Every Monday spent with my guy is top notch, but this one will stand out above others.

Our destination–Mount Willard in Crawford Notch. Yup, scaling up that sheer rock face was in our future. We were headed to the top of the Notch.

We chose this trail because it is rather easy and quick, yet offers a fabulous view.

Somehow before reaching Centennial Pool, I did a face plant. (Don’t tell my sister). This time it was a rock that dislodged under my foot. Yeegads, it’s been a rough couple of days, but all is well.

Watching water fall is like watching flames leap in a campfire–mesmerizing.

And refreshing–as in downright chilly.

Here and there, we found patches of snow. While one woman we met on the trail wasn’t thrilled about it, we rejoiced.

The path up Mount Willard is well trodden. In fact, it’s an old horse-drawn logging road.

Though muddy in spots, for the most part, it’s rocky–requiring an attentive perspective.

Like the moss growing in this cut log, we’ve developed a groove over the years that allows us to walk and talk or just walk. I love that we allow each other that space and time to think as we take it all in. To be in our own big worlds.

At the start, the trail passes through a hardwood forest mix of beech, birch and oak. And then the community switches to the softwood neighborhood–hemlock and spruce–it takes on that Christmas fragrance.

The prize awaits at the end of the tunnel,

where prayers reach far and wide as they blow in the wind.

A picture perfect view of Crawford Notch–who can ask for anything more? Route 302 directly below (hard to believe that this very road passes by our home) and the railroad tracks carved into the side of Mount Willey on our right.

It was quite warm as we sat on lunch rock and enjoyed the usual–PB&J (with butter for me!)

Below us stretched the U-shaped glacial valley, formed to the left by Mount Webster. I’m forever in awe of such settings, where one can only imagine the forces that have shaped this landscape.

And continue to shape it, as evidenced by the mountainside erosion and landslides.

Though the spruce and firs do their best to hold all in check, nature happens.

A few steps to our left and a look over our shoulders–Mount Washington.

Somehow the descent passed quickly and we reached the Crawford Notch Depot in record time. But . . . we missed the train–by a month or so. Good thing our truck was still in the parking lot.

Since we were so close, we drove up to Bretton Woods for a rear view (as in backside, not rare) of the Great Mountain. Two clear days in a row–a treat.

To celebrate, we treated ourselves to a glass of Tuckerman’s Pale Ale.

And in return, we were treated to this view as we drove across the Moose Pond Causeway on Route 302.

Most definitely a Top Notch Mondate.