Jose's Bridge
Where: Jose's Bridge, NH
When: Summer, 1990
With: Stupid Society
I had given all the members of the Stupid Society their very own copies of the White Mountain Guide book and maps, so I decided it was time for someone other than Chip and I to plan a hike. Seth and Dave conferred and came up with Flat Mountain Pond. Easy hike, not too far north...a good choice.
We drove up on a nice summer day and without too much trouble we found the trailhead. Unfortunately, the parking area was filled with cars. We consulted the map and figured we could go in another way. We drove back to Bennett Street and followed it in. It soon turned to a rough dirt road and finally ended at a parking lot. We drank some beer, packed up and headed into the woods on the Bennett Street trail.
According to the
map, it would link up with the other end of the Flat Mountain Pond trail in a mile or so. The trail followed an old road at first and then turned into a footpath. It followed a stream the whole way and we stopped early on for drinks and a dip in the water. We were in no hurry and decided to enjoy ourselves this hike. A bit further up the trail we found a small pool in the stream with a small rock to leap from. Once again, into the water we went. In a bit of bad luck, Seth fell and sprained his thumb. It wasn't too bad, so we continued on.
Shortly afterwards, we came to a very nice campsite by some bigger pools and stopped again. "Y'know," says I, " we could just stay here." The others were shocked. I was the one who usually pressed for the 20-mile hike to reach the destination. Seth and Dave in particular had always lobbied for short hikes and fun in camp. The general feeling was "Why not?" so after a 45 minute "hike", we decided to camp.
We played in the pool nearby for a bit, then went exploring up the stream, running up the rocks in the streambed. A ways up, we came upon a deep pool at the base of high rock walls, with a small waterfall falling through a cleft from above. Wow! What a perfect place. There was no hesitation. We all stripped and started jumping in. First from rocks down low and then from higher up. I bushwhacked (naked!) up the slope on the far side of the pool and managed a leap from a small ledge perhaps 12 feet above the water. Chip, as usual, felt obliged to follow. Fortunately, it was too dark for any of the pictures we took to come out.
We jumped and swam for a good while, stole Chip's underwear and sunk it with a rock, and finally decided we'd had enough. Just as we finished dressing, some other folks arrived for a dip. Good timing. We went back down the stream to the campsite and relaxed before dinner. Seth fell asleep on a rock in the stream. For dinner, the others had hot dogs and I had some rice dish, followed by an evening of drinking and singing and general merriment.
The next day we played in the stream some more, making a dam and redirecting some of the flow from above. We enjoyed our handiwork for a bit, then restored it to its previous state and walked back to the car and went home.
More pictures
When: Summer, 1990
With: Stupid Society
We drove up on a nice summer day and without too much trouble we found the trailhead. Unfortunately, the parking area was filled with cars. We consulted the map and figured we could go in another way. We drove back to Bennett Street and followed it in. It soon turned to a rough dirt road and finally ended at a parking lot. We drank some beer, packed up and headed into the woods on the Bennett Street trail.
According to the
map, it would link up with the other end of the Flat Mountain Pond trail in a mile or so. The trail followed an old road at first and then turned into a footpath. It followed a stream the whole way and we stopped early on for drinks and a dip in the water. We were in no hurry and decided to enjoy ourselves this hike. A bit further up the trail we found a small pool in the stream with a small rock to leap from. Once again, into the water we went. In a bit of bad luck, Seth fell and sprained his thumb. It wasn't too bad, so we continued on.
Shortly afterwards, we came to a very nice campsite by some bigger pools and stopped again. "Y'know," says I, " we could just stay here." The others were shocked. I was the one who usually pressed for the 20-mile hike to reach the destination. Seth and Dave in particular had always lobbied for short hikes and fun in camp. The general feeling was "Why not?" so after a 45 minute "hike", we decided to camp.
We played in the pool nearby for a bit, then went exploring up the stream, running up the rocks in the streambed. A ways up, we came upon a deep pool at the base of high rock walls, with a small waterfall falling through a cleft from above. Wow! What a perfect place. There was no hesitation. We all stripped and started jumping in. First from rocks down low and then from higher up. I bushwhacked (naked!) up the slope on the far side of the pool and managed a leap from a small ledge perhaps 12 feet above the water. Chip, as usual, felt obliged to follow. Fortunately, it was too dark for any of the pictures we took to come out.
We jumped and swam for a good while, stole Chip's underwear and sunk it with a rock, and finally decided we'd had enough. Just as we finished dressing, some other folks arrived for a dip. Good timing. We went back down the stream to the campsite and relaxed before dinner. Seth fell asleep on a rock in the stream. For dinner, the others had hot dogs and I had some rice dish, followed by an evening of drinking and singing and general merriment.
The next day we played in the stream some more, making a dam and redirecting some of the flow from above. We enjoyed our handiwork for a bit, then restored it to its previous state and walked back to the car and went home.
More pictures
