Hiking in the White Mountains: Desolation Trail

Date of Hike: 8/22/15

Signal Ridge Trail: 1.7 miles / Carrigain Notch Trail: 4.8 miles / Desolation Trail: 1.9 miles / Signal Ridge Trail: 4.8 miles
Total Miles: 13.25 (4.040 feet elevation gained) Garmin Forerunner 910XT

Trip Report:
- It had been several years since I traveled the section of the Carrigain Notch Trail between the Signal Ridge Trail junction and the Nancy Pond Trail junction. I remeber it being a beautiful hike and there was one part I was looking forward to getting back to, a short section where the footing on the trail traveled over what could best be described as fish tank pebbles, thousands of thousands of little pebbles for maybe two tenths of a mile on the back side of Mount Carrigain below Carrigain Notch.
- Unfortunately, tropical strom Irene had wiped out that pebble footing I remembered. It was still a nice hike, the pebble part is now just regular old dirt, but it was not as fun as I remembered it pre-Irene when I hiked it with Chris and Scott's during their 48 - 4,000 footer finish in 2010.
- This approach to Carrigain is very quiet and remote, so if you are looking to avoid the crowds head over and down Carrigain Notch and then hook onto the Desolation Trail. From Desolation you will get a great workout as the trail rises steeply over extremely rough footing for the last three quarters of a mile below the summit. Also, be prepared to push through dozens of dozens of spider webs between Carrigain Notch and the Desolation Trail junction. Usually the spiders are tiny in size but every so often you'll come across a big, scary looking one. Before long you'll be wearing a spider sweater, not fun but it's all part of the wilderness experience!
- Once on top of Mount Carrigain There were hoards of hikers. I took in the great views from the summit tower and then again along the Signal Ridge. I don't mind the crowds, I know how to escape them and most of them are extremely nice and happy to be hiking. I counted around three dozen on my way out, everyone was having a great time, and there were even a few friendly dogs out on the trail too.
- As I descended I stayed on the three old sections of trail. The first one I reached was the top of the reroute around a beaver pond. What they did was move the Carrigain Notch Trail junction further down the old railroad grade about a quarter of a mile. The new trail bangs a left and heads around a beaver pond and then hooks into the original trail, I headed through the old trail at this point here and came out at the bottom where the old Carrigain Notch Trail used to split. This re-route I did once and will probably never do it again, not one of my favorites, so I stick to the old trail. The next reroute is a short section along Whiteface Brook, it's a little grown in and there's a washout into the brook, the old section avoids a tiny uphill switchback, it's a very short re-route. The third and final one was the original start of the trail and included a crossing of Whiteface Brook. It's still easy to follow, the brook became much wider at the crossing after Irene came through so I guess that was the reason for the re-route because the rest of the old trail is in excellent shape.
- All in all it was a fun Saturday morning hike up one of my favorite Mountains. It also finished my August grid, the first month that I have ever gridded (Grid = hike all the 48 - 4,000 footer in every month). It only took twenty-seven years, Mount Washington August 31st, 1988 to August 22nd, 2015 Mount Carrigain!
- By year: 1988 (1) / 1989 (1) / 2001 (2) / 2007 (1) / 2008 (3) / 2009 (12) / 2010 (5) / 2011 (1) / 2012 (6) / 2013 (4) / 2014 (2) / 2015 (10)

Hiking along the nice flat Signal Ridge Trail

Headed up to the height of land on the Carrigain Notch Trail

Some parts of the Carrigain Notch Trail has a very muddy and wet feeling to it

Other parts of the trail pass through a beautiful pine grove

Closing in on the section of trail before the Nancy Pond Trail junction

Heading to the Desolation Trail junction through another beautiful stretch of woods

The first mile of the Desolation Trail is not too bad. It's a steady climb but not too steep over descent footing

The second mile of the Desolation Trail is a steep, rocky, and root filled obstacle course!

The Pemigewasset Wilderness from Mount Carrigain's summit

Looking out towards the Franconia Ridge

The Hnacocks (top), Signal Ridge (bottom)

The old fire wardens well

The summit tower and the view up to the tower from Signal Ridge

Carrigain Notch with Vose Spur and Mount Lowell

This is the upper end of the third trail reroute. The trail goes to the left, the old trail headed right

The old trail is a little washed out in a spot or two but still in great shape. I prefer it over the re-route

The second Signal Ridge Trail re-route. This one travels along the brook, there was a washout and it's started to be overtaken by plants.

The first Signal ridge Trail re-route. It started from Sawyer River Road before the bridge, it travels over the Whiteface Brook. The new trail starts after the bridge on Sawyer River Road and avoids the water crossing. The old trail is still easy to follow.

Sawyer River Road and Trailhead for Signal Ridge

Signs and an old bottle of Tabasco Sauce!

Route for the day, click here for details

August Grid

Date of Hike: 9/27/14

Nancy Pond Trail: 4.4 miles / Mount Nancy Herd Path: 1.4 miles / Nancy Pond Trail: 2.8 miles / CArrigain Notch Trail: 0.8 miles / Desolation Trail: 1.9 miles / Signal Ridge Trail: 5.0 miles
Total Miles: 16.20 (6,050 feet elevation gained)

Trip Report:
- Early in the Spring when there was still plenty of snow left in the mountains I hiked up the Nancy Pond Trail to the Norcross Pond outlet. It was a beautiful hike with great views and since that hike I had been looking forward to head back so I could continue along the trail as it drops down to the middle of nowhere in the historic Pemigewasset Wilderness. So when my friend Whitney suggested that we hike the trail with a side 'whack' up to Mount Nancy followed by a hike over Mount Carrigain I was happy to oblige.
- We spotted a car at the Signal Ridge trailhead and drove over to the Nancy Pond trailhead and started just after 9 a.m. It may have been the last weekend in September but the weather was unseasonably warm making for a mid-summer hike feel, minus the humidity. It would end up being an absolutely perfect weather day from beginning to end.
- The Nancy Pond Trail travels along an old logging road for the first couple of miles, there has been a major re-route away from the brook which is kind of a bummer. I think the old section went past remains of the old Lucy Mill. The re-route just heads up the embankment and then drops down close to where the cascade is.
- The Nancy Cascade was quite the site, even with the very low water flow from lack of rain over the past week. We walked right up to the gem pool at the bottom and took pictures before ascending steeply up the switchbacks that run to the left of the cascade.
- Once over the top of the cascade the trail levels out and becomes mostly flat as it travels through the woods. There was some beautiful foliage in spots, one of which was a small bog bridge section with 'squishy' moss lining the trail (see image below).
- After passing through a mini pine grove we traveled along Nancy Pond, reached the Pemi Wilderness boundary, and finally over to Norcross Pond. Nancy Pond is nice but the view from the Norcross Pond Outlet will knock your socks off, especially during fall foliage!
- We took a nice long snack break taking in the views from the outlet. The view down looks into the Pemi Wilderness where Stillwater Junction is, while the view across is over to the Bonds.
- From here we banged a right into the woods up the old Mount Nancy Trail. I don't know when it was abandoned but it is still easy to follow and not too overgrown. It was probably abandoned to keep the number of hikers to a minimum because it is excessively steep and would be prone to erosion with use. Whitney and I both remarked that it had the steepness of the Twinway but without the rocks.
- Mount Nancy's summit has a nice ledge outlook with a great view north to the Presidential Range. The summit even has a sign which is a rarity in the Whites.
- The hike down went pretty quickly. As we descended we passed Bob Watkins and his two dogs, Andy and Jack as they headed up. Bob was doing the same hike as us and was meeting up with his group on Carrigain. We'd see Bob several more times over the next few hours.
- Once we hit the Norcross Pond outlet again it was time to drop down deep into the Pemi Wilderness. I didn't know what to expect from this next section of trail but was completely blown away. It travels along a nice cushiony and gradual logging road, past an old railroad camp, and levels out over a century old railroad grade. The leaves from the Birch and Ash trees were different colors adding to the totally awesome stretch of hiking. If you haven't been on this section of the Nancy Pond Trail or the Carrigain Notch and Wilderness Trail through Carrigain Notch over to Shoal and Throuea Falls trails head there now when the foliage is peaking. Phenomenal hiking!
- As we descended, Bob, Jack, and Andy caught up and passed us. Whitney and I checked out the old logging camp. I didn't find old RR junk, but didn't go looking too hard since the camp had thorn bushes everywhere.
- From here we enjoyed the secluded and mostly flat trails with some water crossings mixed in below a beautiful 'canopy' feel of the forest. Whitney, who just finished her Appalachian Trail Thru-hike could not have had any better timing as she practically stepped off the A.T. and into full on foliage season! For me, it was great to be back doing hiking adventures with Whitney in the Whites!
- After hooking a right onto the Carrigain Notch Trail we made the quick less than a mile trip to the start of the Desolation Trail. We took a nice break before starting the steep ascent up to the 4,700 foot summit of Mount Carrigain. Whitney set a blazing pace up the Desolation Trail, it was very impressive, I was sweating bullets, and loved every second of it!
- The summit tower of Mount Carrigain has some of the best views in the Whites. It was around 3 p.m. so the summit wasn't too crowded. We ate some cookies and took a bunch of pictures from the tower and also talked to Bob again as he patiently waited for his group , which he passed, to make their way to the summit. By the time we were set to descend, there were around four or five dogs on the summit, all wagging their tails. It must have been dog day on Carrigain!
- The descent back to the trailhead went quickly, we made sure to not take the new re-route, which adds on a few tenths of a mile and has a PUD mixed in. The old trail is in ok shape, a little eroded in a spot or two, basically it's in normal White Mountain trail shape.
- After the hike we headed up to twin Mountain and stuffed out faces at the Northern Embers restaurant. If you want huge portions, go to the Northern Embers, the Prime Rib is especially good.
- It was a great first 2014 fall hike, and a great way to end the day!