Sugarloaf 2 Campground Zealand Road 10-8-9-06
Sugarloaf 2 Campground on Zealand Road
This fall marks the first time we have used this campground. We had intended to camp here before now, but for one reason or another, did not. Having inspected the campsites in both Sugarloaf 1 and Sugarloaf 2 we felt Sugarloaf 2 had more sites suited for our pop-up camper. We got good sites here in September and on this trip and found it to be a nice quiet place on both occasions. In September we explored the Trestle Trail the day after climbing Mount Washington. On this trip we climbed the Sugarloafs on the first night, then explored snowmobile trails and the nearby wildlife pond on the day after our 20 mile hike over the Bonds, so there is lots to do in the near vicinity simply by walking out of the campsite.
The nights were very cold with Friday being the worst, then slightly warmer each night though there was frost each morning. All of the pictures in this section are taken within a short walking distance of the campsite. The beauty of this time of year adds special magic to the scenery, the fog lifting off the pond, the frost covered plants, the morning light on turning leaves. If you cannot be at peace in this environment then you cannot be at peace. Even I can grasp a few moments here and there on mornings like this. Sunday and Monday we got up to the frosty campsite and made our tea and marched over to the wildlife pond to find a spot in the sun to warm up and take in the scenery. Beaver cut wakes in the pond before sunrise and migrating warblers flit through the trees as the sun rose above Mount Oscar to our east.
At night the pond is full of the sounds of beaver chewing and slapping the water to warn of my presence. Again I can here the Barred Owl we heard from Middle Sugarloaf, “Who, who, who cooks for you?” The full moon rises just north of Mount Oscar and reflects in the Zealand River. Hardly a breath of air to stir the leaves. The stars would be bright but for the glare of the full moon. The moon casts shadows and as my eyes adjust it is almost as if it were twilight when the sky was still bright but the sun had set and shadows are long, but you can still see. I took this in as long as I could but the temp was dropping and cold was starting to creep into my bones. I went back and lit a fire. Next morning we pretty much did the same routine, make tea, walk over to the pond and warm up, but then we came back and had to break down camp, always a sad chore as it means our stay in the mountains is nearly over.
Read MoreThis fall marks the first time we have used this campground. We had intended to camp here before now, but for one reason or another, did not. Having inspected the campsites in both Sugarloaf 1 and Sugarloaf 2 we felt Sugarloaf 2 had more sites suited for our pop-up camper. We got good sites here in September and on this trip and found it to be a nice quiet place on both occasions. In September we explored the Trestle Trail the day after climbing Mount Washington. On this trip we climbed the Sugarloafs on the first night, then explored snowmobile trails and the nearby wildlife pond on the day after our 20 mile hike over the Bonds, so there is lots to do in the near vicinity simply by walking out of the campsite.
The nights were very cold with Friday being the worst, then slightly warmer each night though there was frost each morning. All of the pictures in this section are taken within a short walking distance of the campsite. The beauty of this time of year adds special magic to the scenery, the fog lifting off the pond, the frost covered plants, the morning light on turning leaves. If you cannot be at peace in this environment then you cannot be at peace. Even I can grasp a few moments here and there on mornings like this. Sunday and Monday we got up to the frosty campsite and made our tea and marched over to the wildlife pond to find a spot in the sun to warm up and take in the scenery. Beaver cut wakes in the pond before sunrise and migrating warblers flit through the trees as the sun rose above Mount Oscar to our east.
At night the pond is full of the sounds of beaver chewing and slapping the water to warn of my presence. Again I can here the Barred Owl we heard from Middle Sugarloaf, “Who, who, who cooks for you?” The full moon rises just north of Mount Oscar and reflects in the Zealand River. Hardly a breath of air to stir the leaves. The stars would be bright but for the glare of the full moon. The moon casts shadows and as my eyes adjust it is almost as if it were twilight when the sky was still bright but the sun had set and shadows are long, but you can still see. I took this in as long as I could but the temp was dropping and cold was starting to creep into my bones. I went back and lit a fire. Next morning we pretty much did the same routine, make tea, walk over to the pond and warm up, but then we came back and had to break down camp, always a sad chore as it means our stay in the mountains is nearly over.
Frosted ferns 1.
