Pemigewasset Wilderness

Wilderness in the state of New Hampshire

Pemigewasset Wilderness Area

IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)

Looking west from Bondcliff across Owl's Head to Franconia Ridge

Map of the United States

Location| Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA
Nearest city| Lincoln, New Hampshire
Coordinates| 44°06′45″N 71°31′36″W﻿ / ﻿44.11250°N 71.52667°W﻿ / 44.11250; -71.52667
Area| 45,000 acres (182 km2)
Established| 1984
Governing body| United States Forest Service

The Pemigewasset Wilderness is a 45,000-acre (182 km2) federally designated Wilderness Area in the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountains. It is a part of the White Mountain National Forest. It is New Hampshire's largest wilderness area.[1]

The Wilderness Area consists of the upper watershed of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River, and includes the Franconia, Twin, Zealand, and Hancock mountain ranges, but excludes the summits of the ranges and the trail along them. As a result of the region's rugged character, the Pemigewasset Wilderness is a popular recreation area; its large trail network receives heavy use, in the form of hiking, cross-country skiing, and others, throughout the year.

The area is also noted for its ecological recovery from the logging era of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. After years of unchecked clear-cutting, during which the zone had the largest logging railroad system in the White Mountains, the area's inclusion in the White Mountain National Forest and later designation as a Wilderness Area has led to a substantial rebound in the forest ecosystem.[2]

## Geography[edit]

The Pemigewasset Wilderness consists of two horseshoe-shaped "lobes" characterized by relatively low, wet river valleys surrounded by high mountain ridges.[3]

### Western lobe[edit]

Mount Lincoln, a peak on Franconia Ridge, the western edge of the Pemigewasset Wilderness, as seen from Little Haystack Mountain

The western lobe is enclosed by the Franconia, Twin, and Bond ranges, though the top of the ridge defining the ranges is outside the Wilderness boundary. Moving clockwise from the south near the Lincoln Woods trailhead, the ridge ascends Potash Knob (2,684 ft; 818 m), an unnamed peak (3,060 ft; 930 m), and Whaleback Mountain (2,586 ft; 788 m) before reaching Franconia Ridge itself at the ledgy summit of Mount Flume (4,328 ft; 1,319 m).[4] From Mount Flume, the ridge dips and rises between peaks in a parabolic manner, flirting with treeline in the cols and running open and exposed at the summits. Peaks crossed at this point of the ridge after Flume include Mount Liberty (4,459 ft; 1,359 m), and Little Haystack Mountain (4,780 ft; 1,460 m), where the ridge rises out of the scrub for good.[4] As it heads north, the ridge assumes a "knife-edge" character, dropping off dramatically on both sides as it crosses Mount Lincoln (5,089 ft; 1,551 m) before reaching its high point at the summit of Mount Lafayette (5,249 ft; 1,600 m).[4][5]

The East Branch of the Pemigewasset River drains the Pemigewasset Wilderness and provides its name.

From the summit of Lafayette, the ridge, thence known as Garfield Ridge, makes its way toward the Twin Range. It passes over a small subsidiary peak of Lafayette before descending abruptly into the scrub below timberline; after several small knobs, the summits of Garfield (4,500 ft; 1,400 m) and Galehead (4,024 ft; 1,227 m) mountains are crossed, and the ridge breaks into the open and begins a steep climb to the summit of South Twin Mountain (4,902 ft; 1,494 m).[6] As a spur ridge extends north to North Twin Mountain (4,761 ft; 1,451 m), the main ridge makes a southward turn and runs in the open to the summit of Mount Guyot (4,580 ft; 1,400 m).[7] Enclosing the western lobe, the Bond Range extends south from Guyot, passing over Mount Bond (4,698 ft; 1,432 m) and Bondcliff (4,265 ft; 1,300 m) before descending sharply into the woods to the East Branch of the Pemigewasset.[8]

In the center of the western lobe is the long, broad ridge of Owl's Head (4,025 ft; 1,227 m), which rises abruptly from the valley of Lincoln Brook and extends north for roughly 3 miles (4.8 km) to a low saddle connecting it to Garfield Ridge.[4] Almost completely encircling Owl's Head are two tributaries of the East Branch, Lincoln Brook and Franconia Branch; Lincoln Brook drains the east face of Franconia Ridge, while Franconia Branch drains the southern and western faces of the Twin and Bond Ranges through Twin, Redrock, and Hellgate Brooks.[4]

### Eastern lobe[edit]

The eastern lobe of the Pemigewasset Wilderness follows fewer well-defined topographic features than the western lobe. The "boundary wall" formed in the west by the Franconia, Twin, and Bond Range is present in the eastern lobe to a degree, but is less obvious.

From Mount Guyot, the eastern lobe's main ridge continues east rather than following the Bond Range to the south. Passing over Zealand Mountain (4,260 ft; 1,300 m) and a small knob known as Zeacliff Pond Peak (4,060 ft; 1,240 m), the ridge reaches an abrupt end at Zeacliff, a dramatic overlook into Zealand Notch.[9] From Zeacliff, the Wilderness Boundary plunges into the notch following the Twinway trail, and follows the Ethan Pond Trail into the flatter sections of the lobe.[4] After a few miles, the boundary picks up the ridge of Mount Lowell, and runs over Mount Nancy (3,926 ft; 1,197 m), Mount Anderson (3,740 ft; 1,140 m), and near the summit of Lowell itself (3,740 ft; 1,140 m) before crossing Carrigain Notch and rising to Vose Spur (3,862 ft; 1,177 m) and the summit of Mount Carrigain (4,700 ft; 1,400 m).[10] Confined to a more obvious ridge at this point, the boundary passes over The Captain (3,540 ft; 1,080 m) and the main summit of Mount Hancock (4,420 ft; 1,350 m) before descending to the East Branch across from Bondcliff via Mount Hitchcock (3,620 ft; 1,100 m) and its several small knobs. Note that the boundary as implemented excludes the Appalachian Trail and the summits it passes over as well as Mount Carrigain.

The East Branch of the Pemigewasset drains the eastern lobe through a number of small streams. Mounts Hancock and Carrigain are drained by Crystal, Carrigain, and Notch Brooks, while the center drains to the North Fork of the Pemigewasset and Shoal Pond Brook.[4]

### Geology[edit]

While most of the White Mountains consist of highly metamorphicized schists and gneisses formed during the Acadian Orogeny, the Pemigewasset Wilderness is part of the White Mountain Batholith and is therefore composed primarily of the igneous White Mountain plutonic-volcanic rock series.[11]

The Franconia and Twin Ranges form a massive ring dike in the western half of the White Mountain Batholith made up of a granite porphyry backbone that emerged roughly 170 million years ago.[11][12] This rock appears pink, red, green or grey, with medium-sized phenocrysts. Such phenocrysts, usually quartz or feldspar, make up 20%-40% of the rock, and are embedded in a groundmass of similar composition. Enclosed by the ring dike and extending in to the flat floor of the wilderness is a large area of biotite and amphibole granite.[13]

## See also[edit]

* List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
* Wilderness Act

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Pemigewasset Wilderness". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
2. ^ "Alpha Guide: The Pemigewasset Loop | Hiking the Pemi Loop - goEast". goEast. 2017-07-07. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
3. ^ Daniell, Gene, and Smith, Steven D. White Mountain Guide. 27th ed. AMC Books, 2003. ISBN 1-929173-22-9. 150
4. ^ a b c d e f g USGS 7.5 Minute Topographic Map Series: Franconia, Lincoln, Crawford Notch, Mount Osceola, Mount Carrigain, South Twin Mountain Quadrangles
5. ^ "Lafayette 1872 High 1958 RM 1". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
6. ^ Daniell and Smith 167
7. ^ Daniell and Smith 173
8. ^ Daniell and Smith 196-197
9. ^ Smith, Steven D., and Mike Dickerman. The 4000 Footers of the White Mountains. Littleton, NH: Bondcliff Books, 2001. 134-135
10. ^ Daniell and Smith 206-207
11. ^ a b Billings, Marland P. The Geology of New Hampshire: Part II-Bedrock Geology. Concord, New Hampshire: The New Hampshire State Planning and Development Commission, 1980. 69-88.
12. ^ "Geographic Marvels of the Northeast." AMC Outdoors. Sept. 2006. AMC. 25 Mar. 2007 <http://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/2006/northeast-geology-3.cfm Archived 2011-06-10 at the Wayback Machine>.
13. ^ Creasy, John. "BEDROCK GEOLOGY OF THE EASTERN WHITE MOUNTAIN BATHOLITH, NORTH CONWAY AREA, NEW HAMPSHIRE." Bates College Geology. Bates College. 25 Mar. 2007 <http://abacus.bates.edu/acad/depts/geology/jcreasy.WM.html>.

## External links[edit]

* Pemigewasset Wilderness \- Wilderness.net
* Roadless Area Profiles \- USDA Forest Service

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Merrimack River watershed

Tributaries|

| Massachusetts|

* Artichoke River
* Assabet River
* Back River
* Beaver Brook
* Cochichewick River
* Concord River
* Little River
* Merrimack River
* Nashua River
* Nissitissit River
* North Nashua River
* Phillips Brook
* Powwow River
* Quinapoxet River
* Salmon Brook
* Shawsheen River
* South Branch Souhegan River
* South Nashua River
* Spicket River
* Squannacook River
* Stillwater River
* Stony Brook
* Sudbury River
* Trout Brook
* Vine Brook
* Whitman River

|

New Hampshire|

* Baboosic Brook
* Back River
* Baker River
* Bear Brook
* Beards Brook
* Beaver Brook
* Beebe River
* Big River
* Black Brook
* Blackwater River
* Cockermouth River
* Cohas Brook
* Contoocook River
* East Branch Baker River
* East Branch Pemigewasset River
* Fowler River
* Frazier Brook
* Gridley River
* Gunstock River
* Lane River
* Little River (Big River)
* Little River (Merrimack River)
* Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook
* Little Suncook River
* Lost River
* Mad River
* Melvin River
* Merrimack River
* Merrymeeting River
* Middle Branch Piscataquog River
* Moosilauke Brook
* Nashua River
* Newfound River
* Nissitissit River
* North Branch Contoocook River
* North Fork East Branch Pemigewasset River
* Nubanusit Brook
* Pemigewasset River
* Pennichuck Brook
* Piscataquog River
* Powwow River
* Purgatory Brook
* Red Hill River
* Salmon Brook
* Shedd Brook
* Smith River
* Soucook River
* Souhegan River
* South Branch Baker River
* South Branch Piscataquog River
* South Branch Souhegan River
* Spicket River
* Squam River
* Stony Brook
* Suncook River
* Tioga River
* Turkey River
* Warner River
* West Branch Mad River
* West Branch Souhegan River
* West Branch Warner River
* Winnipesaukee River

Lakes|

| Massachusetts|

* Lake Attitash
* Lake Boon
* Lake Cochichewick
* Lake Cochituate
* Fairhaven Bay
* Haggetts Pond
* Lost Lake
* Lake Saltonstall
* Tuxbury Pond
* Wachusett Reservoir
* Walden Pond

|

New Hampshire|

* Arlington Mill Reservoir
* Ayers Island Reservoir
* Baboosic Lake
* Canobie Lake
* Cobbetts Pond
* Contoocook Lake
* Country Pond
* Crystal Lake (Gilmanton)
* Crystal Lake (Manchester)
* Deering Reservoir
* Franklin Pierce Lake
* Great Pond
* Halfmoon Lake
* Harrisville Pond
* Highland Lake
* Hopkins Pond (Adder Pond)
* Island Pond (Derry)
* Island Pond (Stoddard)
* Jenness Pond
* Lake Kanasatka
* Little Squam Lake
* Locke Lake
* Lonesome Lake
* Massabesic Lake
* Lake Massasecum
* Merrymeeting Lake
* Mirror Lake
* Newfound Lake
* Northwood Lake
* Nubanusit Lake
* Opechee Bay
* Paugus Bay
* Pemigewasset Lake
* Penacook Lake
* Pleasant Lake (Deerfield)
* Pleasant Lake (New London)
* Potanipo Pond
* Powder Mill Pond
* Powwow Pond
* Profile Lake
* Sebbins Pond
* Silver Lake (Hollis)
* Skatutakee Lake
* Lake Solitude
* Squam Lake
* Stinson Lake
* Suncook Lakes
* Sunset Lake
* Thorndike Pond
* Turkey Ponds
* Tuxbury Pond
* Lake Waukewan
* Weare Reservoir
* Webster Lake
* Lake Wentworth
* White Oak Pond
* Lake Wicwas
* Willard Pond
* Lake Winnipesaukee
* Lake Winnisquam

Towns|

| Massachusetts|

* Acton
* Amesbury
* Andover
* Ashland
* Bedford
* Billerica
* Burlington
* Chelmsford
* Clinton
* Concord
* Dracut
* Fitchburg
* Framingham
* Groton
* Groveland
* Haverhill
* Hopkinton
* Hudson
* Lawrence
* Leominster
* Lexington
* Lowell
* Lunenburg
* Marlborough
* Maynard
* Merrimac
* Methuen
* Newburyport
* North Andover
* Northborough
* Pepperell
* Salisbury
* Sudbury
* Tewksbury
* Tyngsborough
* West Newbury
* Westborough
* Westford

|

New Hampshire|

* Allenstown
* Amherst
* Ashland
* Atkinson
* Bedford
* Belmont
* Boscawen
* Bow
* Bridgewater
* Bristol
* Campton
* Canterbury
* Concord
* Derry
* Franklin
* Gilford
* Goffstown
* Hampstead
* Hill
* Hillsborough
* Holderness
* Hollis
* Hooksett
* Hopkinton
* Hudson
* Kingston
* Laconia
* Lincoln
* Litchfield
* Londonderry
* Manchester
* Meredith
* Merrimack
* Milford
* Nashua
* New Hampton
* Northfield
* Pelham
* Pembroke
* Penacook
* Peterborough
* Plaistow
* Plymouth
* Salem
* Sanbornton
* Suncook
* Thornton
* Tilton
* Weare
* Windham
* Wolfeboro
* Woodstock

Landmarks|

* Amoskeag Falls
* Bear Brook State Park
* Belknap Mountains
* Blackwater Dam
* Egg Rock
* Franconia Notch State Park
* Franklin Falls Dam
* Gunstock Mountain
* Hannah Duston Memorial
* Hobo Railroad
* Lakes Region
* Lost River Reservation
* Middlesex Canal
* Minute Man National Historical Park
* Mount Major
* Mount Monadnock
* Mount Pemigewasset
* Mount Rowe
* Pawtucket Falls
* Pemigewasset Wilderness
* Sculptured Rocks Natural Area
* Wellington State Park
* White Mountains

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