Sunday, January 24, 2010

Mount Watatic 1/18/2010

Last Monday, Karin and I snowshoed up Mt. Watatic, in Ashburnham, Ma., after the recent snow storm dropped about 8-10" on fresh snow on the area. Upon arrival, at the trailhead, there was only one set of snowshoe tracks on the path. This was not a birding "expedition", good thing too.... because only 3 species were encountered. The first was a Snow Bunting, I heard calling as it flew overhead, while I strapped on the "shoes". Otherwise there were only a few Black-capped Chickadees and Juncos, however the scenery more than made up for the lack of bird diversity.

Crossing a stream on the way up, my pace was sluggish but steady. It took us just over an hour to make the summit.

The first open area, a small clearing about 2/3 the way to the summit.

Upon reaching the main summit these handsome birches were looking rather nice in the fresh snow.
We had been the first to reach the east summit, where the hawkwatch takes place in the fall.

The wind blown snow "patterns" were spectacular and it was nice no foot prints had yet been laid.
The trees were nicely frosted.

The north west view, toward the Wapack Ridge.

A nearby farm house.

...and the view from the south vista, where we enjoyed a snack before the return trip over Nutting Hill.

2 comments:

Brooks Rownd said...

Beautiful! :)

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