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David Huntley’s film highlights the stories and legislation behind the creation of the White Mountain National Forest.
The programs are free and open to the public. Call to find out more or to be added to the monthly email list: (603) 466-2721 or outdoors.org/pinkhamhappenings.
AMC volunteer and historian Bill Moss speaks on trail signage in the White Mountain National Forest. If you’ve every wondered about trail blazes, trail names, or the rhyme and reason behind the signs that you see in the woods, check out this interesting talk.
Highland Happenings Featured Evening Programs are FREE and OPEN to the public. For more information, please call (603) 278-4453.
Contributed by Jess Walter
On a chilly New Hampshire morning, there’s nothing like a cup of hot coffee to get you feeling toasty. From the Great North Woods to the White Mountains, New Hampshire’s majestic Grand North boasts plenty of local coffee spots where guests can find fine food, artisanal brews, and friendly service. Start your day with a delicious cup of joe at one of these top Grand North hotspots.
This rustic coffee house is located in Colebrook, and serves coffee that’s delicious either hot or cold. In the winter, sit by the fire and warm up with an espresso, or sit outside and cool down in the summer with an iced mocha. If you or your friends aren’t big fans of coffee, Moose Muck also serves fresh smoothies, tea, and hot cocoa along with a wide variety of breakfast and brunch foods.
This little cafe in Colebrook serves up authentic French recipes that come to you straight from the bakeries of Paris. Certified Bakers Marc Ounis and Verlaine Daeron serve up delicious French bread, pastries, and other delicacies in the Colebrook-based hotspot. Customers can sit, relax, and enjoy a strong cup of hot coffee with their sweet treat.
While the main attraction at this Colebrook shop is most certainly their delicious muffins, you can also enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee as you eat. You can get your coffee and your muffins to go from the shop’s convenient drive-thru, or you can soak up a little sun in their outdoor seating area. Guests are also able to enjoy breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit cups, cinnamon buns, and more breakfast treats.
Water Wheel Breakfast and Gift House
This quaint breakfast spot in Jefferson offers friendly service and home cooking that’s bound to satisfy any appetite. You can enjoy French toast, Belgian waffles, fresh fruit and more as you sip your coffee. If you’re a visitor to New Hampshire, you can even pick up a souvenir or memento at the Water Wheel gift shop, which sells everything from locally sourced cosmetics to the owner Tricia’s famous fudge.
White Mountain Cafe & Book Store
Curl up with a cup of joe and your favorite book at this cozy coffee spot, located in Gorham. You can enjoy delicious organic brews, and if you’re feeling hungry, try a fresh sandwich, a hearty soup, or a homemade dessert. The coffee shop’s bookstore features works from New Hampshire authors, and a rotating art gallery celebrates local artists.
Mud season hiking etiquette calls for staying in the middle of the trail and stepping on rocks, when possible.
Mud season can be a challenge for hikers and trail maintainers alike. So if you want to hike in the spring, knowing how to safely enjoy soggy trails without destroying them is an essential outdoor skill.
Wet Trails are Fragile
“More and more people are hiking year-round, and while it is wonderful to have people enjoying the trails, [hikers] are also having an impact,” says Alex DeLucia, the manager of AMC’s trails volunteers and Leave No Trace programs.
According to DeLucia, the saturated surfaces following spring snowmelt are a trail maintainer’s nightmare. Each hiker’s step churns up mud and sets the stage for serious erosion. “Some maintainers would like to see most trails closed in mud season, but we prefer to ask people to hike responsibly in all seasons,” he says.
Early spring hiking etiquette requires always walking in the center of the treadway. Sticking to rocks wherever possible will preserve both the trail and your footwear, and stepping into water and mud when necessary will minimize trail damage. Although you may be tempted to walk along the sides of the trail to keep your feet dry, doing so loosens soil and makes the trail more susceptible to erosion.
Mud and Ice are Slippery
A muddy trail forces you to slow down and pay attention to each step. Lug-soled hiking boots caked with mud don’t provide much traction, and a slip could be embarrassing or, worse, lead to injury. Expect to hike slower than normal and plan a shorter hike than you would when trails are dry. Once you do hit the trail, proceed with caution.
Trekking poles are helpful on wet trails, both to keep you upright and to probe the depths of what you’re stepping into. But, DeLucia cautions, poles loosen soil and accelerate erosion, so minimize your impact by fitting them with rubber tips.
Trails at high altitudes or in shaded areas can pose an additional challenge, with rails of winter ice lingering down the center of the trail. Traction aids, such as MICROspikes, are essential in these conditions.
Choose your Hike Wisely
A trail you can hike in soggy spring conditions without causing irreparable damag is a rare and precious find. This is not the season for exploring lowlands or wetlands, nor is it the time to hike steep basins, such as the Great Gulf or Wild River wilderness areas in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), where crossing runoff-swollen streams is dangerous.
In the mountains, the best spring trails are well-constructed, well-traveled routes that have been hardened for heavy use; the lower half of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail in the WMNF is a perfect example. Or follow a south-facing, rocky ridgeline trail; Old Toll Road to White Cross on Mount Monadnock in southern New Hampshire is a personal favorite. You’ll still encounter mud and ice, just not as much.
If you want an absolutely clear conscience, hike a sandy coastal route, such as the Great Island Trail in Wellfleet, Mass., or a road that’s closed in the spring, such as those on Mount Greylock in western Massachusetts, or Pack Monadnock or Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire. Mud season is also an opportune time to explore old railbeds, like the Presidential Rail Trail between Gorham and Whitefield, N.H., which were built with heavier traffic in mind.
Keep Feet Dry and Comfy
Choosing springtime footwear is a conundrum: 6-inch-high water-proof boots don’t suffice when you step in an 8-inch-deep puddle, but knee-high rubber boots don’t offer adequate cushion or support.
Wearing gaiters will help keep your feet dry in the cold spring mud. You also could invest in a pair of knee-high waterproof socks and rubber-soled wading or portage boots—popular with anglers and paddlers. Your feet stay warm, you get the traction you need for safety, and you can comfortably walk in the center of the trail to reduce your impact.
LEARN MORE
Mud season also means high water levels. Learn how to cross moving water safely here.