It had been two weeks since I had a chance to get out hiking. The weather forecast was not promising – morning fog, clouds all day – but it’s always nice to get outside. I picked Black Mountain, a place I’ve been many times because it has a great view of Mount Moosilauke. Not today!
I saw no point in climbing the higher peaks because they’d all be in the clouds. As I drove, though, was surprised to see Black Mountain (2782′) in the clouds as well. Oh well, I was still game for a walk in the woods. My car was the only one at the trailhead, and I quickly ambled up the muddy trail, dodging the few patches of ice where last week’s snow had melted and refrozen. It is “stick season”, the hardwood trees having dropped their leaves one or two months prior. With the gray skies and brown leafless trees, the forest felt rather monotone; but small patches of moss or late-season greenery brightened the trail and my mood as I climbed.
The ‘summit’ is a broad, rocky ridgeline. On a fine day it offers a sweeping view of Mount Moosilauke and a broad, uninhabited valley, as we saw almost exactly three years ago today (December 2020). Today, however, there’s nothing to be seen in that direction:
Check out the photo gallery for a few more photos, including some interesting wildlife tracks.
Hike stats:
Distance: 5.24km
Time: 1h48, including stops
Gain: 452m
David Kotz 