On the drive up NH Route 16 to Cold River Camp, we stopped for lunch at the Miss Wakefield Diner. That's your average carved wooden moose butt behind us, but there was nothing average about their eggs benedict over crabcake -- with home-fried potatoes on the side. Yum!

First stop at AMC's Cold River Camp is the Lodge - home base for eating and socializing.

Its porch has the usual assortment of rockers and gliders and occupants..

..including Bernie Hickey (our friend and knowledgeable guide) and Jill.

The vew of South Baldface Mountain from the lawn in front of the Lodge is a fine one.

Hummingbirds are a regular feature at the porch of the Lodge.

Here's a close-up from the prior photo.

One drizzly morning, we found this Luna Moth sleeping it off on a porch sofa while awaiting the morning sun.

We arrived ahead of the crowd, so we looked over a few of the cabins. Many of them, like this one, perch over a ravine.

We chose Fernbank, one of those perchy cabins for two.

Old-time camping with a nice touch. No electricity or water, but a pitcher and basin for washing, a kerosene lamp for light, and a fine fireplace for warmth (which we didn't need on our visit).. And a very comfy mattress. We furnished our towels, sleeping bags and pillowcases.

The lovely view from that bed - on a day when you can't see much of the wilderness and mountains beyond.

Our friend Bernie chose to stay in the adjacent Tower -- which sports electricity and running water. That saved us walking over to the group facilities, now and again. Our car didn't stay here; after unloading, it was parked away from buildings and views.

On the first evening, after Bernie showed us the high points of Cold River Camp, he showed some of the neighborhood. Deer Meadow Bog is a few miles away. It lies along the Evergreen Valley Road extension of Deer Hill Road.

On the north side of Deer Meadow Bog, the White Mountain National Forest has provided a fine observation blind.

Jill's spotting deer. Nice. The week before, folks spotted many moose. We waited well into dusk, but didn't have that much luck.

The deer came down to drink along the far shore of the bog. Great blue heron were nesting atop some of the dead trees. As we watched, an angry heron chased a raccoon down from one of those nests. Did the raccoon manage to snatch an egg for dinner?

Misting in the background, it's the Cold River from which this AMC camp takes its name. We're close to camp, just downstream from the local swimming spot and standing on...

..this dam. When closed, it creates a nice swimming hole just upstream. This log hints that there's a lot more water during spring runoff.

Just beyond the dam, Jill puts one hand in New Hampshire and the other hand in Maine.

And, she delivers the proof.

The AMC's Cold River Camp dates to 1919. Over the years it has gained a lot of friends, traditions, and nifty embellishments.

The camp has a LOT of well-managed trails, and connects to even more trails in the nearby woods and mountains.

We're off on a trail-clearing trip. Plants grow fast in the White Mountains, and trails need regular clearing of brush and blowdowns. The Chatham Trails Association has volunteered for that since 1921.

Thankfully, this big blowdown fell AWAY from the trail.

While we pause for some food and rest, our trail-clearing tools also take a break.

Bob Goeke yells down from higher up on the Conant Trail loop.

We were too busy to take a lot of photos. But I couldn't resist stopping for this photo of pretty Shelf Mushrooms. They're big; the spruce trunk is about a foot in diameter.

Our weekend was a fine one. Good campers, good place, good food. And we did some good, ourselves. The Lodge porch at Cold Spring Camp will call us back again!