Owl's Head

Date of Hike: 2/19/12

Lincoln Woods Trail: 2.6 miles
Black Pond Trail / Bushwhack: 2.4 miles
Lincoln Brook Trail: 2.7 miles
Brutus Bushwhack / Owl's Head Path: 2.6 miles
Lincoln Brook Trail: 2.7 miles
Bushwhack / Black Pond Trail: 2.4 miles
Lincoln Woods Trail: 2.6 miles
Total Miles: Approx 18.0 (3,250 elevation gain)
Click here for trail descriptions

Trip Report:
- I hiked Owl's Head last month and got to hike the slide in the winter so it was time to head back and hike the Brutus Bushwhack in the winter!
- The weather was perfect for the hike deep into the Pemigewasst Wilderness, around thirty degrees and no wind, and the trails were all broken out and easy to follow.
- The Black Pond Bushwhack came out lower than the previous two winter hikes I had done but not as low as the 'FU - Bushwhack to Nowhere' from last month. This one came out a quarter of a mile lower and didn't hook onto the Lincoln Brook Trail until it came in from the right over a water crossing.
- The Brutus Bushwhack, left the old skidder road earlier than last year so it was steeper but none of us minded as it got us up above and cut across to the Owl's Head Path faster.
- I ran into a group of three at what they thought was the summit, it was close enough for all of us, actually we had gone past it about fifty feet or so, on the way out I saw the top of the rock pile within a couple of feet of the broken out trail.
- The hike out was great and went fast, I looked for old signs of higher paths for the Black Pond Bushwhack and did see two entries that looked to be about a week old but the path I took was very gradual so it was actually better eventhough probably a little longer of a hike.
- Back at the car I changed into warm clothes and got some yummy food after another great winter hike in the White Mountains!

 Reggie leading the way on the Lincoln Woods Trail

 Lincoln Brook Trail

 Lincoln Brook Trail

 Bondcliff Ridge from Black Pond

Lincoln Woods Suspension Bridge

3 comments:

  1. this brings back the memories! i completed my 48 on Owl's Head. Did I read right that the Brutus Bushwhack avoids the slide?

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  2. Hi Grant, yeah just past a water crossing 3.0 miles in on the Lincoln Brook Trail about 0.4 miles from the slide path you cut up into the woods (It's the last water crossing before the slide path actually and you head into the woods a few hundred feet past the crossing). It's steep at first but very soon you hit an old skidder road and take that to the right and it's gradual and it ends at a drainage, before the drainage you head up, it's steep but in the woods. Then you wiggle your way to the left above some cliffs and intersect the Owl's Head Path above the slide 0.3 from the old summit! It's fun but I prefer the slide!

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  3. Thanks Chris! I loved the slide as well....although it could be tricky in the winter I bet!

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