Folige Update - Green Mountain National Forest

Discuss Fall Foliage in Vermont, when to come, where to stay, where to take a tour etc. Note: You must be registered in order to post. If you have trouble registering, use the contact us form on Scenes of Vermont's home page.

Moderators: Andy, pwt54, admin, ctyanky

Post Reply
GIC
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:01 am
Location: Central MA
Contact:

Folige Update - Green Mountain National Forest

Post: # 9710Post GIC
Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:59 pm

I got off to a very late start to NH. Daughter had car issues, which dads have to take care of no matter what. Set me back about 4 hours. Then all of the sudden there where about 20 Honey Do’s that had to be taken care of. Oh humm……. As the song goes….You can’t always get what you want.

I left Central Mass about 8 am to the town of Gorham,New Hampshire . I figured Gorham would be good mid point to bounce around to Maine and Vermont. I planned to stay a full week shooting foliage in New Hampshire, Maine and especially Vermont.

Gorham is located where Rt 2 and Rt16 intersect and is almost in between Lower and Upper White Mountain National Forest.

Weather conditions were partly clear to cloudy.
From Mass I took Hwy 93 Lincoln. Very little color up to Lincoln. At Lincoln I took 112 “Kancamagus Hwy”. As Abby pointed out in her NEK update the color was very nice. The same still held true for me and should turn on by late weekend. I did not completely complete the full Kancamagus Hwy route. At Pasaconaway I headed north to Bear Mtn.
A lot of scenic stops, but no real color to speak of. At Bartlett I took 302 East to 16 North at Glen. I think after passing Jackson where a couple of cover bridges are located the foliage color just kicked in. It was truly a nice experience. Like a breath of fresh air. I would say it is almost at peak conditions. Luck would not hold out for long.

Bad Yucky weather rolls in.
After passing Mt Washington Auto Road weather conditions when took a turn for the worse. Dark clouds and rain set in for the rest of the afternoon. I finally made it to Gorham, my final destination. I sat at a restaurant for about two hours or so. Wishing for better weather. The time was five thirtyish. I pulled out the laptop and checked weather conditions and could see that Wednesday what going to be similar to today’s weather with rain in the PM. The rest of the week indicated rain city. So I pulled the plug and headed home. In route to get back to Hwy 93 I took 2 West. It was raining with dark clouds over head, none the less I could still color gleaming from the trees. As if you feel the color. What a heartbreak it was to leave.
I’m certain that rest of 16 North from Gorham is exhibiting spectacular color. I feel the same holds true for the Northern White Mtn. region as well.

I’m going to monitor the weather conditions and decide weather of not to go back in the region on Thursday. It does not look good at this point. You never know.

I think PTW54 mentioned that Island Pond, Vermont should be close to peak foliage this weekend. I think he is right on the money and it should be spectacular.

I will try and get some pictures up, but the pics where not that good with the dark cloud coverage. If I would have left as planned I would be sitting pretty with some awesome foliage shots.

If something does not makes sense it is because I’m dead tired.
GIC


ctyanky
Board Admin
Posts: 3322
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:22 am

Post: # 9717Post ctyanky
Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:01 am

Oh GIC! I'm so sorry your trip did not turn out as planned! :cry:

I think you had some bad karma from the start. However, our children do come first and glad you got your daughter's car problem taken care of! As far as the Honey-Do's...... :roll:

Well, let's wait and see what Mother Nature has up her sleeve and take what comes........

It sounds like the trees were glowing where you were and hopefully things will improve for all of us!

Sounds like the Foliage Gods are in full force but we need the Weather Gods to come rescue us!!!!! :shock:
CT - Board Admin and Moderator for Scenes of Vermont
**************
Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

GIC
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:01 am
Location: Central MA
Contact:

Post: # 9718Post GIC
Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:36 am

Don't get me wrong :D . I did have a good time. Scenic views are incredible in that region and I did see some awesome foliage. :wink:

GIC
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:01 am
Location: Central MA
Contact:

Post: # 9726Post GIC
Wed Sep 30, 2009 7:45 am

Hi Carol,
LOL I plan to be there even if a hurricane comes in.
GIC

rk
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:40 pm

Post: # 9756Post rk
Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:15 am

Hi GIC

Did you take bear notch road from Kanc to 302.

I will be driving Kanc from lincoln to Glen this weekend.

Shall I take the Bear Notch Road or continue to North Conway on Kanc.

If I take Bear Notch Road I would not be able to complete the Kanc.

Which one in your opinion is more scenic the last portion of kanc after the bear notch turnoff or the Bear Notch Road.

Please advise.

rK.


pwt54
Moderator
Posts: 2747
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2002 12:01 am
Location: johnson,vermont,usa

Post: # 9760Post pwt54
Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:07 am

The drive from the Bear Notch Road to Conway is not that scenic. The Bear Notch is scenic.

rk
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:40 pm

Post: # 9761Post rk
Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:11 am

thanks pwt.

you had suggested bear notch to my earlier post . you suggested it to bypass conway to avoid the crowds in conway during the fair.

GIC
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:01 am
Location: Central MA
Contact:

Post: # 9795Post GIC
Wed Sep 30, 2009 7:04 pm

Hi rk,

Yes I did take bear notch road from "112" Kanc to 302. I did this in order to save time to get to Gorham. I was racing against a rain weather pattern that was moving in.
GIC

GIC
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:01 am
Location: Central MA
Contact:

Post: # 9799Post GIC
Wed Sep 30, 2009 7:20 pm

Sorry. I forgot to answer your last request. I would bypass Conway as PTW54 advised. The sooner you get up past Jackson, which is North of Conway on 16 the foliage starts to take a noticeable difference. You will eventually be right in the thick of great foliage at Glen.
GIC

rk
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:40 pm

Post: # 9809Post rk
Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:17 pm

Thanks for your suggestion GIC,
rK

GIC
Posts: 130
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:01 am
Location: Central MA
Contact:

Post: # 9864Post GIC
Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:09 pm

Sorry a little late posting this.
Here are some shots of Hwy 16 Located at Wild Cat Mtn. Trying to stay ahead of the rain. As you can see the color is there even in undesirable conditions.

Rain Chasing Me Hwy 16 New Hampshire
Image

Dark Clouds Rolling In Over Range - NH
Image

WildCat Area Hwy 16 NH
Image

rk
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:40 pm

Post: # 9867Post rk
Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:47 pm

Nice Pics GIC.


Post Reply