Yellow Mountain is decidedly soggy this November.  The old Yellow Mountain Highway, now wood road, was either soggy, or running water, all the way to the north property line.  Witch’s corner and the vernal pool were passable only with a detour into the woods.  Interestingly, our great October snow did almost no damage.  Actually, this is absolutely not surprising.  Trees growing in a forest situation can not make either extravagent or unbalanced growth…ergo they can withstand much more loading than most trees people encounter.

This year there was little evidence of either deer or turkey, relatively speaking, which is not surprising for the acorn crop is poor this year in comparison to last year.  This may discourage my friend, who I was showing the property lines to so he might get at least a few days of hunting in before the end of rifle season.  I did mention that avoiding the bog was a good idea, since every time I go into that area I find sign of the black bear.

Yet, being up there at sunset was very instructive.  I generally go up midday. However, towards sunset the light picks out the ridges, the bog and the varying tree cover with far more detail.  These are New England woods as they ought to be in the mind’s eye.  Semi-open, with the periodic impenetratable laurel/witch-hazel thickets, soaring beeches, oak and pine; hemlock groves hanging onto bedrock ridges, bogs of fern and moss.  It was an enjoyable hike.  But no deer!