Win a Copy of Following Atticus by Tom Ryan!

Here’s a great giveaway opportunity for two lucky Live Free and Hike readers. I was able to get my hands on two…yes, two copies of Following Atticus by Tom Ryan! I’m sure many of you out there are familiar with this new book hot off the presses and many of you probably already have a copy. However, this is your chance to get a “free” copy for someone else in the house hold or to possibly giveaway as a thoughtful Christmas gift.

 

Now, I haven’t read the whole book yet. And, in fact, I’m ashamed to say that I’m still near the beginning because I’m a slow reader and I’ve been short on time as of lately. What I have read so far is riveting. My wife, however, has her own iPad version of the book (that’s right, we purchased two copies…apparently we can’t share) and is halfway through it already. She says it is incredible. Tim and Robin of Appalachia and Beyond say this book will leave you “with a heart-warming sensation - a newly acquired approach to the way you view life”.

Here is Amazon’s Product Description

Middle-aged, overweight, and acrophobic newspaperman Tom Ryan and miniature schnauzer Atticus M. Finch are an unlikely pair of mountaineers, but after a close friend dies of cancer, the two pay tribute to her by attempting to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire’s four-thousand-foot peaks twice in one winter while raising money for charity. In a rare test of endurance, Tom and Atticus set out on an adventure of a lifetime that takes them across hundreds of miles and deep into an enchanting but dangerous winter wonderland. Little did they know that their most difficult test would lie ahead, after they returned home. . . 

At the heart of this remarkable journey is an extraordinary relationship that blurs the line between man and dog, an indelible bond that began when Tom, following the advice of Atticus’s breeder, carried the pup wherever he went for the first month of their life together. Following Atticus is ultimately a story of transformation: how a five-pound puppy pierced the heart of a tough-as-nails newspaperman, opening his eyes to the world’s beauty and its possibilities. It was a change that led to a new life among the mountains; an unforgettable saga of adventure, friendship, and the unlikeliest of family; and an inspiring tale of finding love and discovering your true self.

So, here is how you can enter to win this book.

Entry 1: Simply, leave a comment on this blog post explaining why you want this book!

Entry 2: If you have a Facebook Page (fan page or personal page), share this posting on your FB page explaining the contest. You must come back to this page and leave a separate comment (separate than the other entries), letting me know that you did indeed share these details on Facebook.

Entry 3: If you have a Twitter Account, share the following feed: “@LiveFreeAndHike @TomandAtticus Win a Copy of Following Atticus http://bit.ly/sASqk7 #book #hiking #nh” You must come back to this page and leave, yet again, another comment (separate from the other entries), letting me know that you shared this feed on Twitter.

Entry 4 and 5: That’s right; this one is worth two entries. If you have a blog, write a post regarding this giveaway and link back to this posting. And again, you must come back to this page and leave another comment (separate from the other entries), letting me know that you wrote a blog post regarding this giveaway.

So, you have a chance to enter five times in all. If you get all five in, you would have left four separate comments. If you make an initial comment here, share on Facebook and Twitter, you will need to leave three separate comments. Get the gist? Pretty easy, right?

The comments will only be accepted until midnight on November 11th and I will draw the winners on November 12th. I will use Random.org to randomly draw the two winners. If you win and I have a way to get in touch with you, I will. However, I don’t have contact information for everyone, so you’ll need to check back here on November 12th to see if you won. 

For more information on Tom and Atticus and the book Following Atticus, visit there blog or their Facebook page! Good luck to everyone who wants one of these copies!

Win a Copy of Following Atticus by Tom Ryan!

Some History on South Uncanoonuc Mountain

I had a few free hours on Saturday, which is very rare these days with a newborn, work and school. I decided to take full advantage of the time and head into the woods. I needed a location not too far from home and a short round trip time, as I needed to be home for something later in the evening. I decided to target the summit of South Uncanoonuc Mountain in Goffstown. This is certainly not a desirable destination for most hikers as the views are very limited and the summit is riddled by radio towers, but I had different agenda on this day. I was in search of a little bit of history!

South Uncanoonuc Mountain, as I’ve already said, is home to many huge radio towers on its summit. However, at one time, it was actually a tourist attraction in New Hampshire. It is one of many lost ski areas in New England. You can read about its history ski history here. It also had an incline railway that brought tourists, as well as skiers, to the top of the mountain. The railway was similar in nature to the Cog up Mount Washington, in the sense that it went straight up the side of the mountain. However, the train ran on electricity, not biofuel or coal. The south summit was even home to multiple fire towers and even a resort hotel at one time.

A portion of the Incline Trail that may represent an older photo I found on the web. I got this idea, of trying to compare the current trail to the past photo from 1HappyHiker Blog Posting: Meanderings around North Sugerloaf!

 

Same thing as previous posting...Idea from 1HappyHiker

The “Incline” railway, as it was called, was put into service 1907 and was halted in 1941 when a fire destroyed 500 feet of its tracks. The train climbed 800 feet in elevation when ascending at a 35% grade, which is pretty steep. It cost tourists and skiers $0.15 for a ride to the summit and $0.25 for a round trip ticket! Some great information on this railway system can be found on this site.

 Chipmunk checking me out!

Old foundation in the woods next to the trail.

The railway bed that the Incline Railway once climbed is still on the mountain and easily acceptable to hikers. I decided to take this path up to the summit in hopes to see some historical artifacts and piece some of the old pictures I found on the web together.

 Old Rail Ties in the Woods with Hardware

The trail was consistently steep as I expected. You begin by crossing a small bridge over a brook and the climbing begins. The footing is pretty good on the first half of the trail. There was one creepy cabin on the right of the trail, soon after the bridge but had no trespassing signs on it, so I stayed away. Soon, the good footing gave way to lose rock and gravel, like the bottom of a slide trail. However, I’m assuming this was just the foundation for the old rails.

 Pipe with bracket in the woods. I'm not sure what it was used for.

Weathered rail with hardware. I assume this was part of the rail system.

There was one great viewpoint to the southeast a little ways up the Walker Trail, which made its way into the Incline Trail about halfway up. I did a little bit of bushwhacking just off the trail when I thought I saw something that may have historical significance. In doing so, I think I found the sites of a few old cabins, with broken down wooden structures, old porcelain covered metal sinks and more. I finally came across some older railroad ties with large bolts through them which I’m sure was part of the Incline Railway at one time.

 Views over toward Manchester

 Views of some mountains in the distance, not sure what mountains, though.

I finally made my way onto the summit, and as many who have described it before said, it was covered with radio towers and the constant humming of their base stations. I was surprised to see that they were not bunched together, but instead had their own little plots of land, scattered over the large, flat summit. I made my way to the highest point and started searching for a U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Traverse Station Benchmark. A lot of the information such as the year, number and position were not marked on this disc, so I have no idea how long it was up there.

One of the towers on the summit

I eventually headed back down the way I came up, via the Incline Trail. I was really happy with this short hike because I was looking for some evidence from the past and found it. I found some really cool railway ties with old hardware in them. I wondered why these pieces were left behind while all the other ties were brought down. I wondered how many tourists traveled over these ties that were now left to rot in the woods. I wondered who originally installed this tie up on the mountain and if he was a nature lover as well.

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Benchmark!

I was also really happy about finding a new Benchmark…these things have become addictive to me. It’s the first one I have found from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. I wonder why this specific Benchmark was installed and when. I wonder how many people walked over it, not even knowing it was there. I know I certainly walked over it a few times, and I was actually looking for it.

I really love history. Combine that with hiking and nature, and it is really my passion!

A couple great websites where I got some of the information for this post and got the older pictures for this post are:

http://home.comcast.net/~drat/Uncanoonuc.htm
http://www.nelsap.org/nh/uncanoonuc.html
http://www.gotopinardville.com/uncanoonuc_mountains.htm

Some History on South Uncanoonuc Mountain

Book Review: Goodnight New Hampshire...For The Kids

So, this isn’t really a book review for adults, but rather a book review for children. We bought a book for Lylah, before she was even born, called “Goodnight New Hampshire”. It is written by Adam Gamble and Anna Rosen and published by Our World of Books. From what I understand, there is a whole series of “Goodnight” books. We chose “Goodnight New Hampshire” for obvious reasons.

The book has hard pages and has lots of colors, so it keeps our four-month-old’s attention pretty well. It starts off saying hello to many different objects and people throughout the Granite State, including white tailed deer, pink lady slippers and children hiking on the Presidential Range. The reader is able to visit a New Hampshire country store, the ski slopes and apple orchards. Finally, the book ends by saying goodnight to Mount Washington, the highest peak in New Hampshire. Maybe the best page of all is the end, where a father is tucking in his child for the night. A picture on the child’s wall is the Old Man of the Mountain himself.

So, I give this book two thumbs up and would highly recommend it to anyone with an infant at home that loves New Hampshire and wants to teach their children about all the great things in this wonderful State! 

Book Review: Goodnight New Hampshire...For The Kids

South Moat Mountain With My Favorite Hiking Partner!

Jill and I finally got back out and hiked a mountain together. Jill hadn’t been on a real hike since we traversed the Franconia Ridge in September of 2010 because of the pregnancy and having a newborn. So, this Columbus Day, my mother was nice enough to watch Lylah for the day and we headed north.

Jill and I at the trailhead! She's really excited!

Bridge over Dry Brook

We chose South Moat Mountain, because of its size and short trail. We still needed to keep time in mind for this outing since we knew traffic was going to be pretty bad on the way home. Also, I had hiked South Moat back in April and I recall it being rather difficult for me, but I figured that was due to hiking on a really warm day, with full winter gear and rotting, deep snow. I also remember the summit being awesome. It had 360 degree views and not too crowded. I think it is certainly one of the more underrated summits in the Whites!

Some nice colors up on the ledges!

Mount Chocorua popping in the distance from the ledge views

We started out on the trail at 10am and the temperature increased quickly. The bottom portion of the trail is easy and fairly flat. However, the upper portion is pretty steep and I believe you climb close to 1,500 feet of elevation in 1.4 miles or so. So, needless to say, we both thought this trail was pretty tough. The views from the ledge areas to the south are phenomenal. Chocorua dominates the skyline and makes you want to drop your pack and camp there for the day. We didn’t see many people on the summit and the views were pretty good, except for a bit of haziness. Mount Carrigain, the Carter Notch, Mount Kearsarge, the Baldfaces, Mount Passaconaway and many other mountains were all in view. I also found a Benchmark up there, although it was not a USGS or NGS Benchmark, but instead it was a New Hampshire Benchmark…new to me!

Some more nice colors!

What I believe to be Mount Carrigain in the distance. Too bad it was hazy!

The best part of the whole day was that I got my hiking partner back. Since 2009, Jill and I have been hiking and falling in love with New Hampshire’s North Country, together. The two of us are like peas and carrots on the trail. I think our strong points complement each other in a very motivating way. When she needs encouragement, I give it to her and when I need encouragement, she gives it to me. And when we’ve finished laboring on the trail and set foot on the summit, we sit and really appreciate the time we’ve spent together, what we’ve accomplished and enjoy the wonderful views of the mountains before us. I wouldn’t change this for the world. She is by far my favorite hiking companion and always will be.

Carter Notch in the distance. I feel this shot would have had nice color if not for the haze!!!

Jill and I with the NH DPW&H Benchmark at the summit

The traffic on the ride home wasn’t as horrible as we had thought it would be. When we finally made it home, it was nice to see the munchkin (Lylah) greet us at the door with a huge smile. It was obvious that she definitely had a fun day with Grammy. We missed her a lot throughout the day, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t love spending the day alone with Jill on South Moat Mountain. 

South Moat Mountain With My Favorite Hiking Partner!

Some Apple Picking Fun at Cider Hill Farm

So this wasn’t really a true “hike”, but rather a walk on a nice day through an apple orchard, so I figured it would be appropriate to write a post about it. We had been anticipating going apple picking for a few weeks now, but with the rainy weather over the past couple weekends, we never had a chance to venture out. However, this Columbus Day weekend was predicted to be gorgeous and we figured it would be perfect for Lylah’s first apple picking event! Along with apple picking, we decided to also get her first pumpkin for Halloween and checkout all the cool things on the orchard.

This year, we chose Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury, Massachusetts. I know what you’re thinking…it’s not New Hampshire! But Cider Hill Farm is really nice and has a lot of cool things other than an enormous selection of apples (and it is right over the state line). There is a very nice barn that is setup like a gift shop on one side. On the other side, there is a small bakery area. Here, they make fresh cider doughnuts, which are absolutely delicious, and you are able to watch the process as they make them.

 Doughnut area in Cider Hill Farm's barn

 View toward Cider Hill's orchards

Outside, they have many different varieties of pumpkins and gourds as well as a huge selection of mums for sale. For the kids, they typically have a livestock available for viewing and/or petting. One very cool thing they do is a very popular community supported agriculture (CSA) program. This farm is also a huge supporter of renewable energy and is continually doing projects for this green cause. They have multiple large, wind turbines and many solar panels.

 The Family

 The Bees!

We arrived at Cider Hill Farm around 8:30am. It was still a little cool out but the temperature was rising fast. There were no crowds at this time so we thought it would be best to take our photo opportunities then and get some cute shots of Lylah in a sea of pumpkins. I’m sure we looked like tourists with our camera out, but we didn’t care. We found a nice, large pumpkin, grabbed some apple bags, and headed out into the apple orchard.

The orchard path

As the name of the farm alludes, the orchard is a large hill. Climbing this hill was great practice for Jill since we had plans to go on her first hike in over a year that coming Monday! Our targets for the day were Gala, Cortland and Macintosh Apples. Unfortunately for us, the Macintosh apples were just about out of season, and we were only able to find a few on the trees. The Galas were a bit small and probably not mature enough for picking yet, although we did find a few. The Cortland Apples, however, were large and perfect for picking.

 Chipmunk snacking on some apples!

After filling our apple bag, we walked back down the hill and did a little exploring. We found some honey bee houses which I tried to get a picture of without getting too close. The layout of the farm was nice. There was corn neatly laid out in one section and smaller vegetables in another. The solar panels were placed in different locations so that they were not an eyesore, but allowed visitors to know that the farm was using renewable energy. The wind turbines were scattered as well, I would assume for the same reason.

Solar panels, corn and some foliage

Wind Turbines

When we got back to the barn, we paid for our apples and visited some roosters that were in the nearby pen. There were chicken feed dispensers nearby if you felt like feeding them. At one point, the chickens had a lettuce leaf that they fought over for lunch. I think Lylah enjoyed watching them run around trying to get a piece of it.

 Rooster!

Finally, we made our way in the barn once again to pick up our favorite part of apple picking experience – the warm cider doughnuts! We purchased a couple and I’m ashamed to say, they didn’t make it back to the house on the car ride home. We couldn’t help ourselves and ate them.

Apple picking was a great time and I’m glad we chose Cider Hill Farm. The farm had a lot of different elements to it and made the morning seem very eventful. I think Lylah enjoyed it too. It was the first time she was able to go in her Baby Bjorn facing front and there was a lot for her to look at and keep her curiosity occupied. I would definitely recommend Cider Hill Farm to anyone in the seacoast area for a morning of apple picking and some time outside.

Some Apple Picking Fun at Cider Hill Farm

State of New Hampshire DPW & H Benchmark on South Moat Mountain

I wrote a post the other day about USGS and NGS Benchmarks and then found this strange benchmark this past weekend on South Moat Mountain. It is certainly different than others I have seen before. It is a New Hampshire DPW & H (Department of Public Works & Highways) Benchmark, and it seems it is for triangulation. I thought some may find this interesting. I did some searches online regarding DPW & H Benchmarks but came up with nothing. If anyone out there has any information they’d like to share on this DPW & H Benchmark or DPW & H Benchmarks in general, please post in the comments. I’m certainly interested to learn about them.

State of New Hampshire DPW & H Benchmark on South Moat Mountain

Tom Ryan's Following Atticus Book Signing Event at Newington's Barnes & Noble Review

This past Friday night (Oct. 7th, 2011), I was able to make my way over to the Newington’s Barnes & Noble to see Tom Ryan, the author of the new book Following Atticus (and the blog The Adventures of Tom & Atticus), speak about the book, read some passages from the new publication as well as meet the audience. Unfortunately for me, this is much later than I had anticipated meeting Tom on his book tour. I had originally planned to attend his kickoff signing at Jabberwocky Bookshop in Newburyport, MA on September 23rd, but instead came down with an illness which prohibited me from going. So, instead of seeing him at the beginning of his book tour, I was able to see him toward the end.

Myself, Atticus M. Finch & Tom Ryan at Barnes & Noble last Friday night!

I got there early, about 6:30pm and the event was scheduled to start at 7:00pm. It was no surprise that I was not the first one there. Many of the seats had already been taken and the buzz in the room was excitement to see Atticus in person. A few of the older women in the audience continually turned toward the door to see if they could catch a glimpse of Tom and Atticus entering the store. The lady next to me was proud to show me pictures on her phone of her miniature schnauzer who she proudly claimed to look “just like Atticus”. I must say, the resemblance was very similar. Finally, Tom arrived and before he even got through the glass entrance doors of Barnes & Noble, you could hear the excited women whisper: “Does he have Atticus? Yes, he does! He does have Atticus!”

 My copy of Following Atticus!

Tom stood in front of an audience of about 30 to 40 people and cradled little Atticus in one arm as he looked carefully around the room at his listeners. He started out by describing the town in which he once lived, Newburyport, where he owned and operated a newspaper, the Undertoad. He explained how he ended up nose deep in the political scene due to corruption of the city officials. He used the Undertoad to voice truth and fairness to the citizens of Newburyport, but paid a price in doing so. He explained that he had his tires slashed on a regular basis, his windshield was smashed, his exhaust pipe was filled with insulation and he was even presented with death threats. Aside from these horrible things, though, what impacted him the most was the stress and paranoia that this lifestyle brought him.

Map of the 48, 4,000 Footers in the front and rear cover of the book

He continued on with his talk and explained that he took in a miniature schnauzer named Max, who became a great companion for him. Unfortunately, Max’s life was cut short by seizures and the two of them only spent a short time together. He then got Atticus M. Finch, another miniature schnauzer from a selfless woman who wanted the dog to have a better life than she could offer him. Tom and Atticus immediately bonded and the two were inseparable.

 Tom signed the book, and stamped Atticus' paw print inside!

 Tom and Atticus joined Tom’s brothers on a hike up to Mount Garfield one day. From there, they fell in love with the mountains and what they had to offer. Tom and Atticus climbed all 48, 4000 footers in a short time and then returned to work on the winter ones. Tom went on to talk about the deaths of a few close friends, the impact on him and how the mountains helped in more ways than he could have imagined. He discussed how Atticus became sick with cataracts and cancer, and how overwhelming support and a spiritual visit helped them both overcome the illnesses. I will leave the ending of this chapter out, as you (the reader) should read about it in the book. Tom did mention that this part of the story has been televised on an Animal Planet special. I’ll definitely need to try to DVR this the next time it’s on.

The book has some excellent color photos in it!

After telling his stories and reading some wonderful passages from the book, Tom opened up the floor to some questions. He then presented a member of the audience with a tee shirt in congratulations for just finishing the 48, 4,000 footers, a great accomplishment in my eyes. Finally, they held a raffle for an audience member to win a nice doggy bed, blanket and other great doggy goodies. An hour and a half had gone by, but it felt like he had just got there. He had the audience’s undivided attention the whole time and I believe the crowd loved him. He was comfortable speaking, his readings were great and he even made some really funny jokes.

More of the color photos!

At the end, I was glad to get in line with many of the other audience members to get my copy of Following Atticus signed. It was more than that though. I felt like I was meeting a friend for the first time as I have had many conversations with Tom over his blog platform and through the digital hiking community. He was kind enough to let me get a picture of them with me, and signed my new copy of his book. I’ve been a long time follower of Tom’s Blog, The Adventures of Tom & Atticus, and I had no doubt that Following Atticus was going to be an instant hit. I’ve already read the first chapter and it already has me hooked, although I’m not surprised.

I must say that this book signing event was awesome! From beginning to end, Tom had the audience interested and riveted. I give it two thumbs up in my book (no pun intended)! I hope to have a book review of Following Atticus out in the next few weeks! I'm a slow reader, so please, be patient :)

Tom Ryan's Following Atticus Book Signing Event at Newington's Barnes & Noble Review

A Great Rescue in the White Mountains and Some New Hamsphire Hospitality!

Now, this is the kind of happy ending you like to hear about after a White Mountain rescue. The gist of it is that yesterday, a German couple was hiking on the Sabbaday Brook Trail, about a quarter mile from the trailhead near Sabbaday Falls, The man collapsed all of a sudden and stopped breathing. Coincidentally, another German couple (also hiking) was nearby and they were actually physicians and helped the man the best they could in the woods. A school bus driver was able to get back to the parking lot and radio for help from the bus (since cell phone service is scarce). This chain of events allowed emergency personnel to get to the sick man very quickly.

He was transported to Conway Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME. The kindness and New Hampshire hospitality didn’t stop here. A staff member of the Conway Memorial Hospital, who coincidentally spoke German, led the man’s wife to Maine Medical Center, sixty miles away! She then stayed by her side to help translate the situation between the wife and the doctors.

I hope the hiker recovers fully and quickly! The chain of events here shows both New Hampshire kindness as well as first rate responsiveness to a situation that could have ended tragically. Great job to all involved!

The complete, detailed article can be viewed here at the Nashua Telegraph: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/935157-196/lightning-fast-rescue-saves-man-who-collapsed-in.html

A Great Rescue in the White Mountains and Some New Hamsphire Hospitality!

Do you search for USGS or NGS Benchmarks?

One thing that always excites me when I get to the summit of a mountain is finding a Benchmark. I’m not really sure why, but those small, metal disks are fun to find. Maybe it’s because it represents a piece of history on the mountain. In most cases, they were installed by a previous generation, and will be there for many future generations to come. I decided to do a little research on the subject of them and this is what I have found.

 USGS Benchmark on the summit of Mount Liberty

Apparently, these Benchmarks could have been installed by one of two agencies; either the United States Geological Survey (USGS) or the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), formally the US Coast & Geodetic Survey. I would say the USGS Benchmarks are probably the most common, but I have found some older US Coast & Geodetic Survey Benchmarks as well. I have never found one with the newer, National Geodetic Survey name on it.

 

NGS Benchmark and Reference Mark on Mount Lafayette

One of the main jobs of the USGS, with respect to Benchmarking, is topographical mapping. They install these USGS Benchmarks to create an accurate reference point or location (including elevation) that can be revisited in the future. On the other hand, the NGS (if I understand the information I found correctly) determines proper elevations, shore and boundary lines, etc. Both departments use and update Benchmarks as needed for their respective functions.

 

NGS Benchmark on Stratham Hill

Now, a Benchmark could be anything really. It could be a pipe, a rock, a carving in a rock, but we commonly see them on mountain tops in the form of a small, metal disk. The disk usually has the department name that placed it there, the Benchmark’s name (typically, the mountain’s name) and the elevation the disk is placed at. In some cases, the disk isn’t at the true summit or highest point on the mountain. The surveyor will place it in a location that he can point the best line to other peaks or locations for his mapping purposes. Therefore, some summit top Benchmarks may have a lower elevation callout than the actual summit elevation. Most Benchmarks will have a triangle or cross on it, which is a sure sign that it is a true Benchmark. However, there are other disks kicking around these summits that aren’t actually Benchmarks! Don't let them fool you!

 USGS Benchmark and Reference Mark on Mount Pierce

Some Benchmarks are placed along with Reference Marks. In most cases, there are Reference Marks (commonly in numbers of two or more) placed near the Benchmark with a specific direction and distance to help reset or triangulate the Benchmark location if ever needed in the future. These Reference Marks look just like Benchmarks, but have an arrow in the center and are usually marked with “Reference Mark”. I have definitely found a few of these in my travels and thought the mountain either had more than one Benchmark or I apparently didn’t find the true Benchmark, only taking a photo of the Reference Mark. Fool me once...right! There are also Azimuth Marks (directing true direction) and Cadastral Marks (denoting land boundaries) which are used from time to time and look just like a Benchmark. I have never come across either of these types of disks in my travels.

 USGS Benchmark and my boot on Mount Washington!

Currently, there is no way of knowing how many Benchmarks have been placed around the United States. It is thought that there is over one million currently placed in various locations, but there is no true record. You can obtain NGS Benchmark datasheets, which contain a lot of information regarding specific Benchmarks, on their website: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/datasheet.prl. As for USGS Benchmarks, information regarding specific ones cannot be found online and you must inquire with USGS personnel to acquire information.

 USGS Reference Mark on Iron Mountain...I missed the Benchmark

So, which mountains have I been lucky enough to find these Benchmarks and which ones have I missed? I’m sure you’ve already noticed the photos in this post which have a lot of these peaks mentioned. I’ve found USGS or NGS Benchmarks on Mount Washington, Mount Pierce, Mount Lafayette, Mount Liberty and Stratham Hill. I have found USGS or NGS Reference Marks on Mount Pierce, Mount Lafayette and Iron Mountain. However, I thought at the time, the Reference Mark on Iron Mountain was in fact the Benchmark. So, I never actually found the Benchmark on this mountain which means I will need to revisit it and find it. I know, after reading and viewing other trip reports, I have missed Benchmarks on Mount Osceola, Mount Major, Mount Cardigan, Mount Chocorua and probably many more. I do my best to make a point to look for these Benchmarks as sometimes they are a bit hidden or people are perched on them eating lunch. I also know, now, that a Reference Mark means a Benchmark is close by.

Left, Sandwich Wilderness Bound Mark on Mount Potash

Right, Property Bound at the base of the Pasture Path up to Mount Katherine

These may be considered Cadastral Marks, although I'm not sure

Hopefully, this was informative for you and somewhat interesting. For me, well I love this stuff. Anything that may carry any ounce of history or significance, such as a USGS or NGS Benchmark, is always intriguing to me. I’ll continue to search them out and I hope you do too!

A lot of the research I did and information I found to write this post was found on SummitPost.org. For a more detailed information on the history of Benchmarks, visit: http://www.summitpost.org/on-bench-marks-history-purpose-and-a-mountaineer-s-perspective/613557

Do you search for USGS or NGS Benchmarks?