Surry Mountain Hike

May 26, 2013

Active Beaver lodge

I decided to find "the Monuments" on Surry Mountain in NH.  I parked in a sandy lot off of Rte 12A which pheasant hunters often use.  First I headed toward the dam, hoping to find a shortcut to the other side of the Ashuelot River.  After a pleasant walk through varied terrain, I walked back to where I started and headed off in the opposite direction.  I got a late start, 3:00 p.m., but I was determined to find this rock formation before dark.  I used my phone GPS to track where I was going by using "mapmyrun".  The total hike including the initial walk to the reservoir, was nearly 8 miles.

I stopped to smell the shrubs, both of which are sweet.

Burning Bush

This shrub is called Burning Bush. It's an invasive species which was introduced to the United States in 1860 as an ornamental plant.

Lilly of the Valley

Single turtle egg found by itself and lying on the sand.

We crossed a grand pasture of yellow looking toward the north.  At far corner there is a bridge, which I believe was called "David's Bridge".

Snowmobile bridge across the Ashuelot River.  The river was a raging torrent.

From the other side of the bridge we got right on to the trail that leads to Surry Dam.  The trail follows the Ashuelot River to the dam.  I estimated the point at which the rock formation would be directly above.  I would look for a trail, or make my own. I found an unmarked trail that may very well have been nothing more than deer traffic.  A very steep scramble with opportunities for treacherous falls, nevertheless I was determined, and so was Evvy. 


Southeast view from the monuments

 At last all the bushwhacking and rock scrambling paid off with this amazing view of Surry Dam.  I wish I had started out earlier because there is surely more exploring to do up there.  The photo bellow is looking toward Walpole.

I found a more legible trail, however in need of serious trail maintenance.  This was a much faster trip for many reasons.  Thank goodness for strong saplings to hang on to whilst sliding downslope.

Southwest view from the monuments, looking toward Carpenter and Derry Hills in Walpole.

I plan on exploring this area in greater detail very soon.  Next time, I will leave earlier and stay longer.