[Journal
Entry for January 22, 2006] Paul and Gigi take Dallas and me on a hike through
the Walter/Newton Natural Area in Plymouth, New Hampshire. This nature preserve has a loop trail that
circles a wetland. We set off up the
path, which ascends gently uphill through the woods, crossing several foot bridges
across streams flowing into the wetland.
I find one vantage point where I can see the wetland well. The trunks of dead trees protrude upward from
brown-red bushes and tan marsh grasses. An old beaver dam crosses a soggy
area. We continue to walk uphill,
following the major stream that feeds the wetland, and come upon a moderate
size waterfall, perhaps fifty feet tall.
I cross the stream at its base, hopping from stone to stone, until I
find a good vantage point for photographs.
Icicles on the rock face of the waterfall have interesting shapes, being
rather bulbous at the bottom, and not pointed as is more common. Meanwhile, Gigi sits on one of the park
benches, and admires the cascade of water.
We hike up a short side trail that ascends to the top of the waterfall,
passing a large lichen-encrusted boulder.
We spend a few minutes at the top, watching the water disappear over the
rocky top edge. We have quite a bit of trouble
descending. The four-point instep
crampons that Dallas and I are wearing are poorly-suited for steep
terrain. They do not hold the icy slope
well, at all. We resort to holding onto
tree trunks and seeking out the softer snow for footholds. A lesson for the future! Next time we will
wear full, ten-pointers. The trail continues
to loop around the wetland, crossing a swampy area via a long, plank walkway,
passing a beautiful, evergreen-lined meaning stream, and joining, finally, an
old, heavily eroded carriage road. Back
near the parking area, we view the stone foundation of an old homestead. It's
about 10 foot on edge and six feet deep. An old root cellar, perhaps. We also walk down a short side trail to a
view point overlooking the wetland. Gigi
points out a granite stone that will eventually host a memorial plaque. About
an hour, overall.