Hiking across the bog – East Andover

Each year, Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway hosts a series of winter (and summer and fall) hikes.  Being new to the group – and having missed the first two this season due to travel and other obligations – we were eager to make up for lost time.  This week’s hike was a bushwhack through remote parts of East Andover, led by avid outdoorsman Frank Baker, who broke out a trail in roughly 30″ deep snow the day prior.  (Unlike most other SRKG hikes, this was not part of the 75 mile trail system that the group regularly maintains).

With the exception of a few moderately steep but brief inclines, the terrain was fairly flat and easily navigable thanks in large part to Frank’s earlier reconnaissance.  Along the way, the group stopped to examine evidence of local wildlife, gather wood for a fire and brush up on s’mores making skills.

A few chance encounters:

Tracks leading to a deer bed

Slides- one of the more obvious signs of otter, commonly found near bodies of water

The source of these tracks were debated by a few but no firm conclusions were drawn.

While much of the hike was through densely wooded areas, a trek into the bog was one of the highlights:

Alongside a stand of phragmites

Also known as the Common Reed. Exotic lineages have displaced much of the native populations. A source for further research: http://nerrs.noaa.gov/Doc/PDF/Research/Phrag_Final_2009.pdf

A frozen stream winds its way across the landscape

Heading off into the clearing…

…and a look back before moving on

Additional sightings were made, including this heron’s nest:

A closer view

Once across the clearing, it was time for a much needed thaw-out:

Scouting the best location for a bonfire

Wood was gathered:

And little time was wasted starting the fire:

A flicker of flames looks promising

Picking up a bit more

Old Man’s Beard, or beard lichen – a type of pale grey-green lichen commonly found on bark or twigs

Roasted marshmallows are always a welcome addition:

Breaking out the s’mores supplies

This first attempt was slightly overdone

But practice makes perfect

A thorough thaw out was had by all.

Then it was back into the woods and other natural wonders:

Black birch (also called cherry or mahogany birch), is known for its fragrant scent. Birch beer is made from the aromatic sap and wintergreen oil is extracted from the leaves.

Panellus stipticus, commonly known as bitter oyster, the astringent panus, the luminescent panellus, or the stiptic fungus

This looked like a boulder, from a distance

Closer inspection revealed an uprooted tree

Here, a modest incline approaching the final leg of the hike:

We headed home posthaste after the three hour excursion, having worked up quite an appetite.  The faint scent of woodsmoke lingered on well into the afternoon….

A complete schedule of winter hikes can be found on the                    Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway website: http://www.srkg.com/calendar-2/.