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This is Page 4 of 5 - the best of June and July 2016!
posted: July 31st, 2016
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This page begins with July 9th and an adventure Kazuya and I went on with Chris, Mary and Mark to Table Top Mountain, in the White Mountains National Recreation Area. After that, on July 13th Kazuya and I went out alone and climbed Wickersham Dome, also in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, but on a totally different highway and separated by many miles.   Click on any thumbnail to begin.

  Partial Map of the White Mountains National Recreation Area. Note Table Top Mountain Trail towards the east, outlined in red and Wickersham Dome on the west, also outlined in red. If you'd like to see more than a partial map of the White Mountains National Recreation Area please use Google.
WhiteMtnsMapPart
Part of the White Mountains National Recreation Area Map

Begin July 9th
  All of the photos in this row were taken at a rest stop along the Nome Creek Road (See Map above). The first photo shows scenery, Kazuya bent over searching for flowers and the outlined area is where we are going today and is shown prominently in the second photo - Table Top Mountain. The third shot also shows Table Top Mountain, but it is not zoomed-in as much.
Jul9_01_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_AlongRoadRC
Jul9_01_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_AlongRoadRC
Jul9_03_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_TableTopMtnRC
Jul9_03_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_TableTopMtnRC
Jul9_04_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_TableTopMtnRC
Jul9_04_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_TableTopMtnRC

  These three photos all show additional scenery and were taken from the same rest stop as the ones in Row 1. I believe that you can tell that each of these three photos is increasingly zoomed-in.
Jul9_02_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_AlongRoadRC
Jul9_02_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_AlongRoadRC
July9th_TableTopMtn004RC
July9th_Table
TopMtn004RC
Jul9_05_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_MountainsRC
Jul9_05_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_MountainsRC

  Now we have arrived at the trailhead for Table Top Mountain. The first image is cropped from a larger photo of a sign and shows the loop trail. It seems weird that they did not actually build the trail to the summit of the mountain, but they did not! The 3,074 foot elevation is Lower Table Top Mountain, there is a Saddle or Plateau between there and the 3,130 foot elevation, which is the main Table Top Mountain. The second shot shows Chris on the trail, along with an abundance of Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium). This area was burned in 2004 and this is what it looks like in 2016. The third shot shows a Surnia ulula (Northern Hawk Owl). Zena, the dog, was leading, although on a leash, and suddenly this owl was screaming at us from this tree and acting very nervous.
July9th_TableTopMtn018PartRC
July9th_TableTop
Mtn018PartRC
July9th_TableTopMtn019_ChamerionAngustifoliumRC
July9th_TableTopMtn019
_ChamerionAngustifoliumRC
Jul9_10_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_OwlRC
Jul9_10_WhiteMtn
NatRecArea_OwlRC

  After a couple of minutes Zena the dog lunged after this fledgling Northern Hawk Owl. She was still on a leash, so could not get to the bird, but we now knew why we were being screamed at by the adult owl. We took a couple of shots of the young one and continued on so as to let that poor mother owl relax! The second shot shows Vaccinium uliginosum - Blueberries. The third shot shows Campanula lasiocarpa - Harebell and Linnaea borealis - Twinflower.
Jul9_13_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_OwlRC
Jul9_13_WhiteMtn
NatRecArea_OwlRC
July9th_TableTopMtn024_VacciniumUliginosumRC
July9th_TableTopMtn024
_VacciniumUliginosumRC
July9th_TableTopMtn062_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC
July9th_TableTopMtn062
_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC

  Here is one more shot which shows Campanula lasiocarpa - Harebell and Linnaea borealis - Twinflower. That is followed by a shot of Upper Table Top Mountain, taken from the saddle between the two mountains. The third shot shows Spiraea stevenii.
July9th_TableTopMtn063_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC
July9th_TableTopMtn063
_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC
Jul9_21_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_TableTopMtnRC
Jul9_21_WhiteMtnNatRec
Area_TableTopMtnRC
July9th_TableTopMtn071_SpiraeaSteveniiRC
July9th_TableTopMtn071
_SpiraeaSteveniiRC

  The first shot here is another which shows Upper Table Top Mountain with our party of people all spread out. The second shot shows some distant Tors and the third shot is a scenic shot taken from the summit area.
July9th_TableTopMtn080RC
July9th_Table
TopMtn080RC
Jul9_23_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_DistantTorsRC
Jul9_23_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_DistantTorsRC
July9th_TableTopMtn092RC
July9th_Table
TopMtn092RC

  Here is a shot of this flat 3,130 foot summit with people preparing for lunch. The second shot is a scenery shot in which you can again see the evidence of the 2004 forest fire. The third shot is zoomed in to some distant Tors.
July9th_TableTopMtn095_ChrisMaryMarkDanRC
July9th_TableTopMtn095
_ChrisMaryMarkDanRC
Jul9_28_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_SceneryRC
Jul9_28_WhiteMtn
NatRecArea_SceneryRC
Jul9_29_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_DistantTorsRC
Jul9_29_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_DistantTorsRC

  Here is a zoomed-out shot of those Tors you saw in the previous row. Then there are two shots of a Hoary Marmot (Marmota caligata).
Jul9_30_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_DistantTorsRC
Jul9_30_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_DistantTorsRC
Jul9_31_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_MarmotRC
Jul9_31_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_MarmotRC
Jul9_33_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_MarmotRC
Jul9_33_WhiteMtnNat
RecArea_MarmotRC

  Here is an amazing shot of the sky and clouds! That is followed by two shots of Chris and Zena the dog.
July9th_TableTopMtn107RC
July9th_Table
TopMtn107RC
July9th_TableTopMtn114_ChrisZenaRC
July9th_TableTopMtn
114_ChrisZenaRC
July9th_TableTopMtn123_ChrisZenaRC
July9th_TableTopMtn
123_ChrisZenaRC

  Okay, in case it is not obvious, we are now descending. The third shot shows the entire Table Top Mountain - Lower on the left, then the Saddle or Plateau and then on the right, Upper Table Top Mountain.
Jul9_41_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_TableTopMtnRC
Jul9_41_WhiteMtnNatRec
Area_TableTopMtnRC
July9th_TableTopMtn145_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC
July9th_TableTopMtn145
_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC
Jul9_45_WhiteMtnNatRecArea_TableTopMtnsRC
Jul9_45_WhiteMtnNatRec
Area_TableTopMtnsRC

  In first position in this row is a nice shot with an abundance of Chamerion angustifolium (Fireweed). The second shot is Chamerion latifolium (Dwarf Fireweed) and the third shot just shows a BIG SKY! And that ends the photos from this adventure. On the way home we stopped for a beer and dinner.
July9th_TableTopMtn162_ChamerionAngustifoliumRC
July9th_TableTopMtn162
_ChamerionAngustifoliumRC
July9th_TableTopMtn168_ChamerionLatifoliumRC
July9th_TableTopMtn168
_ChamerionLatifoliumRC
July9th_TableTopMtn170RC
July9th_TableTop
Mtn170RC

End July 9th, Begin July 13th
  Okay, now it's Wednesday, July 13th and the weather forecast is for the next two days of hot and sunny weather, to be followed by a week or more of rain, so we decided to go out! (The forecast was correct too!) I recommend that you now go back to the top of this page and look at the map again. Note that the Wickersham Dome Trailhead begins at Mile 28 on the Elliott Highway. The first shot in this row shows a trail shot down pretty low on the mountain. The second shot was taken quite a bit higher in elevation. The third shot shows a mushroom growing in a patch of moss.
July13_01_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_01_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC
July13_02_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_02_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC
July13_05_WickershamDome_MushroomRC
July13_05_Wickersham
Dome_MushroomRC

  Here is an up close and personal shot of that mushroom which is growing in the patch of moss. The second shot shows Salix reticulata and the third shot shows Dryas octopetala.
July13th_022_WickershamDome_MushroomRC
July13th_022_Wickersham
Dome_MushroomRC
July13th_017_WickershamDome_SalixReticulataRC
July13th_017_Wickersham
Dome_SalixReticulataRC
July13th_023_WickershamDome_DryasOctopetalaRC
July13th_023_Wickersham
Dome_DryasOctopetalaRC

  The first two shots in this row show Arctostaphylos alpina - Alpine Bearberry. The third shot is an Aconitum delphiniifolium and if you put your mind into the right frame of reference this can look like either an alien or an alien egg.
July13th_028_WickershamDome_ArctostaphylosAlpinaRC
July13th_028_WickershamDome
_ArctostaphylosAlpinaRC
July13th_029_WickershamDome_ArctostaphylosAlpinaRC
July13th_029_WickershamDome
_ArctostaphylosAlpinaRC
July13th_037_WickershamDome_AconitumDelphiniifoliumRC
July13th_037_Wickersham
Dome_AconitumDelphiniifoliumRC

  The first shot in this row, taken as we climbed, shows some nice scenery. The outlined area shows the area of the next photo. In this zoomed-in shot which shows the outlined area of the previous photo, you can see the radio tower which is on the summit of Wickersham Dome. The third shot shows a distant mountain or mountain range.
July13_09_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_09_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC
July13_10_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_10_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC
July13_12_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_12_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC

  The first shot here shows the trail and Kazuya. The second shot is zoomed-in to that same mountain or mountain range as the third shot in the previous row. The third shot shows a Rubus chamaemorus - Cloudberry. This is a rather uncommon plant and each one of them only bears a single fruit. We came across quite a large patch of them, enough so that we could get a few to taste. Some sources say they are heavenly, some say tart, some say creamy like yogurt. We decided that they were nothing special.
July13_13_WickershamDome_Scenery_KazuyaRC
July13_13_WickershamDome
_Scenery_KazuyaRC
July13th_046_WickershamDomeRC
July13th_046_
WickershamDomeRC
July13_20_WickershamDome_Rubus_chamaemorus_CloudberryRC
July13_20_WickershamDome_
Rubus_chamaemorus_CloudberryRC

  Here's a shot of me shooting a photo and then a sign which shows that we've now come 1.7 miles. The third shot is another sign - we're not going that far though!
July13th_047_WickershamDomeRC
July13th_047_
WickershamDomeRC
July13_24_WickershamDome_SignRC
July13_24_Wickersham
Dome_SignRC
July13th_066_WickershamDomeRC
July13th_066_
WickershamDomeRC

  Now we have come to the first false summit and here is a Hoary Marmot (Marmota caligata) sunning itself. The first two shots in this row are greatly zoomed in - the third shot shows the rock that this critter was sunning itself on. We were that far away, but we spooked it and it took cover.
July13_28_WickershamDome_MarmotRC
July13_28_Wickersham
Dome_MarmotRC
July13_29_WickershamDome_MarmotRC
July13_29_Wickersham
Dome_MarmotRC
July13_33_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_33_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC

  Now we are continuing to climb and there is another Hoary Marmot sunning itself on a different rock - can you find it in the first shot? The second image is a two-shot panorama showing scenery. You can see the radio tower at the summit. The third shot shows the same Marmot as you saw in the first shot in this row, but a different animal than you saw in the previous row.
July13_36_WickershamDome_Scenery_MarmotRC
July13_36_Wickersham
Dome_Scenery_MarmotRC
July13_34_35_ReposPano_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_34_35_ReposPano
_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_39_WickershamDome_MarmotRC
July13_39_Wickersham
Dome_MarmotRC

  Here are three more shot of that Marmot. The third shot shows just how close Kazuya was able to get to this animal by just going very slowly. In the center shot in this row note that this animal has a tag in its right ear.
July13_46_WickershamDome_MarmotRC
July13_46_Wickersham
Dome_MarmotRC
July13th_154_WickershamDome_MarmotaCaligataRC
July13th_154_Wickersham
Dome_MarmotaCaligataRC
July13_51_WickershamDome_Marmot_KazuyaRC
July13_51_Wickersham
Dome_Marmot_KazuyaRC

  While Kazuya has been "stalking" that marmot I have slowly been continuing to climb and here are two shots of me playing on some rocks while I am waiting for Kazuya.
July13th_170_WickershamDomeRC
July13th_170_
WickershamDomeRC
July13th_171_WickershamDomeRC
July13th_171_
WickershamDomeRC

  Here are two iPhone panorama shots. In both of them you can see the radio tower at the summit.
July13_2_iPhone_WickershamDomeRC
July13_2_iPhone_
WickershamDomeRC
July13_3_iPhone_WickershamDomeRC
July13_3_iPhone_
WickershamDomeRC

  Now we are getting pretty close to the summit and the first shot in this row is a specimen of Saxifraga tricuspidata. The second image is a High Dynamic Range image Tone-mapped from three exposure bracketed shots taken from the summit while we were eating the lunch which we took with us. The third shot shows another Campanula lasiocarpa along with some Twinflower (Linnaea borealis).
July13th_192_WickershamDome_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC
July13th_192_Wickersham
Dome_SaxifragaTricuspidataRC
July13_70_71_72_TMDE_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_70_71_72_TMDE_
WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13th_199_WickershamDome_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC
July13th_199_WickershamDome
_CampanulaLasiocarpaRC

  In the first shot here is Cornus canadensis and a couple of Campanula lasiocarpa. Here is a zoomed-in shot which shows some place deep in the White Mountains. The third shot is a scenic shot and the outlined area shows the area of the previous photo.
July13th_209_WickershamDome_CornusCanadensisRC
July13th_209_WickershamDome
_CornusCanadensisRC
July13_75_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_75_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC
July13_77_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_77_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC

  Here is another iPhone panorama, this one taken from the summit. The second shot shows an iPhone screen capture which indicates our Latitude, Longitude and Elevation. The radio tower here is an AT&T tower and our iPhones are served by AT&T, so we had reception here! The third shot is a scenic shot and actually there are two people near the right side of the photo - can you find them?
July13_5_iPhone_WickershamDomeRC
July13_5_iPhone_
WickershamDomeRC
July13_WickershamDome_Lat_Long_ElevRC
July13_WickershamDome
_Lat_Long_ElevRC
July13_81_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_81_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC

  The first shot in this row merely shows the ID mark on the AT&T Tower. On the USGS Topographic Map of this area there is a "VABM, Aggie, 3207 (ft)". This proved to us that is the spot on the map where we were! The second shot shows the entire AT&T Tower and Kazuya searching for flowers. The third shot is one of Castilleja elegans - the Elegant Indian Paintbrush. On this entire hike, right here at the summit was the only place where we found this species, and not many of them.
July13_82_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_82_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC
July13_83_WickershamDome_SceneryRC
July13_83_Wickersham
Dome_SceneryRC
July13_85Part_WickershamDome_Castilleja_elegansRC
July13_85Part_Wickersham
Dome_Castilleja_elegansRC

  In this final row are two more shots of Castilleja elegans - the Elegant Indian Paintbrush and a shot of Monkshood. Now please continue on to page 5 and pick up at about 2:15 PM on this adventure.
July13th_261_WickershamDome_CastillejaElegansRC
July13th_261_Wickersham
Dome_CastillejaElegansRC
July13_94_WickershamDome_MonkshoodRC
July13_94_Wickersham
Dome_MonkshoodRC
July13th_263_WickershamDome_CastillejaElegansRC
July13th_263_Wickersham
Dome_CastillejaElegansRC

End Page 4, but July 13th Continues on Page 5
Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. Please continue on to page 5 for the continuation of this adventure at about 2:15 PM, its conclusion, our campsite and then another adventure and more photos! Go To Page:

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