Fletcher's Cascade via Fletcher's Cascade Trail

Place		Split Miles		Total Miles
Drakes Brook Trailhead		0.0		0.0
Fletcher's Cascade Trailhead		0.4		0.4
Fletcher's Cascade (bottom)		1.2		1.6
Fletcher's Cascade (top)		0.2		1.8
Fletcher's Cascade (bottom)		0.2		2.0
Fletcher's Cascade Trailhead		1.2		3.2
Drakes Brook Trailhead		0.4		3.6

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Twenty-five SDHrs participated in the easy walk up to Fletcher's Cascades. It was a pleasant hike with a babbling stream nearby for much of the way. Early on, there was an opening in the woods which afforded a view of nearby Noon Peak. This 2976 foot mountain rises dramatically above the trees, indulging us with an unexpected scenic treat. Near the start of Fletcher's Cascades Trail, there has been a bunch of cutting done about 20 feet away from the trail along the non-brook side. Higher up on the trail, the huge pine tree that blocked the path last winter is still there, but a narrow trail now skirts around it. The moist woods furnish an environment for many intriguing plants. Rose twisted stalk was sporting bright red berries, instead of the delicate pink flowers that we saw earlier in the season on Mt. Kearsarge. There were several large and tall, red trilliums going to seed. Dewdrops (false violets) were creeping along the trail - these plants have white flowers and heart shaped leaves. Also of interest was indian pipe which is a waxy, white colored plant terminated by a single nodding flower in the exact same color as its scaly stem. Indian pipes get their nourishment from subterranean fungi. This mutually beneficial mingling of underground fungi and plant roots is called mycorrhizae. The network of fungi that aids many plants, such as lady's slippers and trilliums, is called mycelium and can grow to enormous sizes. It continues to live, even when its above ground counterparts, mushrooms, get picked or destroyed. One of the largest mycelium organisms found, covers 30 acres in Michigan and originated from a single spore more than a 1000 years ago. We spotted a neat mushroom that looked like a Tiffany lamp. It had a yellow base with an orange "lamp shade" and scattered about that surface were irregular shaped yellow patches that seemed like perhaps they were scaling off but gave the illusion of the patchwork stained glass seen in the Tiffany shades. Another toadstool that wore the yellow and orange colors had an almost flat, but slightly inverted top. I'm told that this shape allows it to hold rain water. When the group reached the cascades, their attention turned to eating lunch. We relaxed on dry rocks that the water gracefully skirted around, while continuing its many-stepped fall further downstream. Despite all the recent rain we've had in our area, the water flow was rather light. Hemlock and birch stood on the shorelines. After lounging around for a while, part of the group decided to tackle the steep trail that continues up alongside the cascades to find the point where the water begins falling. From this elevated spot, the cascades dropped below us and out in front of us was Flume Peak. Off to the left, we could just barely make out the green swaths of the Waterville Valley ski area on Mt. Tecumseh. About 65-70 degrees. Start time: Approximately 1:00 p.m. Driving Directions Rt. 93 take the exit for Rt. 49. Head east on Rt. 49 for approximately 8 miles (a little more I think). The parking area is on the right, marked by a brown hiker sign by the side of the road (just after crossing Drakes Brook). Once in the parking lot, there will be signs for Sandwich Mountain Trail, Drakes Brook Trail, and Fletcher's Cascade Trail. Follow the signs for Drakes Brook Trail for 0.4 mile, until a sign for Fletcher's Cascade Trail instructs you to bear left. From the parking lot, there are two signs for Drakes Brook Trail. One is a horizontally long sign that is for cross-country skiers; you can ignore this one (I think it hooks back up with the hiking trail after going up the hill and that section is re-routed so skiers won't have to go around the gate). As you pull into the parking lot, Drakes Brook Trail starts in approximately the left hand lower corner (the north side). Other Notes This is part of the White Mountain National Forest so a WMNF parking permit is required. More Fletcher's Cascade Trail Reports Fletcher's Cascade via Fletcher's Cascade Trail on 12/25/1999

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