Terrific View from a Rock-Pile Deep in the Woods (Black Crescent Mtn: 24-Mar-2009)

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1HappyHiker

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My friend Steve & I decided to make an adventure out of exploring some trailless regions of the Crescent Range. By so doing, we were rewarded with an outstanding and unique view of the entire Carter-Moriah Range, along with some other unique views.

We took the Cook Path for 2.5 miles to the Hunters Pass area (top of the Ice Gulch), and then bushwhacked less than a mile to a SW spur of Black Crescent Mountain where there’s a massive talus field situated beneath an impressive set of cliffs. Our objective for this particular day was to just visit the talus field. The cliffs above this “rock-pile” will be left for some future adventure!;)

The bushwhack took us through mainly open hardwoods. There was a lot of birch, and the tops of hobble bush could be seen poking up through the deep snow. With this combination of forest vegetation, it was no surprise that there was a lot of moose sign in this area.

Steve did some excellent research and discovered that the large talus field was visited by early explorers in the late 1800s and that it was then known as “Crescent Scar”. Also, on the 1896 USGS Mt. Washington quad, the talus field is labeled as "The Scar."

During our bushwhack, we checked out a couple of other areas of interest along the way. We visited a set of cliffs on an un-named 2,900 foot peak just a bit south of the talus field. Here we got some pretty darn good views a well, but the views from the talus field trumped these views. Also, to get some views toward the Pilot & Pliny Range, another short whack was done to an open spot on a ridgeline just a short distance west of the Cook Path (between Hunters Pass & Mt. Crescent).

Below is a GoogleEarth image of the area we visited, plus a small sampling of the views from our trek.

GoogleEarth image of the area of the hike
GoogleEarth2.jpg

Unique juxtaposition of northern Prezies and Carter Notch
100_1296.JPG

View of entire Carter-Moriah Range (from Shelburne-Moriah on left to Carter Notch on right)
100_1295.JPG

View across the massive talus-field “rock-pile”
Talus.JPG

View toward Mt. Cabot, The Bulge, and The Horn (center of photo between 2 trees)
100_1304.JPG


1HappyHiker
 
Those are some great views and great photos, John. Another really interesting spot off the beaten path!

How much snow was there in the deeper woods up on Black Crescent? Looks like the talus field has been getting some sun. :)
 
If you enjoy that view, check out the view from the north end of Pond of Safety.
 
Wicked nice...that talus field looks fun!

The next adventure for hubby and I is learning the whole bushwack thing. Right now, we're still very trail oriented and pretty much freak out when those blazes/cairns dissappear.
 
Wow, that's an amazing view of Carter Notch! Leave it to the guy who can't navigate Tripoli Road to find such neat, remote places! :)
 
it was a joint effort

all things being fair, it took 4 of us to manage to become misdirected (politically correct for “lost”) on Tripoli Road. We were so involved in very deep, intellectual and philosophical discussion that the turn just eluded us!
 
How much snow was there in the deeper woods up on Black Crescent?
Sort of hard to say for certain since we were fortunate to have very firm consolidated snow conditions on the day we were there. But judging from a variety of clues, I’d guesstimate the snow depth was maybe 30 to 36” at the time we were there.
If you enjoy that view, check out the view from the north end of Pond of Safety.
Thank you for that comment Peakbagger! That one has been on my “hit list” for awhile, and based upon your comment, perhaps it should be bumped up a notch or two!;)
Wicked nice...that talus field looks fun!
It was very fun! And, in some ways, it was somewhat similar to climbing over terrain like you sometimes find on the high peaks, for example the upper part of the Caps Ridge Trail east of The Cornice. I personally like that type of rock scrambling . . . but others . . . not so much!
Wow, that's an amazing view of Carter Notch!
My expectations were surpassed in terms of the views that were available from that rather odd spot in the woods!
all things being fair, it took 4 of us to manage to become misdirected (politically correct for “lost”) on Tripoli Road
It was indeed a cluster gaffe!
 
Love your TRs! This is my kind of hiking. Your TRs give me ideas for other future adventures. Thanks for sharing the excellent pics!

happy trails :)
 
Love your TRs! This is my kind of hiking. Your TRs give me ideas for other future adventures.
Thank you Patrick!!

The view of Carter Notch reminded me of the view of the Notch from Kearsarge North.
I hadn’t sort of reversed the image in my mind, but you are absolutely correct, Doug! The Kearsarge North view is similar in some ways. And of course, since the Kearsarge North view is from the other side of Carter Notch, the Presidentials are on the left of the photo, whereas the Presidentials are on the right side of the photo taken from the talus-field on Black Crescent. And since the Doubleheads are in the same neighborhood as Kearsarge North, it’s not surprising that you also get a view similar view from there.

View from Kearsarge North
KersargeNorthVu.jpg

View from Doubleheads
CarterNotch_fr_Doublehead.JPG
 
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