Interacting with Nature - Our Trip to Mount Cardigan

Cea A.

Yellow Group

October 4 - Oct 6 2017

Cea A. Cardigan Location 10/20/17

Absolute Location

Mount Cardigan is a mountain in Alexandria, New Hampshire. Mount Cardigan’s base is located at 43° 38m 57.31s N (latitude) and 71° 52m 43.77s W (longitude). The very top of the mountain’s location is at 43° 38m 58s N (latitude) and 71° 54m 50.7s W (longitude). Cardigan is to the west of Newfound Lake and Bear Mountain. It is north of Grafton, NH and Smith River. This mountain is to the east of Canaan, NH. Mount Cardigan is also south of Kimball Hill and South Branch Baker River.

Relative Location

Mount Cardigan is near the middle of New Hampshire. It is surrounded by many brooks, like Clark brook, Patten brook, Mill brook, and Orange brook. It is two towns away from Springfield, New Hampshire. It is about an hour drive from the Hopkinton Middle High School in Contoocook, New Hampshire. Its peak is around 2 - 3 miles from the Appalachian Mountain Club Lodge.

Cea A. Cardigan Description 10/18/17

Physical

The physical characteristics of Cardigan Mountain are rocks, trees, a range of other peaks, (Mount Firescrew, Rimrock Peak, Orange Peak, and South Peak) a boreal zone, various creatures, and rivers/streams. Mount Firescrew was named after the wildfire that was on the top of the mountain and took out most of the trees and undergrowth, leaving the top almost fully bare. It also has hobblebush and glacial eractics. Mount Cardigan can be known for its large waterfalls (Welton Falls) and enormous boulders. Last, there is a “copperhead snake zone.” Copperheads are one of the many interesting animals at Mount Cardigan.

Cultural

Mount Cardigan has cultural characteristics as well. It has a bunking lodge at the base of its peak,along with campsites, picnic tables, and garbage cans. It also has bunk rooms, bunk beds, a kitchen, food/water, bathrooms, showers, tables, chairs, couches, pictures, books, games, and people. At the peak of the mountain, there is a firetower. Mount Cardigan is very special. Every day, people hike the man made trails, climb the firetower, and sleep either in tents or the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) lodge bunks. It also has abandoned cellar holes that were the foundations of people’s houses from a long time ago. Cardigan can be defined by its special base lodge, and firetower. It can also be known for its hiking trails (man made with trail markers/blazes) and its coming and going hikers.

We were there for three days, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.