Cardigan Mountain and the Mountains of Orange and Alexandria

By:Ellie-C

Red Group

Mt Cardigan and Mt Cardigan lodge are in the mountains, in Orange and Alexandria. The absolute location, its coordinates, of mount Cardigan lodge is 43 38 41.1 N and -71 52 41.2 W. The mountains surrounding Cardigan are Firescrew, Rimrock, South Peak, and Gilman. The mountains are covered with both coniferous and deciduous trees. The elevation at the bottom of the mountain is about 1,450 ft and the overall elevation is about 4,605 ft. The forest floor is covered with an assortment of greenery such as hobblebush, ferns, partridge berry, and princess pine. Mt Cardigan is 40.8 miles away from Hopkinton and it would take about an hour and eight minutes to get there. Mt Cardigan is in the Grafton county in the Lakes region in NH.

Mt Cardigan is located in a forest area that used to be farmland. There is a mix of both deciduous and coniferous trees. There is an abundance of Hemlock, Birch, and Beech trees. The undergrowth includes Hobblebush, Princess Pine, Fern and Partridge Berry. Some Indian Cucumber also lives there. Evidence on its many hiking trails show that a variety of animals live in its woods. Mosse, chipmunks, squirrels, owls, and racoons are just some of the forest inhabitants. The summit of Cardigan is bald with only a few small plants able to grow in the crevices of its rocky head. Where there is even the slightest amount of soil moss grows. It thrives under the rotting leaves, blanketing the floor in all the undisturbed parts of the forest. Near the mountain there are some streams and even a waterfall. In the streams live some salamanders, stonefly larvae, and mayfly larvae.

At the bottom of Mt Cardigan there is a lodge. Another cabin rests higher up on the mountain. On top of Firescrew, Cardigans closest neighbor, a tall fire tower sits with a firemans lodge nearby. Evidence of humans is left across almost every stream, bridges. Cleared trails wind up the sides of the mountains marked with trail blazes and carns. Signs are planted at the campsites and picnic areas along with tables, bear boxes, and benches. The area is relatively litter free with very few bits of trash crumpled on the ground or flying in the wind.

We stayed there for three days Sunday, Monday , and Tuesday .

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