Hiking in the White Mountains: Hancock Loop Trail

Showing posts with label Hancock Loop Trail. Show all posts

Mount Hancock and South Hancock (#1 & #2)

Date of Hike: 12/23/09

Hancock Notch Trail: 1.8 miles
Cedar Brook Trail: .7 miles
Hancock Loop Trail: 4.8 miles
Cedar Brook Trail: .7 miles
Hancock Notch Trail: 1.8 miles
Total Miles: 9.8 (2,650 elevation gain)

Trip Report:
- Left RI at 4:30am, on trail at 7:30am, finsihed at 11:45am
- Weather at trailhead was 5 degrees, and stayed around 5 degrees for much of hike, back at car it was a balmy 12 degrees! There was no wind to speak of for all of the hike. Cloud cover swamped higher summits. Decent view of the backside of the Bonds and the Scar Ridge
- Trail conditons had a hard-packed snow shoe trail that I barebooted with no post-holeing for all of hike
- Descending South Hancock the trail is to smooth making for perfect butt sliding conditions if careful! Crampons and microspikes could have been used here to be on safe side
- All water crossing on the Cedar Brook trail are 90% snow bridged

Pictures: Click here for all Pictures

Mount Hancock Summit

Hancock Loop Trail

Frozen over water crossing on Cedar Brook Trail

Osceola's from Hancock Trailhead

South Hancock (4,319 feet)

South Hancock from North Hancock's Summit

Mount Hancock and South Hancock are located just outside the boundry of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. The Hancock loop trail goes over both peaks and is very steep and has rough footing the half mile or so going up to each peak from the Hancock Loop Trail Split. There are no other trails that take you up the Hancocks but there is the "Arrow Slide" which is a steep open slide that is another way up to North Hancock. There are two outlooks near each summit that have decent views and usually there are Gray Jays at the summit which will eat trail mix right out of your hand!

Trails I've Hiked:

- Hancock Notch Trail/Cedar Brook Trail/Hancock Loop Trail: 4.9 miles, 2,650 elevation gain. The Hancock Notch Trailhead is located at the "Hair Pin" turn on the Kancamagus Highway. The Hancock Notch Trail to the Cedar Brook Trail has good footing and very easy grades. The Cedar Brook Trail has moderate grades and decent footing. There are several brook crossings on the Cedar Brook Trail that can be annoying when the water is running high, not dangerous but you're going to get your boots wet. The Hancock Loop trail has moderate grades until the trail junction split where you can go left for Hancock or right for South Hancock. From here the trail ascends rapidly over the next .5 miles with footing that is poor at best with exposed roots and loose rocks. Between summits the footing is better and the trail is pretty easy-going.

June 22nd, 2012: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

January 14th, 2012: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

December 22nd, 2011:Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

September 6th, 2010: The Arrow Slide

July 3rd, 2009: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trail

December 23rd, 2009: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trail

North Hancock (4,420 feet)

Mount Hancock and the Arrow Slide form East Osceola

North and South Hancock are located just outside the boundary of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. The Hancock loop trail goes over both peaks and is very steep and has rough footing the half mile or so going up to each peak from the Hancock Loop Trail Split. There are no other trails that take you up the Hancock's but there is the "Arrow Slide" which is a steep open slide that is another way up to North Hancock. There are two outlooks near each summit that have decent views and usually there are Gray Jays at the summit which will eat trail mix right out of your hand!

Trails I've Hiked:

- Hancock Notch Trail/Cedar Brook Trail/Hancock Loop Trail: 4.9 miles, 2,650 elevation gain. The Hancock Notch Trailhead is located at the "Hair Pin" turn on the Kancamagus Highway. The Hancock Notch Trail to the Cedar Brook Trail has good footing and very easy grades. The Cedar Brook Trail has moderate grades and decent footing. There are several brook crossings on the Cedar Brook Trail that can be annoying when the water is running high, not dangerous but you're going to get your boots wet. The Hancock Loop trail has moderate grades until the trail junction split where you can go left for Hancock or right for South Hancock. From here the trail ascends rapidly over the next .5 miles with footing that is poor at best with exposed roots and loose rocks. Between summits the footing is better and the trail is pretty easy-going.

Trip Reports:

May 19th, 2016: Up and down Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail North Link (RUN NH48)

February 7th, 2016: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

November 21st, 2015: Up and down Mount Osceola Trail, down Greeley Ponds Trail, up Kancamagus Highway and Hancock Notch Trail, up cedar Brook Trail, up and down Hancock Loop Trail, down Cedar Brook and Hancock Notch Trail, down Kancamagus Highway, up and down Greeley Ponds Trail, across Livermore Trail, up Tripoli Road

October 18th, 2015: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails (Run)

August 14th, 2015: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

April 26th, 2015: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

March 21st, 2015: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

January 25th, 2015: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

September 28th, 2014: Across Hancock Notch and Cedar Brook Trails, Up Hancock Loop Trail and Arrow Slide, bushwhack over to Northwest Hancock, down Cedar Brook Slide, out via Cedar Brook and Hancock Notch Trails

December 8th, 2013: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

September 23rd, 2013: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

July 3rd, 2013: Up and down Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, and Hancock Loop Trails

Pages

Mount Hancock and South Hancock (#1 & #2)

South Hancock (4,319 feet)

North Hancock (4,420 feet)

TrailsNH Search