Cabot-Patch : Mount Cabot

Date of Hike: 2/27/15

Bunnell Notch Trail: 3.0 miles  /  Kilkenny Ridge Trail: 3.6 miles  /  Bunnell Notch Trail: 3.0 miles

Total Miles: 9.6 miles (2,850 feet elevation gained)

Trip Report:

- Cabot, it's in the middle of nowhere and takes forever to drive to, made worse since the lower end of the Mount Cabot Trail has been closed since 2000 by an old crotchety homeowner, word is he spends his days yelling at clouds (click here for file photo).  Anyway, in the past (2010, 2012) I have hiked the closed Mount Cabot Trail but in the winter it's usually not broken out and it's best to head in from the Berlin Fish Hatchery, which is located about a half mile from the Canadian border (just kidding). Even though the trail is twice as long as the Mount Cabot Trail approach, it is a nice little hike with easy to moderate grades.

- Whitney and I got an early start and made great time over the perfectly packed down snowshoe trail.  The first mile is relatively flat as it heads over an old logging road with a nice partial view at times of Cabot and the Kilkenny Ridge.  After a mile the trail bangs a left off the logging road and meanders for a mile and a half through open hard woods as it ascends close by Bunnell Notch Brook before heading into a dense pine forest until reaching the junction with the Kilkenny Ridge Trail.

- The Kilkenny Ridge Trail heads into an open small Birch glade before heading back into the pine forest where it passes by the trail junction for the closed Mount Cabot Trail.  From here the trail gets steeper as it curves around and up past Bunnell Rock and eventually gains the ridge at the Cabot Cabin just below a clearing at the site of the old fire tower which some confuse as the summit, the summit is another 0.4 miles north.

- Whitney and I took a short break in the Cabot Cabin, which if I had to guess is in the same shape as a local meth lab, needless to say we didn't stay long before making our way up to the summit.  The last 0.4 miles to the summit is a gradual climb, it's not tough at all but if the trail wasn't broken out for us it would be difficult to stay on the trail as it looks like it could become a maze around the pine trees through this section.

- The summit of Cabot is wooded and not too exciting.  There used to be a sign that said Mount Cabot with the elevation on it, plus another small sign nailed to the back of a tree fifty feet away at the true summit.  However, some jerk stole both signs, boo!

- The hike back out was great, we took in the views from Bunnell Rock, enjoyed the descent along the brook through the open hardwoods, and spied some recent moose activity along the logging road making it back to the car before noon, and all under bluebird skies!

- This hike got Whitney closer to her single season winter completion (39 of 48).  For me it was the completion of my second winter round and sixth overall round of the 48 - 4000 footers, with only Whiteface and Cabot again before I complete my seventh round. Not a bad way to start the weekend!

 Heading down the Bunnell Notch Trail along and old logging road

 Looking back at our tracks in the early morning sun

Mount Cabot in view as we head along the logging road section of the hike

 Banging a left off the logging road into the woods

Heading up along Bunnell Notch Brook

 The Bunnell Notch Trail heads through some very scenic open hardwoods

 After three miles the Bunnell Notch Trail ends and we hooked onto the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and passed by the Mount Cabot Trail junction and through the pine forest

 Heading up Mount Cabot

 Deep snow above 4,000 feet!

 The trail gains the ridge...at the outhouse!

 Cabot Cabin and the view from the cabin

 Inside Cabot Cabin, it's a little dingy in there!

 Site of the old firetower

 Heading up to the Summit of Mount Cabot

 Behind the curtain of snow is the summit area

 Mount Cabot summit

 Kilkenny Ridge Trail heading north

 Descending off of Mount Cabot

 Waling back out along the logging road

 Trailhead

Route for the day, click here for details

Mount Cabot (#32)

Date of Hike: 1/2/10

Bunnell Notch Trail: 3.0 miles
Kilkenny Ridge Trail: 3.6 miles
Bunnell Notch Trail: 3.0 miles
Total Miles: 9.6 (3,000 elevation gain)
Click here for Trail descriptions

Trip Report:
- With sub-par weather and no views in the forecast I figured it was time to knock off one of my least favorite mountains...Mount Cabot
- On trail at 9:40am, Mount Cabot summit 12:15pm, finished 2pm. Temps in the high 30's to mid 40's, no wind, no good views.
- The highlight of the whole day was the ice covered untreated York Pond Road past the fish hatchery. I came across a sedan that could not turn around on the ice so I got out of my car and helped push it until it was able to grip the road and get out of trouble.
- As for the hike itself it was very uneventful, Bunnell Notch Trail is boring and has moderate grades so it takes forever. Once on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail things get steeper until it reaches Cabot Cabin so the hike goes more quickly eventhough it's harder. Once at the wooded summit I turned right around and started booking it off Mount Cabot-Patch.
- On the descent I ran into a bunch of hikers ascending, one of which (Bob) decided to turn around and hike with me for about 20 minutes or so as we talked about the White Mountains.
- Back at the car I packed my stuff up and navigated safely back out over the icy York Pond Road.

Pictures:

Bunnell Notch Trail

 Mount Cabot Summit

 Cabot Cabin

 Trailhead on York Pond Road



Mount Cabot - The Bulge - The Horn

Date of Hike: 11/14/10

Mount Cabot Trail: 3.9 miles
Kilkenny Ridge/Horn Spur Path: 2.8 miles
Mount Cabot Trail: 3.9 miles
Total Miles: 10.7 (4,000 feet elevation gain)
Click here for trail descriptions page

Trip Report:
- On Sunday I was invited along to hike up Mount Cabot and over to The Bulge and The Horn, by Scott, his brother Chris, and their friend Dave (Click here for their hiking blog Two Brother's Hike!)
- What made this hike even better was that we had access to the Mount Cabot Trail which has had it's lower section closed off by local land owners since the 1990's.
- We got on the trail by 8am and made our way up to the Kilkenny Ridge.  The trail up to the ridge is in pretty rough shape over eroded, wet, and muddy old logging roads.
- Once the Mount Cabot Trail joined in with the Kilkenny Ridge Trail we hiked up to the Bunnell Rock outlook where we got our first really good views of the day before we continued on to the Cabot cabin.
- The Cabot cabin is a pretty small and odd looking thing and doesn't look to comfortable but there are good views from the cabin and a right near it where the old fire tower used to be.
- After a break we headed over to the wooded summit of Mount Cabot and then continued on over The Bulge and to The Horn.
- Views from the open summit of The Horn were incredible!  You could see over to the Presidential Range, west to Vermont, and well into Maine to the north.
- The Hike back out went pretty quickly except for the part where we lost the trail for a couple of minutes.  About ten minutes after crossing the Bunnell Brook we ended up dropping to low off the trail and had to bushwhack our way back up to it.
- We made it back to the trailhead shortly after 3pm, it was a great day with perfect weather and a pleasure to hike with Scott, Chris, and Dave, thanks guys!

Pictures: Click here for all pictures

Cabot Cabin

 View to the east over to the

Presidential Range from The Horn

 Hiking down the Mount Cabot Trail



Mount Cabot

Date of Hike: 12/6/09

Bunnell Notch Trail: 3.1 miles
Kilkenny Ridge Trail: 3.8 miles
Bunnell Notch Trail: 3.1 miles
Total Miles: 10 (elevation gain 3000 feet)

Trip Report:
- On trail at 9:15am, finished around 2pm
- Weather was mid twenty's at trailhead, falling to mid teens at summit.  Cloud cover above 3500 feet until later in the afternoon.  2-4 inches of fresh powder on lower elevations and covering week old half foot snow above 2500 feet.  No wind until approaching summit then it was going at a pretty good clip above the trees
- Trails had a few small blowdowns, moved a few out of the way, some to big and had to walk over or around.  Bunnell Notch trail has boot sucking mud hidden beneath fresh snow.  Brook crossing was running high (about a half foot over rock steps) had to cross on a fallen tree about 50 feet up stream
- Cabot Cabin is a pretty cool place, it has a tiny room with a bench table, and a tiny room with four bunks which do not look to comfortable!
- I wanted to do a loop over to Mount Horn back to the car via Unknown Pond Trail, but with limited views, a long ride back to RI ahead of me, and the gate being closed at 4pm I decided not to
- Ran into only two groups of people, a group of about six doing Waumbek and Cabot, and a group of three trying to bag Cabot but were running behind on time
- This hike completed all 48-4,000 footers in the past 6 months.  My goal in the future is to do single season completions, which I think I can do for Spring, definitely Summer and Fall, but probably not Winter because of the long drives from RI, short days, and of course expen$e$!
- First time hiking Mount Cabot since 1993, back then you COULD hike up the Mount Cabot Trail!!

Picures: click here for all pictures

Kilkenny Ridge Trail Junction

Cabot Cabin

View from Bunnell Rock

Kilkenny Ridge from Route 110

Mount Cabot (4,170 feet)

Mount Cabot from "The Horn"

Mount Cabot is the furthest north of the White Mountain 4,000 footers.  It is a wooded summit with no views.  The lower section of the Mount Cabot trail has been closed by a local land owner for more than a decade which means the main route is now via the Bunnel Notch and Kilkenny Ridge Trails.  0.5 miles from the summit is the Cabot Cabin and a small open area just above the cabin where a fire tower once stood with ok views.  This is not as exciting as most other 4,000 foot peaks but great for beginners because of the moderate grades and good footing on the trails.  The surrounding peaks and ponds around Cabot along the Kilkenny Ridge are a very nice area to hike and explore (The Horn, Unknown Pond, Rogers Ledge)

Trails I've Hiked

Mount Cabot Trail: 3.9 miles, elevation gain of 2,700 feet. Be advised the lower section of the Mount Cabot Trail has been closed by local landowners since the 1990's, if you are able to hike the trail it is becoming more and more overgrown and muddy. The Mount Cabot Trail has moderate grades the whole way but the trail below the Kilkenny Ridge is eroding, muddy, and usually a wet mess from a decade of backed up water bars.  Once the Mount Cabot Trail joins the Kilkenny Ridge Trail it becomes a little steeper until passing by Bunnell Rock before gaining the ridge where it passes by Cabot Cabin and gradual makes it's way to the wooded summit.  There is a summit sign posted, a hundred feet beyond the sign is the actual high point with a summit stick nailed to the back of a tree.

York Pond Trail / Bunnel Notch Trail / Kilkenny Ridge Trail: 4.8 miles, elevation gain of 2,900 feet. This is the main route to the summit of Mount Cabot.  The trail has easy to moderate grades with decent footing and since it now gets more use it has been kept in good shape and is pretty easy to follow. The trails to the summit are very ho-hum but there is a lot of moose activity on the lower end along the old logging roads, so keep your eyes out for them early in the morning or late in the afternoon around dusk.

Trip Reports:


July 4th, 2016: Unknown Pond Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, The Horn Spur, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Starr King Trail

May 22nd, 2016: Bunnell Notch Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, The Horn Spur, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Unknown Pond Trail

March 13th, 2016: Up and down York Pond, Bunnell Notch, and Kilkenny Ridge Trail

October 23rd, 2015: Up and down the closed Mount Cabot Trail

September 28th, 2015: Up Starr King Trail and across the Kilkenny Ridge Trail (Kilkenny Ridge Traverse)

September 17th, 2015: Up and down the closed Mount Cabot Trail (RUN NH48)

April 25th, 2015: Up and down York Pond, Bunnell Notch, and Kilkenny Ridge Trail

February 27th, 2015: Up and down York Pond, Bunnell Notch, and Kilkenny Ridge Trail

August 31st, 2012: Up and down the closed Mount Cabot Trail

January 2nd, 2011: Up and down York Pond, Bunnell Notch, and Kilkenny Ridge Trail

November 14th, 2010: Up and down the closed Mount Cabot Trail

December 6th, 2009: Up and down Bunnell Notch and Kilkenny Ridge Trail