A Spring Hike, Part 2

A Spring Hike - Part 2

by Brad Sylvester

Anyway, let's keep moving. As we continue along the trail, we find the forest almost aging before our eyes.  As we come to a little boardwalk built over a low-lying wet area, we notice the trees are taller, thicker, and more widely spaced.  Many of these trees might be 30 years old or more.

The water here has melted away a lot of the snow. When the deciduous trees in this section get their leaves in the summer, this entire area will be shaded and a cool retreat from the heat of the summer.  Continuing on a bit and the forest grows older still,

until we see a number of trees that have reached the end of their lifespans.  Like this one.  The woodpeckers have drilled holes searching for bugs.  These holes may be used as shelter by some birds or other small animals. 

Some people like to use ski poles for extra balance when they hike snow-covered trails.  Here's a shot showing the mark left by a ski-pole that sunk down into the snow.  It goes down about eight to ten inches and there's still more snow underneath. 

Finally, just before we reach a clearing, we see this sign.

One more note before we go to the next page and see the blueberry fields and the wonderful panoramic view from the summit.  This mountain is filled with not only blueberries, but also with Wintergreen.  The leaves of this tiny plant are the source of flavor for many candies.  If you pick a leaf and break it open or crush it in your fingers, you'll be rewarded with a strong wintergreen smell.  Chewing the leaves offers the refreshing taste of wintergreen (and a small dose of an aspirin-like compound).  Some folks make a tea of the leaves (the plant is also known as tea-berry), but again be careful of dosage as the leaves contain medicinal chemicals.

Aside from the seeds in the berries which are spread far and wide by birds as they eat the berries whole, wintergreen spreads by sending out roots underground.  These roots or runners will them pop up a few inches away and a new stem and leaves will grow there.  Once established each such stem can survive as an independant plant if the runner should become severed.  The forest behind my house is also full of wintergreen.  This summer I may dig some up to make a small patch in a shaded section of our herb garden.  Wintergreen prefers shade and moist, acidic soil.  If transplanting, it is best to leave the roots in the same soil from which it was dug and let them expand out from there on their own.

Anyway, let's get back to the hike. 

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE: Spring Hike Part 3 .

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