Date of Hike: 6/9/13
Asquam-Ridge Trail: 3.9 miles / Beaver Brook Trail: 1.9 miles / Moosilauke Carriage Road: 2.1 miles / Snapper Trail: 1.1 miles / Gorge Brook Trail: 0.6 miles
Total Miles: 9.6 miles (2,600 elevation gain)
Trip Report:
- There was a meetup group hiking on Sunday and I decided at the last minute to tag along with Scott, Rachel, and her dog Isis to enjoy a hike on one of the most popular mountains in the White's, Mount Moosilauke.
- Scott and Rachel started out at 8 a.m. up the Asquam Ridge Trail. I decided to sleep in and leave RI at 5:30 a.m. and meet up with them on the trail.
- The Asquam-Ridge Trail has gentle grades and never gets steep. The first few tenths on a mile have been relocated due to Hurricane Irene. I was surprised how eroded the lower half of the trail was, lots of rocks and roots but after the Al Merrill Loop junction the footing becomes excellent and you travel through a nice hardwood and pine forest.
- Soon after banging a left on the Beaver Brook Trail I caught up to Scott, Rachel, and Isis. Isis, is a Shiba Inu.
- After a few minutes of hiking Scott took us off trail onto the abandoned section of the Beaver Brook Trail. The first section on the abandoned trail was wide open but very slick and wet. The weather forecast which called for sun was way off and everything was still soaked.
- The abandoned Beaver Brook trail travels through a very pretty moss filled trail corridor before it starts to head up toward the summit. The second half of the abandoned sections is very narrow and scratchy. There was one point where we go turned around but we were able to relocate the old trail and continued on our way up until out of nowhere we popped up just below the summit rocks soaked to the bone!
- It was a pretty cool way to hike to the summit and I look forward to doing it again on a sunny and dry day to enjoy the views down into Jobildunc Ravine.
- It was pretty windy and cold at the summit. I froze my hands up pretty good during the bushwhack and I was soaked so I changed into some dry layers, put on gloves, and shivered my way back to being warm.
- Most of the meetup group was at the summit, Mike Sherman was in charge making sure everyone reached the summit from all the different trails before we all parted ways. It was nice to see a lot of different hikers come from all directions up to the summit. Unfortunately, the weather didn't break until much later so there were no views to be had.
- We stayed up on the summit for about 45 minutes before we headed down Carriage Road, the Snapper, and Gorge Brook. It was a very easy hike out and the sun was shining on the way down.
- Mount Moosilauke is a great mountain with lots of trails varying in all difficulties. Today's hike was over some of the easiest trails up to a 4,000 footer I have ever been on, incredibly gradual and easy (minus the bushwhack of course). My favorite trail is still the Beaver Brook Trail because of the steepness of the first two miles, it's relentless but beautiful as you ascend up the Beaver Brook Cascades.
- It was a fun hike up Mount Moosilauke and was great to hike with Scott again, meet Rachel and Isis who is a ball of energy who bagged her eighth 4,000 footer at just ten months old.
Ravine Lodge Road Trailhead
Trail info sign
Asquam-Ridge Trailhead
Asquam-Ridge Trail
Baker River Footbridge
Mossy brook beside the trail
Muddy mess on the Asquam-Ridge Trail
DOC Camping and Fire sign
Upper section of the Asquam-Ridge Trail
Asquam Ridge Trail
Asquam-Ridge / Beaver Brook Trail Junction
Isis!
Beaver Brook Trail
Start of the abandoned section of the Beaver Brook Trail
Old Beaver Brook Trail
Old Beaver Brook Trail
Hiking through an Alpine Bog
Mossy brook part of the old trail
Beautiful moss filled trail
Enchanted mossy brook along the abandoned Beaver Brook Trail
'Trail' gets very narrow
Isis leading the way!
Rachel and Isis
Approaching the summit
Mount Moosilauke Summit
Summit area
Dick Sanders Memorial
Summit Survey Marker
View from the summit
A.T. South Bound
Moosilauke Carriage Road
Dogs on Moosilauke!
Baker River Footbridge
Moosilauke Ravine Lodge
View from the Lodge
Asquam-Ridge Trail: 3.9 miles / Beaver Brook Trail: 1.9 miles / Moosilauke Carriage Road: 2.1 miles / Snapper Trail: 1.1 miles / Gorge Brook Trail: 0.6 miles
Total Miles: 9.6 miles (2,600 elevation gain)
Trip Report:
- There was a meetup group hiking on Sunday and I decided at the last minute to tag along with Scott, Rachel, and her dog Isis to enjoy a hike on one of the most popular mountains in the White's, Mount Moosilauke.
- Scott and Rachel started out at 8 a.m. up the Asquam Ridge Trail. I decided to sleep in and leave RI at 5:30 a.m. and meet up with them on the trail.
- The Asquam-Ridge Trail has gentle grades and never gets steep. The first few tenths on a mile have been relocated due to Hurricane Irene. I was surprised how eroded the lower half of the trail was, lots of rocks and roots but after the Al Merrill Loop junction the footing becomes excellent and you travel through a nice hardwood and pine forest.
- Soon after banging a left on the Beaver Brook Trail I caught up to Scott, Rachel, and Isis. Isis, is a Shiba Inu.
- After a few minutes of hiking Scott took us off trail onto the abandoned section of the Beaver Brook Trail. The first section on the abandoned trail was wide open but very slick and wet. The weather forecast which called for sun was way off and everything was still soaked.
- The abandoned Beaver Brook trail travels through a very pretty moss filled trail corridor before it starts to head up toward the summit. The second half of the abandoned sections is very narrow and scratchy. There was one point where we go turned around but we were able to relocate the old trail and continued on our way up until out of nowhere we popped up just below the summit rocks soaked to the bone!
- It was a pretty cool way to hike to the summit and I look forward to doing it again on a sunny and dry day to enjoy the views down into Jobildunc Ravine.
- It was pretty windy and cold at the summit. I froze my hands up pretty good during the bushwhack and I was soaked so I changed into some dry layers, put on gloves, and shivered my way back to being warm.
- Most of the meetup group was at the summit, Mike Sherman was in charge making sure everyone reached the summit from all the different trails before we all parted ways. It was nice to see a lot of different hikers come from all directions up to the summit. Unfortunately, the weather didn't break until much later so there were no views to be had.
- We stayed up on the summit for about 45 minutes before we headed down Carriage Road, the Snapper, and Gorge Brook. It was a very easy hike out and the sun was shining on the way down.
- Mount Moosilauke is a great mountain with lots of trails varying in all difficulties. Today's hike was over some of the easiest trails up to a 4,000 footer I have ever been on, incredibly gradual and easy (minus the bushwhack of course). My favorite trail is still the Beaver Brook Trail because of the steepness of the first two miles, it's relentless but beautiful as you ascend up the Beaver Brook Cascades.
- It was a fun hike up Mount Moosilauke and was great to hike with Scott again, meet Rachel and Isis who is a ball of energy who bagged her eighth 4,000 footer at just ten months old.
Dogs on Moosilauke!
A very easy ascent indeed! Not even close to steep enough for sledding as we discovered in March (ended up looping down Gorge Brook, so not all was lost). Thanks for the pictures - nice to see the what the tread looks like.
ReplyDelete-T.J.
Glad you like the pic T.J. Glad you guys were able to get some sledding in descending Gorge Brook!
DeleteOh Gees. I saw you on the summit Chris but did realize who you were. Damn. Would have been fun to meet you and get to talk. I came up Beaver Brook Tr with Allison and others. I was the guy with the ACL brace hanging on by backpack.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures come out great. Are you using one of thoses a tough, waterproof, point-and-shoot cameras?
Crap! Would have been great to talk to you! I'll keep a closer eye out for you on the trails from now on. As for the camera just using a wimpy old Cannon digital point and shoot. The reason why the pics come out so well is because I figure if I take 100 of them a dozen or two have to come out ok! The camera does all the work!!
DeleteThanks for the great pictures and info. Plan on doing Moosilauke next Saturday - excited!
Delete