OUR
COMMENTS - FEBRUARY, 2000
A Matter of Perspective
Ginger had been corresponding with an old Indianapolis friend by e-mail recently when she forwarded a link to a dramatic photo of First Mountain and the Androscoggin River posted at another web site. ( Shelburnenh.com - go to Photos and First Mountain is seen in second photo in the right row.) Not impressed by the stature of First Mountain, he sent back a message concerning our "First Hill". I would agree that First Mountain is not a member of the New Hampshire 4,000' club, but it is a respectable little mountain in its own right. Observed against the back drop of Bald Cap Peak and the 3,000' Mahoosuc Range, First Mountain might not be that imposing. However, when viewed from the small clearing at the front of our forest, the cliffs and mountain offer a pretty intimidating view to someone about to climb to the summit.
We accepted our friends comment in jest, for how else could we interpret such a comment from an Indiana flat-lander whose state's highest elevation is some 400+ feet lower than First Mountain's summit. As a matter of fact, the First Mountain Forest's 130 acre tract has a greater range of elevation than the entire state of Indiana. Our friend, Steve, may visit next summer and we will remind him of his comment when he stops to catch his breath on the climb to Joe's Ledges.
First Mountain, with almost 1,000 foot of elevation gain from the bank of the Androscoggin River, actually owes its designation as a distinct mountain summit to the 65 foot elevation drop on the north side of the mountain. Without that drop, and the subsequent 300 foot elevation gain to Middle Mountain's summit, our mountain would just be a part of the south face of Middle Mountain. It is strange to think of the importance of that 65' downslope on the mountain's north face in comparison to the 1,000 foot climb on the south face.
Our new cottage at the log landing in the First Mountain Forest has allowed us to enjoy a closer look at winter in the small Shelburne valley of the Androscoggin River. As I expected, snow is plentiful due to the proximity to Mount Washington and to the convergence of three major storm tracks through the valley. Though snows didn't arrive until Christmas this year, snowfall has been abundant since then. In fact, we haven't been able to hike on the property without snowshoes since the first week of January and the snow pack in mid-February is now nearly three feet deep. We have decided that winter is the most exciting season to explore our forest, as foot travel is easier and wildlife sign is abundant and more identifiable. We still have to make our first winter ascent of the mountain.
I am working on the cottage 2 to 3 days during mid-week and Ginger always joins me for a weekend's worth of work and exploration. We hope our progress is such that the cottage is finished by early summer, then the focus changes to trail development and improvements to the forest.
On each morning that I awake in our new cottage, I look out the bedroom window and think to myself that nowhere else in this world could I probably be as contented. I am lucky to have found my home. When I am supposed to be working on the cottage, I find myself wandering from room to room just gazing out at the wonderful view from each and every window. Many people might find the view of forest and mountain rather boring, but to me it is paradise.
Larry
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