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Moose
Mt Madison, May 2009
An overnight hiking / camping trip.
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First Plan: Great Gulf
The weather got warmer and warmer, taunting me. For one reason after another, I had reluctantly avoided going on any significant hikes, day after day and week after week. As April ended, I felt a growing need to hit the hills. I decided to do something big on the weekend of May 2nd. Camping, definitely. Elevation gain, for sure. Distance, yes. Solitude, absolutely. Steepness, snow, trailbreaking, maybe some ice, if I was lucky and conditions weren't too suicidal.
One area seemed to offer everything I was looking for: the Great Gulf, bordered by Mount Washington and the Northern Presidential Range. A trail runs along the bottom of the Gulf for nearly eight miles before climbing the headwall to Mount Washington; along the way, some of the steepest trails in the Whites branch off to the other northern peaks. My plan was to set up camp in the Gulf and do a couple of loops as snow conditions permitted. I wasn't sure how much snow remained on the ground, but I figured that thanks to intensive search-and-rescue activity in the area a few days earlier, any drifts on the main approach trail would have been broken through.
The plan had a couple of weak points. First of all, icefall or avalanche risk would put a damper on the steepest parts of the climb. I checked the avalanche forecast for Tuckerman Ravine (the nearest spot for which a public forecast is available), and decided that conditions were as good as I could ask for at this time of year. The second weakness was river crossings: all that SAR activity was the result of a hiker who'd gone off his planned route only to wander back and forth for three days, searching for passable water crossings. I checked my trusty _White Mountain Guide_ and assured myself that there were bridges on the lower crossings along the Great Gulf Trail. Once I got deep into the Gulf, I might still be prevented from reaching the ridge, but at least I'd be able to get back out.
Since I was hoping to climb some steep, snowy slopes, I packed heavy: crampons, ice axe, and snowshoes, in addition to microspikes, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, down jacket (just in case), stove, and food. At the last minute I decided to save a pound or two by wearing my low-top hiking shoes instead of boots.
Saturday morning I left almost on time, and after a dull drive I pulled into the trailhead parking lot at 10:30 AM. Another hiker arrived as I was depositing my parking fee, and I asked if he'd been in the area lately. He told me there was still plenty of snow up high, and he recommended crampons. I decided that meant I'd need snowshoes too. He also told me he'd tried the Great Gulf Trail a week earlier, and turned back at the Bluff due to raging white water. I had to check my map, and when I did I let out a cry of dismay: that was less than three miles up the trail. I was *certain* that the Guide mentioned a bridge at that spot. There's a bridge at the _second_ crossing there, he informed me. This was not good news, but I decided to go see for myself. My back-up plan would be to take the Osgood Cutoff from that spot (almost a 180 turn), set my camp at Osgood Tentsite, climb Mt Madison today, and worry about tomorrow later.
Meanwhile it was a warm, sunny day, and spring was in the air.
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The first stream crossing was on a suspension bridge right by the parking lot, as advertised.
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The river was running strong, as expected.
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Hobblebush beginning to bloom.
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Red Trillium, Trillium erectum
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Red Trillium again.
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Another red trillium.
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A chipmunk beside the trail.
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Painted Trillium, Trillium undulatum
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New Plan: Mt Madison
I stopped for lunch in a little clearing at the top of a high riverbank - this, I soon realized, was the Bluff. An intersection lay just ahead. The Great Gulf Trail plunged down the bank and crossed the stream. I approached cautiously.
The stream was narrow, but moving fast. I could see two options for getting across. Option A involved leaping about five feet from one barely-submerged boulder to another. Not a good option with a heavy pack. Option B involved wading. It looked feasible, but I was certain to get soaked at least to the waist, and if I misjudged the strength of the current... I glanced downstream at an unending sequence of boulders. What finally convinced me was the water temperature. Ever since the conversation in the parking lot, I had half-resigned myself to camping at Osgood Tentsite, and now I didn't have the motivation to take an icy bath.
So I climbed back up the Bluff and took the Osgood Cutoff, which was a pleasant trail through semi-open woods (a mix of birch, hemlock, spruce, and fir). There were piles of moose droppings on the trail (but very few off the trail). Soon I arrived at the Osgood Tentsite. There were two tents already in place, so I hiked in to the farthest spot, out of sight of the others, and set up my tent. I left my sleeping bag and pad, but kept all my other gear in my pack. Feeling ever-so-slightly lighter on my feet, I set out for the summit of Mt Madison.
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The stream crossing where I turned back.
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Just when I could smell treeline ahead, I finally encountered patches of snow. I put on my microspikes just for the sake of using some of the gear I was carrying, but I could have made do without them.
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Treeline brought tremendous views. I wasn't surprised to see the sunnier areas above treeline were already bare, but I'd expected more snow in the ravines.
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A view into the Great Gulf.
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A view back over Osgood Ridge to Carter Notch and Wildcat Mountain.
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Felsenmeer on Osgood Ridge.
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Caterpillar amid the felsenmeer.
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Rimed summit sign on Mt Madison
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Mt Adams seen from the summit of Mt Madison
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Cairn on the summit of Mt Madison, with rime ice.
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Close-up on the rimed cairn.
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Heading back down: view toward Carter Dome from Mt Madison.
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Another view of Carter Dome from Osgood Ridge on Mt Madison.
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View of Mt Washington from Osgood Ridge on Mt Madison.
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Day 2: Visitors During Breakfast
After a lackluster freeze-dried dinner (and not very filling either, as I'd foolishly saved a few ounces by packing an absolute minimum of food), I got into my tent and tried to sleep. (No pillow - more gram-saving lunacy.)
I managed to fall asleep eventually, and in the morning, as I wondered what the temperature was and how long I'd allow myself to stay in my warm sleeping bag, I heard the noise of approaching footfalls. They were too heavy and infrequent to be human. First I got my camera ready, then, muttering a curse on noisy artificial fabrics, I slipped out of my sleeping bag and into a down jacket. I slowly unzipped my tent door and peered ahead. Nothing. I stuck my head out and looked uphill, in the direction from which I thought the noise had come. Still nothing. I got out of the tent and looked more carefully. Stillness and silence, everything I saw had leaves or needles or was a rock. I was certain I'd heard footsteps approaching, so all I had to do now was wait for the moose or bear to step a little closer and come into view. I had just about decided to make breakfast while I waited, when I decided to take one more look all around. Directly behind my tent, two pairs of eyes were watching me.
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This is Mama.
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Look behind Mama, and you can see Junior.
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Junior stayed close to Mama at first.
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Then Junior stepped forward to say hello.
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Junior is a yearling - probably female (no sign of horns starting to grow).
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Junior stepping closer.
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Meanwhile, Mama Moose was keeping an eye on me.
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She kept coming closer to stay near Junior.
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Not a very friendly look, is it?
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Junior Moose may have thought she was hiding.
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The moose would come to a complete stop with every step, and look and listen in all directions.
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Mama Moose getting even closer.
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Look closely and you can see the spruce twig she's chewing.
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Junior makes up her mind to leave her hiding place.
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Junior checking me out.
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Zoomed in on the yearling moose.
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Yeah, so I took a ton of photos of the young moose, so sue me.
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mama moose still hovering nearby.
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This photo with my tent in the frame gives a good sense of scale and distance.
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Another moose close-up.
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I wonder what she's looking at?
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Mama moose again.
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Junior giving the branches a sniff.
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Still looking around constantly.
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Mama still on guard.
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Young moose reaching for a snack.
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I think this one is my favorite.
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Mama moose was getting really close now...
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mama moose profile.
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Last shot before I ducked behind a tree.
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Mama moose now level with my position.
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Mama moose snacking on firs.
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Mama moose moseying along.
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Final close-up of mama moose.
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Parting shot of mama moose.
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Junior moose following mama.
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They're sill moving extremely slowly, so I have time for another shot...
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Junior looking back at me after Mama has moved on.
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Junior came back for a second visit!
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Close-up on a curious youngster.
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Startled by a squirrel, and looking for mama.
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A more normal, calm expression.
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Last glance back after being called away by Mama.
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Hobblebush leaf buds.
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Another hobblebush, with leaves slightly more expanded.
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Red trillium, trillium erectum
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Also known as purple trillium or blood trillium.
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this is the only drooping trillium species I know of, so why's it called erectum?
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Another photo of the red trillium.
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One more photo of the red trillium.
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Trout lily (Erythonium americanum)
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Trout lily usually grows in clumps.
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One more trout lily photo.
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Painted trillium, trillium undulatum
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Closer view.
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Bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis) buds
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Hobblebush in flower.
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More hobblebush.
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Hobblebush again (playing with depth of field).
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Sessile bellwort, Uvularia sessilifolia
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Bluets, Houstonia caerulea
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Some kind of violet, possibly downy yellow violet, Viola pubescens
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Ferns.
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Early saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis).
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Dutchman's Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria
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More dutchman's breeches (with maple shoot behind them)
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spring-beauty, Claytonia virginica
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American Toad, Bufo americanus
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Another red trillium.
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More dutchman's breeches.
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