Hiking in the White Mountains: Willey Range Trail

Date of Hike: 4/3/15

Avalon Trail: 2.8 miles / Willey Range Trail: 3.7 miles / Mount Tom Spur: 1.0 miles / A-Z Trail: 2.0 miles
Total Miles 9.5 miles (3,575 feet elevation gained)

Trip Report:
- Friday's weather was absolutely beautiful, fifty plus degrees up above 4,000 feet. I decided to do a quick hike/run of the Willey Range with a goal of a sub three hour time.
- I was able to wear my La Sportiva Crossover 2.0 GTX trail runners and my three season hiking pants while strapped into my snowshoes from start to finish. I need to invest in some trail running snowshoes and some running pants to make things a little easier running in the snow. The Tubbs Flex Alps are not built for running and they're slowly falling apart!
- There were great views from the summit outlooks of the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch, Zealand Valley/Notch all the way to the Bond/Guyot/Twin Range.
- The Willey range is slowly growing on me during the winter and early spring months as the high snow pack make for some interesting views that can't be seen during the summer and fall.
- Was able to finish the hike/run in 2:53, seven minutes under my goal, a perfect work break between morning and late afternoon work projects!

Route for the day, click here for details

Heading up to Mount Avalon

Sacco Lake below with the Presidential Range rising high above

Mount Tom from Avalon

Crawford Notch

Mount Willey sitting above Crawford Notch

Mount Willey and Field

Looking back at Mount Avalon

View of the Mount Washington Hotel and Mount Tom from Mount Field's outlook

Mount Tom and Mount Washington Valley

Presidential Range

Heading along the Willey Range Trail to Mount Willey

Views from the Mount Willey outlook

Crawford Notch

Webster Cliff and the Presidential Range

Mount Nancy, Anderson, Lowell, and Carrigain (top). Bond, Guyot, Twins (bottom).

Willey Range Trail to Mount Tom

Mount Tom's summit area

View over to Zealand Notch from Mount Tom

Zealand Falls and the hut. Picture taken by Whitney who was hiking the Willey Range the day before

The summits of Field, Willey, and Tom

Crawford Notch Scenic Railway

Late afternoon sun shining through the clouds over Mount Tom and Field

Top of Crawford Notch from the Highland Center

The railroad tracks, the sign at the Webster-Jackson trailhead, and a compass bearing at the Highland Center

Signs spotted along the way!

Snowshoes have seen better days!

Nerdy hiking data :)

Date of Hikes: 8/2/12 - 8/4/12

Moosilauke 8/2/12	Beaver Brook Trail	7.6 miles 3,100 feet elevation gain
Cannon 8/3/12	Kinsman Ridge Trail	4.0 miles 2,100 feet
Willey 8/4/12	Kedron Flume/Ethan Pond/Willey Range	5.4 miles 2,850 feet

Trail Conditions: Beaver Brook Trail is steep and has awful footing as it ascends up the left side of the cascades, no water sources on trail once past the cascades but footing becomes better and the grades become easier and more moderate, summit is above treeline with excellent views and old foundations to hide from wind. Kinsman Ridge Trail is steep with rough footing until past the ski glades, grades become moderate and easy just before the Franconia Notch outlook, summit has an observation tower with incredible views, no water sources on trail. Kedron Flume/Ethan Pond/Willey Range Trails have decent footing with some rougher spots on the Willey Range Trail, grades are moderate on Kedron Flume and Ethan Pond but very steep in places on the Willey Range Trail, excellent outlook below summit of Willey, summit is a pile of rocks on the side of trail, no water sources past the Kedron Flume.