Vibe-Fall-2024 - Flipbook - Page 66
ABOVE: Polygon columns of volcanic magma on the Bald Knob Cutoff trail. ABOVE RIGHT: The summit of Turtleback Mountain is fractured into the shapes of polygons,which were a result of cooling magma just below the surface. As the magma cooled the rock expanded and cracked. LOWER RIGHT: Moat volcanic rock. The
white chunks are feldspar crystals that cooled out of magma near the earth’s surface or flowed as lava. The dark background is lava and ash that quickly cooled into rock.
OSSIPEE RANGE TRAILSIDE GEOLOGY EXAMPLES
Volcanic Columns: Polygons that formed as magma cooled quickly near the surface have survived in a few regional locations. One of the best examples is found
alongside the Bald Knob cut-off trail, where a five-sided column of Moat volcanic
rock can be seen in a ledge and adjacent talus that has broken from the ledge, a
little ways below the Bald Knob cut-off trails intersection with the Bald Knob trail.
The turtle’s back: The summit of Turtleback Mountain offers a nice view of
Mount Shaw, the highest summit in the Ossipees. If you look below your feet,
you’ll see volcanic bedrock broken by cracks into polygon shapes, similar to the
scoots or scales on a turtle’s back.
View from Bald Knob: You can combine a visit to the volcanic columns and
polygon bedrock on Turtleback Mountain into a loop hike that incorporates the
spectacular view from Bald Knob. The entirety of Lake Winnipesaukee lies below,
in a basin eroded out of crumbly Lake Winnipesaukee granite. Views extend
from Mount Moosilauke to Mount Monadnock on clear days.
Conner Pond: Conner Pond, access via Pine Hill Road off of Route 16 in West
Ossipee, is a deep pond that was a vent hole in a volcano at one point, where
pressurized gases escaped from deep inside the earth. It lies in the middle of
the ring dike, and you can see the Ossipees arcing around from southeast to
northwest. A nice mountain to hike, Bayle Mountain lies directly across the pond
from the boat launch. Bayle Mountain has great views of the entire ring dike and
has a trailhead further up the road. Dan Hole nearby is another deep pond that
is the remnants of a volcanic gas vent.
