Whiteface & Passaconway was our first hike since we got engaged on the top of Mt. Carrigain in June! I was excited to spend the day outdoors, taking in the beautiful fall foliage. It was a very nice day temperature wise, around 60 degrees at the start of the hike. We decided to take the Blueberry Ledge Trail up to the summit of Whiteface, traverse over the Rollins Trail to the summit of Passaconway and descend down Dicey's Mill Trail, just about 12 miles total. These two peaks are located in the Sandwich Range Wilderness.
We
parked at the Ferncroft parking lot, and began the hike at 8am, with a bunch of
other people. We decided to take the actual Blueberry Ledge Trail, but the rest
of the people who started with us at took the cutoff trail. The distance was
just about the same, and we decided it would be better to be alone than yo-yo
hiking with a few large groups of people. I'm sure you all know what I mean by
yo-yo hiking! Not fun. We actually did not see anyone again until the ledges on
Whiteface.
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| Lots of people! |
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| 3.6 miles of fun! |
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| First river crossing, luckily there was a beautiful bridge! |
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| Pretty foliage |
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| The trail was very well maintained |
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| Here was an flat, open ledge area with beautiful views |
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| Again, very well maintained |
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| Here, was the first sight of the actual "ledges" This was a very steep drop off. |
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| No hand rails, but they honestly weren't needed anyway |
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| From here, the trail turns up to my right and continues on up! |
The ledges on Mt. Whiteface were not too steep, but we were lucky with a dry day. In any kind of weather I would have felt a lot more nervous going up the ledges. There were a lot of look out areas, which give way to some beautiful views! We had an overcast day, so the views were not that impressive. We could see Mt. Chocorua & Tripyramid's, as well as Lake Winnipesaukee in the distance. The foliage was beautiful, although we might have been a week before "peak"! Not too far after, you will reach the false summit, which can easily be confused for the actual summit of Mt. Whiteface. Turn's out the actual summit is about 10 minutes into the hike across the Rollins Trail. It is a small cairn right on the side of the trail. I didn't even take a picture of it. We enjoyed lunch at the false summit, making small talk with a couple other hikers, then continued on to Mt. Passaconway via the Rollins Trail, and then Dicey's Mill Trail.
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| Most likely hurricane damage |
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| Dicey's Mill Trail |
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| Headed up Mt. Passaconway! |
The Summit of Mt. Passaconway is not nearly as exciting as Mt. Whiteface. It is wooded with limited views. There is a lookout before the actual summit where we took a little break to recover from the end of Dicey's Mill Trail, which is a little tough on tired legs. We ended up meeting up with the same hiker's as on Mt. Whiteface, who felt the same way as us. After our short break, we headed back down Dicey's Mill Trail. I was hiking slow because my feet were hurting, and I noticed a tree that looked like it had been carved. I thought it was so pretty. Sean told me it was from moose rubbing their antlers to remove the soft "velvet" and as a way to mark territory for mating season. I thought it was very interesting, there were quite a few trees that looked this way. A little fun fact I never would have known otherwise.
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| Moose rubbings |
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| A moose mushroom! |
The descent down Dicey's Mill Trail felt like a lifetime but it was not too steep or difficult. There were signs of trail maintenance along the way, including wire and pulleys on the side of the trail, as well as newly built rock steps. Every time I went down a new set of steps, I silently thanked the trail workers who work so hard to keep the trails in excellent condition. Without them, we wouldn't have nearly as much fun hiking! I found this quote on the AMC website about trail maintenance...
"If you love the Northeast outdoors, chances are you have enjoyed some of the 1,400 miles of trails that the AMC maintains. At the AMC, maintaining trails means more than keeping them clear or marking them well so that people can find their way. Maintaining trails also means preserving them for future use, protecting the surrounding environment, and preserving a quality backcountry experience for all trail users." -Appalachian Mountain Club
Someday, I would love to give back and spend a day volunteering on the trails. I bet it would give a huge appreciation to what actually goes into maintaining the trails.
Mt. Whiteface & Passaconway are #24 & #25, which means we are officially half way done! It seems that we have done so many hikes together now, but still have a long way to go. 2013 has been very busy for us, only being able to bag 5 peaks. It doesn't look like we will get back up north until late December or January, so our next hike will be a winter one! I am so excited for 2014 (wedding!!!) and cannot wait to see what it has in store for us!
See you on the trails :)
