Mount Israel 9-4-20
Mount Israel 2630' & Beede Falls
8 miles 1900' Elevation gain
Wentworth Trail/ Mead Trail/ Guinea Pond Trail/ Sandwich Notch Road/ Bearcamp River Trail
Kevin, Judy & Wicket
Although I had been to Mount Israel a couple of other times, I had yet to have gotten any sort of view. Third time pays for all, as they say.
On this hike we were blessed with cooler temps and clear skies, and I finally got my view! And what a great view it is just below the summit and looking north.
The entire Sandwich Range is spread out in front of us. Gazing out across a beautiful green valley one can barely discern that it has been touched by man at all.
The trail up was steeper and more difficult than I remembered, but the pay-off at the top was well worth the effort. In addition, there were signs of Autumn as a few drought induced Maples were beginning to turn.
The sun was bright and warm, but the air was cool enough that it was perfect hiking weather, and the best part was that most of the annoying insects of summer were gone!
We sat on the ledges having our lunch and socially distanced talked to some other hikers for quite a long time. As the afternoon wore on we knew we had to make our way soon along our chosen route of return.
We added another six miles to the hike by descending the Mead Trail to the Guinea Pond Trail and using Sandwich Notch Road and the Beede Falls Trail to complete the loop.
Swamp Maples were already turning red on the edges of Guinea Pond. We took the alternate trail, the highwater trail at one point though with the drought we would have been fine going straight through.
I was disappointed to find myself wandering back and forth under power lines on this trail until I began to see loads of butterflies in the wildflowers along the power line corridor.
I got scratched up pretty good stepping off trail to photograph them, but it was worth it when a sudden breeze blew them up and I found myself surrounded by a dozen or so fluttering Monarchs.
It made my heart leap and I laughed right out loud, something I had not done in the months since my son had passed.
Shortly after his death I was walking in a field and talking to him in my mind. I told him I had not seen any Monarchs yet, and within seconds one descended and landed right in front of me.
Since then I have associated seeing them with visitations from him, and from now on I always will.
The walk along the road was peaceful with only a few cars passing us. The trip to Beede Falls was underwhelming as there was barely a trickle flowing, and under the falls was packed with an obnoxious family group taking selfies and monopolizing the area.
We just kept walking. Honestly, what is going on in this world that obnoxious, selfish people seem to be the new hip thing? Oh wait, I think I know the answer...
Read More8 miles 1900' Elevation gain
Wentworth Trail/ Mead Trail/ Guinea Pond Trail/ Sandwich Notch Road/ Bearcamp River Trail
Kevin, Judy & Wicket
Although I had been to Mount Israel a couple of other times, I had yet to have gotten any sort of view. Third time pays for all, as they say.
On this hike we were blessed with cooler temps and clear skies, and I finally got my view! And what a great view it is just below the summit and looking north.
The entire Sandwich Range is spread out in front of us. Gazing out across a beautiful green valley one can barely discern that it has been touched by man at all.
The trail up was steeper and more difficult than I remembered, but the pay-off at the top was well worth the effort. In addition, there were signs of Autumn as a few drought induced Maples were beginning to turn.
The sun was bright and warm, but the air was cool enough that it was perfect hiking weather, and the best part was that most of the annoying insects of summer were gone!
We sat on the ledges having our lunch and socially distanced talked to some other hikers for quite a long time. As the afternoon wore on we knew we had to make our way soon along our chosen route of return.
We added another six miles to the hike by descending the Mead Trail to the Guinea Pond Trail and using Sandwich Notch Road and the Beede Falls Trail to complete the loop.
Swamp Maples were already turning red on the edges of Guinea Pond. We took the alternate trail, the highwater trail at one point though with the drought we would have been fine going straight through.
I was disappointed to find myself wandering back and forth under power lines on this trail until I began to see loads of butterflies in the wildflowers along the power line corridor.
I got scratched up pretty good stepping off trail to photograph them, but it was worth it when a sudden breeze blew them up and I found myself surrounded by a dozen or so fluttering Monarchs.
It made my heart leap and I laughed right out loud, something I had not done in the months since my son had passed.
Shortly after his death I was walking in a field and talking to him in my mind. I told him I had not seen any Monarchs yet, and within seconds one descended and landed right in front of me.
Since then I have associated seeing them with visitations from him, and from now on I always will.
The walk along the road was peaceful with only a few cars passing us. The trip to Beede Falls was underwhelming as there was barely a trickle flowing, and under the falls was packed with an obnoxious family group taking selfies and monopolizing the area.
We just kept walking. Honestly, what is going on in this world that obnoxious, selfish people seem to be the new hip thing? Oh wait, I think I know the answer...
