone been up to Whitewall lately? Does the canister still need to be replaced?

 

[dRitter]

I was eyeing that mountain last November when I hiked Ethan Pond trail. As you're heading down the old railroad grade between the junction with Zeacliff Trail and where you hit the Zealand Trail it looks like there are numerous opportunities to take advantage of a slide to go up the steeps. Anyone attempted that approach?

 

[audrey]

The slide

I attempted it years ago, and I believe that some have done it. Three of us set out with two dogs, straight up from the Zeacliff junction. After a few hundred yards, almost every boulder we put our feet on was moving a bit downhill. And that was our one attempt.

I think I'll try the nice hardwood ridge from Zealand Hut along the cliffs next time.

 

[dms]

Doug Romano and myself went up the slide a few years ago, the key is to keep good separation between everyone in your group. As Audrey says, there is a lot of loose stuff on the slide. The views are great and worth the effort for sure. We did not descend via the slide however, I think that would be really risky, it could be very difficult to stop if you started to fall on the loose stone.