Owl's Head: Living Up to It's Reputation

The start of a very long day...

I figured I'd put off this mountain long enough. With one more mountain to go for halfway through the New Hampshire 4000 Footers, it was time to knock Owl's Head off the list.

I set off early Sunday morning for the Lincoln Woods Trailhead off of the Kancamagus Highway. The lot was about 75% full when I arrived around 8 a.m., but I figured most of those people were overnighters or car spotters from Saturday. As I got deeper into my hike, I was reassured that very few were there for the same long out-and-back trek I had in store.

One of several nice viewpoints along the Lincoln Woods Trail

I started up the Lincoln Woods Trail for the first 3 miles of the 18.4 mi. mammoth round-trip hike to Owl's Head. It's wide, flat, easy grade made for a pleasant start on what was a bit of a chilly morning for late August. It felt like fall was getting an early start up in the mountains. The trail was completely dry and in fine shape. The viewpoints along the Pemigewasset River-East Branch were some nice first views to take in as I headed deeper into the Pemigewasset Wilderness.

Into the wilderness I went, withe Franconia Brook Trailhead just up the trail to the left

 My first little bit of elevation gain came when I reached the boundary for the Wilderness area and subsequently the trailhead for the Franconia Brook Trail. It was a quick, moderate rise up to yet another long flat stretch of hiking deeper and deeper into the forest. Along this trail I got my first short stretches of "mud cake" trail. Nothing that couldn't be avoided along the edges, and still nothing damp either, which was what I was hoping for with it not having rained significantly in the area for over a week. There were a few stream crossing along this trail, but none very wide and all easily done by hopping across a couple rocks.

Deeper into the wilderness still

The Franconia Brook Trail went by quickly and then it was on to the more interesting parts of the hike as I started the stretch along the Lincoln Brook Trail. This trail started similarly to the Lincoln Brook Trail, with a easy, steady, moderate rise until about a half mile in, where I finally came to the first of the two big stream crossings so often referred to as "difficult in high water" when this trail is discussed. Having heard the stories of people wading up to there knees and such, I was hoping the lack of rain for a while would keep the streams running lower, and my hopes came true. This first stream crossing was best done by following a series of rocks from right where the trail entered the water almost straight across to the trail on the other side. It was almost as if they'd been moved to form a hopping path across by hikers before. I didn't mind at all!

The second crossing came shortly after, and was easier than the first. There was a large dry, rocky area in between a split in the flow of the stream, so I was able to tackle this one in two smaller sections. When I got to the other side, it looked as if the trail split in two directions, one to my left and one more straight ahead. The straight ahead route was the correct option as I was soon walking right alongside Lincoln Brook.

From here, the hike began to get much wetter and muddier. Several sections of the Lincoln Brook Trail were thick with mud, and on one step I totally submerged my foot in dark brown "gooey-ness." However, I also found this to be one of the most enjoyable sections of the trail (at least on the way in!) as it was right alongside the brook the whole time. The sound of the rushing water and views of the little cascades let me know I was deep in a beautifully untouched wilderness. Along certain sections of the trail, things did become a little hillier, with care needed not to slip off into the brook in certain spots, but nothing like the challenge to come when I arrived at the Owl's Head Path.

Things got a smidge steep

 When I arrived, two medium sized cairns, about 2-3 ft tall, marked either side of the Lincoln Brook Trail, letting me know I'd reached something. I looked to my right and saw a series of smaller cairns heading up the mountain, confirming I'd reached the Owl's Head Path. From here, things got as steep as I suspected. The trail quickly turned into a slide, with large rocks taking place of dirt and roots. On the way up, the rocks weren't too terribly loose and the footing felt surprisingly sturdy. Unlike the North Tripyramid Slide, which still haunts my hiking dreams, heading up the Owl's Head Path I was never completely laying on rock slabs pulling myself up. I was able to walk up, slowly of course, most of the way with just the aid of my trekking poles. There were also plenty of sturdier trees, roots, and larger rocks to grab onto when the poles wouldn't suffice. The best mountain views of the day were to be had here as well, with fine views of the Franconia Ridge and the deeper sections of the Pemigewasset Wildnerness to the north.

Franconia Ridge from the Owl's Head slide

Looking deep into the Pemigewasset Wilderness from the slide

After a long climb up the slide, the miles I had already logged began to take their mental toll and the ridge of Owl's Head felt like it took forever. Many sections along the ridge were thin and grown in, so plenty of scrub plants were smacking me all over. There was no cairn when I arrived at the flat open area of the "old summit", but there was a clear path straight ahead that continued on to the new summit. There were several blowdowns along the trail that made for some fun limbos. When I arrived at the new summit there was a cairn and few people sitting around to confirm I'd reached my destination.

Heading back, extra caution was needed going down the slide, as now the rocks were much looser with gravity trying to aid me down the path. I took each step slowly, knowing my feet would slide a little in the sandier sections of the slide. There were only a couple places where I fell on my rump, but my gradual pace made for a mostly smooth decent.

And the end to a very long day

Once back on the Lincoln Brook Trail, it was just a fight through exhaustion and pain to make it the long 8 miles back to my car. My feet and shoulders were incredibly sore by the end, and I can safely say that this mountain will be a one and done for me, haha!

Sunset Hill: Living Up to Its Name

Starting up the Sunset Hill Trail

This past Saturday night, the mix of clouds and sun were shaping up to create a magical sunset, so I searched online for a nice quick hike to enjoy it. I hadn't been around Lake Sunapee in a while, so I decided to try and find a hike in that area to get a good view. Looking on the Forest Society's website, I came across the Hay Reservation which encompasses the trails and summit of Sunset Hill. Seeing as it was only 1.2 mi to the top, I knew this would be a quick climb for my pup and I to enjoy the evening.

We arrived at the trailhead around 5:45 p.m. It is directly across the street from the Fells Historic Estate and Gardens. I wasn't sure if I could park in the Fells parking lot itself, so I parked just outside of the grounds on the side of NH-103A, where there is room for about 3-4 cars along the road. The sound of cars zooming down the highway was still very audible as we started into the forest, and continued until we made the final push to the top. The beginning of the trail was a quick moderate climb up to the first trail junction pictured above. All of the junctions leading to the summit were marked very clearly like this, making for no confusion on the way up.

Along the Sunset Hill Trail

From this junction the trail was flat and wide. The trail actually followed some old woods roads most of the way. Even after the rain we had on Friday, the trail was basically dry the whole way, with a few small damp spots near the top. After this flat stroll the trail swung right and began what was first a gentle and then steady moderate rise. The trail never got steep, but the ascent was consistent enough to get the legs and lungs working until we reached the summit and turned towards the lookout.

On the summit looking towards the lookout

We ran into three people at the lookout when we arrived who left shortly after we settled in. The rest of the time we had the whole summit and the rest of the hike to ourselves, and after seeing the views take shape, I couldn't believe we got to enjoy it in solitude.

First colors of sunset taking shape

Simply put, the hill lived up to its name and then some. The sunset that evening was one of the most magical I've ever seen, and to enjoy it from that perch with that view was something special. Having heard so little about this hill before we hiked it, I can confidently say that it is highly underrated. I would definitely save it as a sunset trip to get the full effect. As you'll see from the rest of my photos below, it is well worth the trip.

Orange and purple glow descending on the distant mountains

Lake Sunapee and distant mountains

Lookout cairn, lush trees, Lake Sunapee, distant mountains and a magical sky. Perfection.

The NH Forest Society has a great trail map that I used in planning this hike. I'm so glad they have this space preserved for all of us to enjoy such amazing views as those I took in Saturday evening.

In terms of a time break down, it was 32 min to the top of the hill, a little over an hour on it, and then 27 min. back down, going 1.2 mi each way for 2.4 mi round trip.

Mt. Mist and a Walk Along a Lesser Known Stretch of the AT

From the summit of Mt. Mist

This past Saturday I was looking for a good hike to test out my backpacking pack as I would have it loaded for my Labor Day weekend hiking adventure with my brothers coming up in a couple weeks. The forecast called for a cloudy, viewless day, so I started scouring my maps for a trail that didn't necessarily pack a chance at a view, but did pack the mileage I was looking for. Scanning around the White Mountains, I landed on a portion of an old favorite–the Appalachian Trail. In particular, I had set my sights on the portion just west of Glencliff, NH, right before the push to the grand summit of Mt. Moosilauke and the rest of the Whites begins. This portion is highlighted by the viewless, wooded summit of Mt. Mist, as well as a side path that takes you up to the top of Webster Slide Mountain with its views of Wachipauka Pond.

AT Sign along NH-25

I arrived in the parking area on the side of NH-25 a little after 9 a.m., driving my first of 6 or 7 thru-hikers as they were walking towards Glencliff. All of the thru-hikers I passed on the trail were in good spirits as they were starting their morning journeys into the mountains. One that I spent a little time chatting with at a small lookout along my way had traveled from Oregon to start the AT in West Virginia, having covered over 800 miles to get to where we met. When she told me it was her first trip into the Whites, I told her it was going to be a challenge worth the reward. Here's hoping the mountains live up to the lofty expectations I set forth (They ought to. They are the Whites after all.)

The dense, thick greenery of this portion of the AT

 I started my journey up the Wachipauka Pond Trail/AT around 9:30, and I was quickly in a quiet, dense, lush green wonderland. This section of the AT was a tight single track in many spots, with plenty of bushes smacking me in my legs, arms, and face along the way. Shortly into my hike there was sharp right turn that led to a steep pitch to get along the side of Wyatt Hill. After that quick climb, it was mostly a gentle rolling walk on the trail with a little rock hopping in a couple boulder-strewn sections until I met up with the junction of the Webster Slide Trail. I decided to save that fun climb for my return trip, and at this point I continued southbound on the AT towards Mt. Mist.

From this junction to the summit, the mountain lived up to its misty name, with the trail turning damp and foggy shortly after I continued. It was a bit more of a moderate climb leading up to the summit, with the lookout I mentioned earlier coming unexpectedly about halfway between the aforementioned junction and the summit. The thick cloud cover rendered the view to be a 50/50 split of thick green trees and equally thick gray clouds.

As good as my view got from the lookout on the way to Mt. Mist

When I got back to the Webster Slide Trail on my return trip from Mt. Mist, it was time to really climb. This trail started as an easy tease of a gentle rise to start followed by a short flat stretch. However, this trail then quickly gained elevation on a level that makes you start questioning your life decisions. It was never steep enough that I was on my hands and feet, but I was pushing my quads to their limits stretching from step to step. It was a relief to reach the flat top of the mountain, begin my final stretch to the summit ledges of the mountain, prepare myself for the views of Wachipauka Pond and then proceed to walk into...a cloud.

The views stretched for...feet from the ledges of Webster Slide Mountain

 Yup, I enjoyed a chuckle and a viewless lunch on the summit of Webster Slide Mountain as the mists of the giant cloud rolled past me. I couldn't be too upset as I hadn't expected any views that day. I still found joy in the peace and quiet of having that cloudy summit all to myself. It's an awesome feeling when, in a moment where every thought could be entering your mind, in all that stillness, nature makes them all just slip away. It was just me, the trees, and that big ol' cloud, simple and sweet. Maybe there wasn't beauty in the distance, but there was beauty in that moment.

To all the AT hikers I passed and everyone else tackling that massive endeavor, all of whom will probably never see this post, good luck on the rest of your respective journeys. I hope you enjoy New Hampshire's section of the trail as much as those of us that live here do. Until next time, happy hiking everyone!

Two Mountains in One Day: North Uncanoonuc & Mt. Pemigewasset

A hazy morning view of Manchester from North Uncanoonuc

This past Sunday I had the crazy (at least for me) idea of driving and hiking one mountain in the morning, going home, grabbing lunch, and then driving and hiking another one in the afternoon. So I did it. You only live once, and I am in New Hampshire. Live free or die, right?

The day started off with the shorter of the two trips, a quick 30 minute drive from Manchester to Goffstown to hike up the non-tower filled summit of the Uncanoonucs, North Uncanoonuc. I figured it would be a nice quick start to the day just to get the legs going. My dog and I set off from the parking area just across the street from the "Class 6 Trail." In the winter this trail is better known for snowmobiling, but on this cool August morning it was nice easy amble in the woods.

Once we got on the Red Dot Trail up to the summit, things got steep quickly. What started as an easy stroll soon turned into an full-on cardio workout. The Red Dot Trail was steep on a level that would put a few 4000-footer trails to shame. Talk about getting the lungs going! That trail would be a great one to train on to build up the stamina for the longer, steeper climbs the Whites have to offer. My dog and I were both panting once we reached the summit, still just a mere 22 minutes from the time we started.

The view I enjoyed the most was of the neighboring summit of South Uncanoonuc with its small community of communication towers and all of Manchester stretching out below it. We didn't linger long on the summit, and then took the wider and less steep Blue Trail back down to where it met the Class 6 Trail for our walk back to the car. In all, it was a 1.5 mi. hike we completed in just under an hour, a good start to our day of adventures. If you ever want to check out the trails on the Uncanoonucs, a great trail map can be found at goffstowntrails.com. For the afternoon, it was on to the Whites!

Panoramic view from Pemigewasset summit

Mt. Pemigewasset was our destination for the afternoon, with my wife coming along to join me and our pup. We arrived at the Flume Visitor Center parking area around 2:30 to find it just as I figured it would be: crowded. With such a beautiful day it was too be expected. We were still lucky enough to find an actual parking spot and then set off up the bike path to the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail.

In terms of trail features, there's not much to write home about on this one. However, I do highly recommend this as a great moderate family hike. I think it's a great trail for getting your kids further into hiking if they've enjoyed some smaller, shorter trips to summits. The elevation gain is moderate and there is a large glacial erractic along the way as you near the top that is cool spot to talk about the history of how the Whites were carved into what we see today.

For how many people we passed on our way up, I was happy to see the summit wasn't too crowded when we got up there. We settled down on one of the smaller cliffs jutting off the main summit to enjoy the sprawling views to the South for a little while. The huge array of clouds above the mountains made for a fantastic view. Both times I've been up Mt. Pemigewasset I've loved it. It's a mountain I'm surprised I've only gone up twice, but I know there will be more trips in the future.

Our time breakdown from the hike is below:

• Start at Flume Visitor Center parking lot - 2:30 p.m.
• Mt. Pemigewasset Summit - 3:24 p.m. (54 min., 1.6 mi.)
• Left Summit - 4:15 p.m.
• Back at Car - 5:02 p.m. (47 min., 1.6 mi.)

A Fantastic, Flatter Adventure: Halibut Point State Park

One of many amazing sunset views on along the coastline

Not every adventure has to be a treacherous climb to soaring heights to have a wonderful day outdoors with magical views. Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, MA was the complete opposite of those long mountain treks, yet it still provided nice trails, interesting history, and spectacular views.

A couple weekends ago, my wife and I wanted to get out along the seacoast, so we set out to Halibut Point for some easy exploring and to satisfy my wife's shelling addiction (mission accomplished, haha!). The park is set around an old quarry that's been out of use since the 1920's. When we arrived, the quarry was now serving as a nice home for several dozen seagulls gliding along the coast.

Seagulls resting in the old quarry

There was a great brochure at the kiosk in the main parking area that provided a wealth of information on the interpretive trail that went around the quarry. We started with that stroll to learn a little more of what used to go on here. The brochure went into just enough detail about the entire process of quarrying the granite on site to make what would be a quick, simple loop a little more interesting.

Clouds stretching as far as you could see along one of the seaside trails

From there we strolled along one of the trails closer to the seashore, enjoying the views that stretched all the way to the Isle of Shoals in New Hampshire and Mt. Agamenticus in Maine. The sky was absolutely unbelievable that day, with clouds spreading in magical formations in all directions. We knew it was going to come together to be a pretty fantastic sunset, so my wife made sure she went shelling long enough (not a hard task to achieve) for us to check it out.

Panoramic view of quarry along interpretive trail

We caught our first glimpses of how awesome the early evening would be as we circled back around the interpretive trail to head towards The Rocks, a stretch of flat rock slabs stretching out into the ocean that would provide a perfect spot to take in the sunset views. The early array of colors made the quarry seem like a vast moat guarding the fire control tower turned visitor center sitting above it. We were more than ready to catch more views from right along the shoreline.

As usual, words can't do justice to the sky we saw, so I will wrap this post up with a few pictures from that magical sunset. This park was a major surprise in how fun it was to explore both around the quarry and along the shoreline. Even without the added bonus of a marvelous sunset, I would still recommend this park to anyone who enjoys getting out by the ocean. I know my wife and I will be back for future relaxing days.