Near the summit, we encountered a plank of wood covering an old well. In the center of the plan was a smaller square of wood, kept down by four little rocks. Curious to know if the well still contained water, I attempted to move the smaller square of wood, but couldn't - it was frozen in place. A stronger tug broke it free, but in doing so I dropped it into the hole it was covering, falling with a splash into the most definitely water-filled interior. Guess there's still water in this well!
After a rescue operation, I re-affixed the well's cover, and we continued on our way. A bit more steep-ish trail and we were at the wooded summit.
Mt. Carrigain's summit tower looks like it was once a fire tower that has been cropped halfway up, and converted into a viewing platform. And a nice viewing platform it is, offering a large, wide deck with 360-degree views of virtually all of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. To the northwest are views of the Bonds, Franconia Ridge, The Twins, Mt Garfield, among others. To the west and southwest are the Hancocks, the Osceolas, distant Mount Moosilauke, and the Kinsmans. To the east are good views of the Presidentials, and to the south, the barely-4000 footers of Whiteface, Passaconaway, and the Tripyramids. Just about every 4000-footer peak in the whites is visible from Carrigain's summit.
Another view of the Pres. Range
The weather was clear and sunny, but the temperature was below freezing and the light breeze a bit chilling, so we soon headed down to the base of the tower, where we were sheltered from the wind. A quick lunch of pita bread and garlic hummous, and we were ready to head back. The way down was slightly complicated by somewhat slippery bits here and there, and, after one final loiter along the beautiful open part of Signal Ridge, we made our way down the steeper parts of the trail. We met our first other hiking parties of the day coming up along this section.
Gnarled Signal Ridge Tree
Sideways along Signal Ridge
