Glencliff Trail: 3.0 miles / Moosilauke Carriage Road: 1.8 miles / Glencliff Trail: 3.0 miles
Total Miles: 7.8 miles (3,300 feet)
click here for trail descriptions
Trip Report:
- Initially the predicted forecast called for clearing skies, so Whitney and I decided to hike Mount Moosilauke in hopes of catching some big views from the open summit. However, as what often happens in the Mountains of New Hampshire the weather changed overnight and we were greeted with cloud cover and a steady snowfall.
- We decided to hike up the Appalachian Trail (Glencliff & Carriage Road) to the summit of Moosilauke. It's one of the tamer approaches to the summit, with easy to moderate grades and decent footing with only one short steep burst before gaining the ridge.
- The normally tame footing was made a little bit more difficult today as a fluffy blanket of snow, about two inches, covered all the ice bulges and smaller roots and rocks making for a slip and slide of fun, especially on the descent. We both wore microspikes from about two miles into the hike until the end which helped in spots and acted as ice skates in others.
- Once gaining the ridge below the south peak we hiked out of the scrub above treeline and into the westerly winds and the sideways snow. Luckily, the predicted high winds were no too bad which made the final push up the summit cone bearable. Still, it was pretty freaking cold and the visibility was low, however we didn't worry about losing our way because the Dartmouth Outing Club has built a great chain of majestic cairns above treeline that safely lead the way.
- At the summit we took a few pictures before turning around for a pretty quick descent down the mountain, that is when we weren't slipping on the hidden ice of course!
- Just before reaching the parking lot the trail passes by an open field where huge snowflakes fell all around us making for a picturesque scene. It was a perfect way to end the day and it reminded me of how much fun it was to hike when the snow is falling over the trails.
- In other BIG news, Whitney will be hiking the Appalachian Trail starting in the Spring of 2014, meaning the next time she steps foot on Mount Moosilauke she will be on mile 1,800 of 2,180! What an awesome adventure she is about to take part in. Best of luck, Whitney, can't wait to follow your journey, I'm sure I'll see you out there along the way! Click here to follow Whitney's preparation for her thru-hike on her blog, 'On My Feet'
Total Miles: 7.8 miles (3,300 feet)
click here for trail descriptions
Trip Report:
- Initially the predicted forecast called for clearing skies, so Whitney and I decided to hike Mount Moosilauke in hopes of catching some big views from the open summit. However, as what often happens in the Mountains of New Hampshire the weather changed overnight and we were greeted with cloud cover and a steady snowfall.
- We decided to hike up the Appalachian Trail (Glencliff & Carriage Road) to the summit of Moosilauke. It's one of the tamer approaches to the summit, with easy to moderate grades and decent footing with only one short steep burst before gaining the ridge.
- The normally tame footing was made a little bit more difficult today as a fluffy blanket of snow, about two inches, covered all the ice bulges and smaller roots and rocks making for a slip and slide of fun, especially on the descent. We both wore microspikes from about two miles into the hike until the end which helped in spots and acted as ice skates in others.
- Once gaining the ridge below the south peak we hiked out of the scrub above treeline and into the westerly winds and the sideways snow. Luckily, the predicted high winds were no too bad which made the final push up the summit cone bearable. Still, it was pretty freaking cold and the visibility was low, however we didn't worry about losing our way because the Dartmouth Outing Club has built a great chain of majestic cairns above treeline that safely lead the way.
- At the summit we took a few pictures before turning around for a pretty quick descent down the mountain, that is when we weren't slipping on the hidden ice of course!
- Just before reaching the parking lot the trail passes by an open field where huge snowflakes fell all around us making for a picturesque scene. It was a perfect way to end the day and it reminded me of how much fun it was to hike when the snow is falling over the trails.
- In other BIG news, Whitney will be hiking the Appalachian Trail starting in the Spring of 2014, meaning the next time she steps foot on Mount Moosilauke she will be on mile 1,800 of 2,180! What an awesome adventure she is about to take part in. Best of luck, Whitney, can't wait to follow your journey, I'm sure I'll see you out there along the way! Click here to follow Whitney's preparation for her thru-hike on her blog, 'On My Feet'
Glencliff Parking Lot Gate
Glencliff Trail
Lower end of the Glencliff Trail
Small amount of unbroken snow!
Moosilauke Carriage Road
Breaking out of the scrub
Approaching the summit
Old hotel foundation on the summit
Whitney gives the double thumbs up to the Moose
My red coat replaced my gray coat, I'm no longer a ninja hiker! (Photo courtesy of Whitney)
Rime ice blasted Moosiluake summit sign!
Leaving the summit
Into the White
Looks like she's about to walk off a cliff
Nice cairn at treeline
Whitney on the Glencliff Trail
Glencliff Trail
Hurricane / Glencliff trail Junction
Heading back to the car
A.T. splits off and heads to the road
Photo courtesy of Whitney - Glencliff Trail
Trail Junk!
End of the hike!
Looks so scary up there!
ReplyDeleteGood luck Whitney, on your Appalachian Trail hike!
Eva
It was a winter wonderland up there, Ev-ah! :)
DeleteWinter wonderland ! Love the Moose.. Keep us informed of Whitney's Appalachian hike - love to read lots of trail journals - follow many many each year !! Thanks for the report :)
ReplyDeleteWendy
Hope you get up to the Moose again soon, Wendy. I hope you get great views to boot!
Delete