July 5th, 2026: Alpine Bogs

Last week I paddled through a typical Lakes Region bog.  This week I discovered a less common type of bog, one high in the White Mountains.  One might not expect to find a wetland in exposed rocky terrain above timber line at 4000 to 5000 feet of elevation, but the poorly draining bedrock means that any depression that collects the frequent rain the mountains extract from the atmosphere has nowhere to go.  The result is alpine lakes (think Lonesome Lake or Lakes of the Clouds) and wet, muddy, alpine and subalpine bogs. 

Star Lake at 4900' on Mt. Adams in the Presidential Range.

Ledges and ravines also collect copious amounts of snow which lasts well into May.  Such locations are protected from late spring frosts, so can harbor plants that usually can't survive harsh alpine conditions.  Here are some of the plants our hiking group found along our traverse of the Franconia Range between Mt. Lafayette (5249') and Little Haystack ( 4780').

Mountain avens grows where deep snow collects in the mountains.

Mountain cranberry (or cowberry)

Three-toothed cinquefoil grows in subalpine bogs.

Alpine bilberry (or bog bilberry)

Labrador tea grows in many alpine habitats.

Bunchberry bloomed in the Lakes Region months ago.  It's one that survives in the alpine zone protected beneath late snowpack.

Wild raisin (or Possumhaw virburnum)

We had the good fortune to meet a Forest Ranger at the Greenleaf Hut and he hiked part way down the Old Bridle Path with us so I was able to get help with identifying some of these.  You may have heard the reports of the recent rescues of hikers on Franconia Ridge.  There have been so many rescues on the Falling Waters Trail that the Rangers have renamed it the "Falling Hikers Trail".  We hiked on Monday before the heat hit - it was a beautiful day on Franconia Ridge.

Our intrepid clan of seven hikers.

Back on Lake Wicwas, the water warmed dramatically from three days of temperatures in the 90s - our loons must be happy they weren't trying to incubate eggs this week!  Little Northern Pip continues to grow, being well fed and well protected by the parents.

One of the parents in search of fish.

Still, sometimes Pip is left all alone, being vulnerable to dangers of all kinds, from eagles to boat traffic.

The hot weather brought out lots of summer insects including, unfortunately, deerflies.  But most of our flying friends are much more enjoyable.

A dragonfly rests in the morning sun to dry off nighttime dew.

Whether you're paddling the bogs or standing on your dock, keep an eye for these ancient flying dragons that evolved over 200 million years ago and survived through even the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs.

A friendly dock sitter, a damselfly.

Finally, it's time to search out grandma's blueberry muffin recipe - it won't be long now!

Happy Fourth of July!

Center Harbor, after the concert.