Tenney Hill Stroll

Found myself in the Dunbarton, New Hampshire back-country on snowshoes today, man, I've got to get out more. After summiting the 1/2 mile low slope,(http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/maplocator/(xcm=r3standardpitrex_prd&layout=6_1_61_48&uiarea=2&ctype=areaDetails&carea=%24ROOT)/.do) I meandered north and caught sight of a lonely, be-towered and unknown peak off to the east-north-east, I will guess it to be Nottingham Mtn. Tenney Hill summits just off the thousand foot wide swath cut by the powerline that saws through the three-town region (Bow, Dunbarton, Weare). These man-made views are a treble-edged pike: We need power, straight line plotting is economically prudent, and we would never get these vistas without them. Makes you wonder if the native peoples ever caught a glimpse of the terrain.

Enjoying the fresh powder under shoe, I poked down a ravine on my return circuit and came upon an unusual scene. A series of springs have created a flood plain of sorts in the area of the northeast slope of Tenney Hill, and here at the bottom I found a masonry turret base built up to about 7 feet and maybe 9 feet in diameter. It has two narrow windows framed (but missing) and a doorway. In the center stands a very old two stroke engine on a decaying metal stand. Below this a well hole has been dug and square-framed. I forgot my camera, but am curious about the story of this garrison quality turret-base or well house, planted on an open spring.

Accross the plain stands a 12 x 10 cabin with a bubble skylight and one single sash window. A rotted birch has stove in the left side wall and nature is the only recent occupant. As I peered in, some small woodland creature stirred and sought refuge deep under the single bedframe with its gnawed and matted mattress. A delapidated and partially collapsed woodstove in the near right corner sits opposite what may be an old writing desk. No other signs of man's presence were revealled. It all goes to show what can come of a stroll in the New Hampshire woods. As I picked my way to the road I was amazed at the diversity and sheer volume of tracks, urine and droppings throughout the basin, this must truly be and intersection in the wild.