Exploring An Abandoned Scout Camp

Abandoned places are one of my very favorite things to explore. They are a snapshot in time, each with its own unique story to tell. Sometimes these are just pieces of what once was, such as with Madam Sherri's Castle, while other times they remain fully intact but forgotten. This is the case of a scouting camp I recently explored around a lake in eastern New Hampshire. It sits untouched, but it sits alone and forgotten.

As you would expect of a youth camp, this one's situated in a fairly secluded area of woods that would be perfect if there were ever a sequel to Friday The 13th, New Hampshire edition. Riding my mountain bike down a trail I should not have been on, the first thing to greet me was this crumbling shack and stone foundation. It would be maybe a quarter-mile before the first of the bunkhouses appeared, which made me wonder if this structure was unrelated to the camp. I now believe it was, for as I learned throughout the afternoon this is an area of woods that has lived more than one life.

After passing a couple side trails that I promised to return and explore another day, I spotted the first of the camp's cabins through the trees. It was boarded up but in sturdier condition than the sunroom we tore off our house a few years back.

There was a time when hiking these woods was allowed and people were free to walk among - but not inside - the cabins. That changed many years ago however, and the entire property is now marked as no trespassing. Once again I am guilty of this crime, but once again I was careful to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. Or in this case, bicycle tracks.

I also witnessed the kinds of activity that led to this unfortunate decision to kick out the public.

Beer, peanut butter, and Smuckers. Tough to think of a more well-rounded diet than that.

I pride myself on being a pretty good Internet sleuth, but I pretty much laid an egg when trying to dig up information on this place, when it operated and when it shut down. I found a couple newspaper articles referencing jamborees here in the 70's, but nothing more recent. It's certainly been a long time since any kids have enjoyed chucking each other off of this dock.

Sitting on a hilltop that looks down over the once teeming lake, this cabin once had the vest view of the camp, and by the char-coaled logs in the firepit it's clear there's still a few people stopping by to enjoy the view every now and then. Maybe while enjoying a Budweiser or two?

I followed signs that have long since faded but at least gave clues as to which trails had things to see down them.

Which eventually led me to this larger cabin, which I'm guessing to be the counselor's bunks.

And not far from there, the mess hall. And a lesson. The bad thing about taking pictures alone is that nobody is there to remind you to take off your helmet because you look like a dork.

In total I found somewhere around a dozen structures (counting a couple outhouses), but I also found remnants of the life this land lived prior to the scouts moving in. This included several more foundations such as this one.

And the bonus find of the day - plus an indication of how far back this land dates - this 1800's cemetery sitting a short ways off the main trail. It took me a minute to figure out what was unusual about it, but I realized when approaching there was no entrance built into the gate, so to get a closer look I had to swing my leg over the top bar like Andrew The Giant entering the ring.

These woods are rich with history and a fascinating place to explore. With the foundation ruins and family cemetery I imagine this was once a vast farmland like much of old New England. Then the crops went away and the scouts took over, and however many hundreds or even thousands of teenagers enjoyed hiking these trails, swimming in what used to be a lake, and making friends from all over the state. As a child scout myself I took many weekend trips to places such as Camp Carpenter in Manchester, and although the specifics of those trips have faded with age, the enjoyment I remember - from the excitement leading up to them, to the adventures and fun when they came - has only grown more pleasant.

Somewhere in New Hampshire there are people who have these same nostalgic feelings when thinking back on this camp, and if I were Donald Trump rich I like to think I'd buy these woods simply to create a hiking preservation and open it to the public, letting those people walk the land and, for a day, revisit the memories of their childhood.

Off And Running

"You will never see me run." Those were my exact words. In fact, I said them right up until the age of 41. Just before my 42nd birthday, I thought it would be fun to try a program called Couch Potato to 5K. I wouldn't say I was in some sort of mid life crisis needing to feel young, but I was feeling like I needed to do something different, something to help clear my head and something to focus on. Little did I know how much it would change me.

So by now you know this isn't a typical blog post about a cool ruin we found. But since this blog is about our family and our adventures, you will soon find out how this all ties in.

Brief history on myself. I grew up with asthma. Today, there are many advanced treatments available but 30-40 years ago they didn't know what to do with me. I was literally put in the hospital every time it acted up and had to sit out of gym class much of my school years. I easily could have told you running would never be in my future.  My parents finally found a Dr who got me under control and to this day, I still take daily meds that keep it well controlled.

Dave has been running for about 7 years now. He has run countless 5K's, a half and a full marathon. Running did not come easy for me, it still doesn't. For me, it's more mental. Dave ran my first race with me and even though my pace was like walking for him, he stayed by my side giving me that push when I needed it. He even let me beat him by a second!

I still remember sweating and watching him eat a doughnut after, when I had all I could do to not throw up! But there is nothing more satisfying than finishing a race, especially one we have done together.

We now have the whole family running! Jordan did one 5K several years ago. She decided it wasn't really for her but she did it!

Madison has done several,

and Logan just completed his first one.

At the beginning of this year, the 4 of us decided to join the Dover Race Series. We have to complete six 5K races and one 10K before the end of the year. If we complete it, we earn a jacket. It has been fun doing this together. Of course what kills me is Madison's idea of training is sitting on the couch eating ice cream, and Logan can just get up on race day and belt out a 5K, both of them beating me in time. I'm just glad as teenagers they want to do this with us. It's a fun experience we will always remember and great to get out within our community.

I have now completed 4 races since starting my running journey 1 1/2 years ago. I just signed up for my 5th, which is the 2nd race this year toward the series. Running has taught me how to push myself and that there truly is no limit to what you can set your mind to. I'm not the same person I was a year and a half ago. I have been able to work through some tough times with running and I feel stronger physically but more importantly, mentally. I credit Dave for giving me that push when I need it and for being my biggest supporter during my training from the very beginning. Even though I will probably never beat any of my family's times, at least I will have my own cheering section at the end of every race!

Little Niagara and the Foss Family Cemetery

Tucked away in the woods of Strafford New Hampshire, a half mile hike beyond where a dead-end dirt road meets the forest, is an impressive little waterfall that looks like something more likely to be found two hours north in our White Mountains.

We visited Little Niagara while on the hunt for abandoned cemeteries, and having heard there was one in these woods we made this stop on a cold day in January. Our only objective was to scout the area and figure out the parking situation so we could return during warmer weather and make the hike, but once there it was hard not to at least get out and take a peek. It was much too chilly for Madison so she waited in the Jeep, then Tina felt guilty and decided to wait with her, so promising not to be more than 5-10 minutes I scooted down the trail alone. A half hour later I returned with enough cool pictures for Tina to plan a return trip just a few weeks later.

This trail is more than just a means for hiking out to Little Niagara, there's history in these woods. Before we'd even made it a hundred feet Tina spotted an old foundation beyond the rock wall that parallels the trail. For anyone who attempts the hike someday, locate the stone I have circled and you'll find an old Italian coin I placed underneath.

Continue another ten minutes and you'll find the cemetery that originally brought us to these woods, the Foss family cemetery. Like an excited child going to the park Tina ran the last dozen steps to check out the gravestones.

We spent a few minutes poking around and trying to read them, but once Tina determined there weren't any spirits to be awoken we hit the trail and hiked the remaining distance to Little Niagara. Although impressive from the top, the really good view is to cross over and see it from the bottom. Only trick is that to cross over you'll have to maneuver this gap that once held an actual bridge, but now requires you to tight-rope across these logs.

And although we're planning a return trip in the spring where we can enjoy the area more leisurely, I'm thinking this is probably the best time of year to visit, when the snow is melting and the water rushing. For size perspective, here is Tina standing at the top of the falls. I know I kinda cheated by using the smallest person in our group to make the falls look even bigger, but they'd be impressive no matter who was standing there.

Little Niagara was the perfect hike for a winter afternoon when we needed to clear some cabin fever, get the young one off the computer for a few hours, and really make us start counting the days until spring.

Coordinates:
Parking: 43.3317, -71.15007
Cemetery: 43.32989, -71.15437
Little Niagara: 43.32602, -71.15717

Fort Warren On George's Island

On a warm, sunny day in the summer of 2016 our family took a 40 minute boat ride through the Boston Harbor to explore Fort Warren. And on a bitter-cold day six months later after receiving nearly 2 feet of snow in a blizzard, I decided what better time to try and recapture the feelings of that beautiful day.

Dedicated in 1847 and completed in the 1860's, Fort Warren is by far the largest and most fascinating fort we've visited in New England. It is situated on George's Island in the Boston Harbor and the boat ride alone is worth the trip out there. We sat on the upper deck of the Brant Point Ferry and enjoyed a narrated ride by a host that was one-third tour guide, one-third historian, and one-third comedian.

Arriving at the island we almost felt overwhelmed with where to begin, and I found myself sizing up the place while at the same time counting hours until our boat ride back, trying to decide how fast we'd need to whip through in order to see everything. We stopped just long enough to admire these guns at the entrance before heading into the pentagon shaped fort. Also, because I have very little knowledge of weapons, expect that I'll refer to anything from the smallest of pistols to the largest of bazookas as a "gun".

Going through the main entrance we found a winding stone stairway leading to the top of the fort where you can really take in the vastness of the island, which based on whether you're measuring at high tide or low tide will vary from 39 to 53 acres.

Fort Warren was built to hold 200 guns, and although most are long since removed a handful have been left sporadically throughout. Here is Logan barely able to contain his excitement at seeing one.

During the civil war Fort Warren served as a prison that was home to almost 800 military and political inmates. Most famous of these was then Vice-President of the Confederacy, Alexander H. Stephens, who spent 5 months captive on the island. More recently the fort served as a very brief holding cell for these two hardened rugrats.

Following the war and release of its prisoners, Fort Warren saw use as a training installation and went through a series of overhauls and upgrades. During WWI and WWII it served in our country's coastal defense, including being the control center for a mine field laid throughout the Boston Harbor. The fort was decommissioned in 1947, changed hands from the federal government to the State of Massachusetts in 1958, and in 1961 underwent restorations and was opened to the public.

Although most parts remain accessible I estimate that maybe a third of the fort was closed off from exploring, including the entire second level of the far side. But wouldn't you know, we visited at a time when for whatever reason a portable set of wooden steps was placed against an opening on the outside wall. Maybe they figured nobody in their right mind would climb these stairs and try crawling through a hole 15 feet in the air, but those people have never met my wife Tina.

And the next thing we know we were wandering through this long hallway that for some reason was off limits to the public.

It was down this hallway that I found what looked like a storage chest built into the floor, and because I was already breaking one rule by being here I decided why not break a second one and open the chest.

Of all the things I expected to find - weapons, war remnants, maybe a bunch of canisters with skulls and crossbones on them - what was inside I couldn't have guessed with a thousand tries. This large stone plague - and you're going to have to trust me on what it says because apparently I don't know how to use the flash on my camera - which reads "The Golden Rule, Treat Others As You Wish To Be Treated".

The Golden Rule - Treat Others As You Wish To Be Treated

I'm going to speculate on this sign and why it's on this island. During it's time as a military prison Fort Warren had a reputation as one of the most humane places to be held captive. When the warden's son was send to battle during the civil war, several confederate officers being held prisoner at the fort actually gave the son letters that, in case he should be captured in the south, urged he be taken good care of. Could this plaque have been one small representation of the leadership that created this culture? If so, why is it tucked away in this forbidden room rather than on display? Enough weapons were being shown off on the island's museum, surely they could make room for this. Or they could even hang it in one of the forts fascinating, never-ending corridors such as this one.

But that would be a mystery for another day. We backtracked across a field of goose droppings and enjoyed our boat ride to the mainland, which fortunately didn't feature any more tour guides. We loved the narration on the way there, but coming back was made for enjoying a peaceful ride through the harbor and reflecting on our day, and each of us sharing the favorite part of our visit to Fort Warren.

Links:

http://www.bostonharborislands.org/georges-island

Found! Catamount Hill's Lost Cave

Catamount Hill is the highest land in town. At the E. end of this hill is a precipice of 70 feet nearly perpendicular, at the foot of which is a cavern of some extent, inclining upwards. 

- 1817 State of the State, Allenstown NH

This 200 year old snippet was the only clue I had when I began my search for Catamount Cave in Allenstown, New Hampshire. Only a couple vague online references to the cave's existence are on the Internet, but even those are muddied by the fact that there's an unrelated Catamount Cave in Massachusetts that hogs all Google's attention. This lesser known NH version is on Catamount Hill in Bear Brook State Park, which at 10,000 acres and boasting over 40 miles of trails is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. And as an area I've yet to familiarize myself with, I started my search the same way I start a good many of my searches - with Google Earth and a beer.

Having found things like trains in the woods or sections of abandoned highway from my laptop, I figured 70 feet of rock cliff would be easy enough to pick out from an overhead view. Sure enough, I found three separate rocky areas along the mountain that seemed like good matches, and on a recent Saturday where Logan suddenly decided an afternoon with his buddy at Blitz Indoor Park would be more fun than an afternoon with dad, I grabbed my hiking gear and headed west.

Knowing there is more than one entrance to Bear Hill, I drove to the road closest to where I'd pinned my suspect locations and found a trailhead conveniently right where I needed to find one. There I started up the trail.

After climbing about fifteen minutes and stopping to enjoy this view, I mischievously ignored the signs telling me to "stay on the trail or stay home" and followed my GPS into the woods.

One by one over the course of the afternoon I reached my pinned destinations and searched for a cave, and although I poked my head into plenty of suspicious looking areas like this one, one by one I was forced to check each destination off as being cave free.

To make things extra fun I came across these tracks which led to me carrying my pepper spray in my hand for the next half hour.

At some point it was closing in on 3pm and my thinking turned to heading home, deleting these dud locations and looking for new and better ones to search for on another weekend. On my way to the car I trudged, thwarted but not dejected, when I realized my front pocket was a little light. More good news; somewhere along the way I had dropped my flashlight. There goes $8 from Amazon, I decided. But after walking another 30 seconds I changed my mind - I really liked that flashlight, and I thought I'd have a descent chance of finding it if I turned back. My footprints would make it easy to backtrack, and finding a black flashlight on a fresh sheet of snow didn't sound all that tricky.

The good news is that fifteen minutes later I did indeed find my flashlight. The better news is that after plucking it from the snow I took the opportunity to walk a different route back toward the main trail, and that's when I came to this cliff.

Without measuring shadows and trying to triangulate the height of this sucker, I decided that yup this precipice looked 70 feet tall and I could check off the first part of the clue. Part two said the cavern was at the foot of the cliff, so moving left to right I search for possibilities until coming across this small opening. It was tight, so I dropped my backpack and crawled in.

The crevice went in maybe 5-6 feet before squeezing to a close. It was a cavern at the foot of the cliff and so technically everything matched, but I was not happy. If this little cubbyhole was the cave they'd been bragging about I was going to have a real beef with some dude from 1817.

Out I crawled, and to make sure I wasn't missing anything I continued to the end of the cliff. Then I saw a crevice big enough for me to actually walk into.

Suddenly there wasn't any doubt this was the Catamount Cave I'd spent all afternoon searching for. Here I am looking back from about 10 feet in, where I'd just risked pretty serious injury maneuvering over this triangle-shaped rock.

I rounded the bend but that's where the adventure ended this day. The cave continued, but there was a pinch point I was 90% certain I could get through, but not 100%. And since I was already breaking one of the cardinal rules by hiking alone, I decided not to push my luck.

At least I had found it, and triumphantly I exited the cave and made sure my GPS was still recording. For good measure I separately pinned the location on my phone, which had surprisingly good LTE service in these hills. Smiling like I'd just found King Tut's tomb, I hiked back to my car.

Now comes the fun part, gathering up some friends and planning a spring trip when the weather turns nice, to revisit and further explore the no longer hidden Catamount Cave.