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Log inSavor isolated beauty atop peaks in Nash Stream Forest
Savor isolated beauty atop peaks in Nash Stream Forest
by Outspoken on Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:36 am
Savor isolated beauty atop peaks in Nash Stream Forest
By CAREY KISH
Portland Press Herald
Travel north of the White Mountain National Forest, deep into Coos County, N.H., and you’ll leave the crowds behind for sure. Local folks will tell you that there’s more moose than people up this way, and after a number of hiking adventures in these parts, I figure they may be right. It’s wild, remote country.
One of my new favorite places is the Nash Stream Forest, a 40,000-acre state reservation managed for multiple recreation uses by the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development.
Don’t come expecting a lot of trails here; they don’t exist. But what trail miles you will find are good ones, and they’ll lead you to some isolated and beautiful places.
The premier hike, in my opinion, is to the shapely twin domes of the Percy Peaks, particularly North Percy and its extensive alpine zone and extraordinary vistas. A six-mile loop hike over the peaks can be done by combining the Percy Loop Trail and Percy Peaks Trail.
But first you’ve got to get there. To reach the Nash Stream Forest, travel over the Maine-New Hampshire state line to the old mill town of Berlin. Then follow Route 110 north through Milan and on to the picture-postcard village of Stark. Cross the Upper Ammonoosuc River on a covered bridge and, just beyond the railroad tracks, turn left on North Road and follow it to the gravel Nash Stream Road. Take it to the trailhead four miles ahead.
The Percy Loop Trail follows an old woods road above Long Mountain Brook, climbing at a steady but gentle grade through a classic northern hardwood forest of beech, maple and birch.
Yellow blazes mark the way, indicating that you’re on a section of the Cohos Trail, a 162-mile route traversing the length of Coos County from just below Crawford Notch north to the Canadian border.
After passing a level stretch with soggy footing, turn sharply right and quickly come to the Percy Loop Campsite. There’s a tent platform big enough for two tents with space for a couple more just beyond, a privy and a small brook for water.
Above the campsite follow a narrow, twisting path upward through the hush of a thick spruce and fir forest. On a high shoulder of the mountain, reach the side trail signed for North Percy Peak.
Climb steadily through thinning tree cover to reach the base of steep slabs where the real fun begins. Follow cairns and orange blazes as you weave your way up through the impressive open terrain of the summit cone.
Views are spectacular looking south, out over the sweeping granite face to South Percy Peak and beyond to Christine Lake.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=217420&ac=Outdoors
By CAREY KISH
Portland Press Herald
Travel north of the White Mountain National Forest, deep into Coos County, N.H., and you’ll leave the crowds behind for sure. Local folks will tell you that there’s more moose than people up this way, and after a number of hiking adventures in these parts, I figure they may be right. It’s wild, remote country.
One of my new favorite places is the Nash Stream Forest, a 40,000-acre state reservation managed for multiple recreation uses by the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development.
Don’t come expecting a lot of trails here; they don’t exist. But what trail miles you will find are good ones, and they’ll lead you to some isolated and beautiful places.
The premier hike, in my opinion, is to the shapely twin domes of the Percy Peaks, particularly North Percy and its extensive alpine zone and extraordinary vistas. A six-mile loop hike over the peaks can be done by combining the Percy Loop Trail and Percy Peaks Trail.
But first you’ve got to get there. To reach the Nash Stream Forest, travel over the Maine-New Hampshire state line to the old mill town of Berlin. Then follow Route 110 north through Milan and on to the picture-postcard village of Stark. Cross the Upper Ammonoosuc River on a covered bridge and, just beyond the railroad tracks, turn left on North Road and follow it to the gravel Nash Stream Road. Take it to the trailhead four miles ahead.
The Percy Loop Trail follows an old woods road above Long Mountain Brook, climbing at a steady but gentle grade through a classic northern hardwood forest of beech, maple and birch.
Yellow blazes mark the way, indicating that you’re on a section of the Cohos Trail, a 162-mile route traversing the length of Coos County from just below Crawford Notch north to the Canadian border.
After passing a level stretch with soggy footing, turn sharply right and quickly come to the Percy Loop Campsite. There’s a tent platform big enough for two tents with space for a couple more just beyond, a privy and a small brook for water.
Above the campsite follow a narrow, twisting path upward through the hush of a thick spruce and fir forest. On a high shoulder of the mountain, reach the side trail signed for North Percy Peak.
Climb steadily through thinning tree cover to reach the base of steep slabs where the real fun begins. Follow cairns and orange blazes as you weave your way up through the impressive open terrain of the summit cone.
Views are spectacular looking south, out over the sweeping granite face to South Percy Peak and beyond to Christine Lake.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=217420&ac=Outdoors
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Plato (427-347 BC)
Plato (427-347 BC)
