WeRmudfun
New member
We decided to take a break from fire towers this weekend, although we still got to see one in the distance on Belknap Mountain. It was a beautiful day to finish the Belknap 12. We started out at 9:02 in the morning from the East Gilford Traihead. Shortly after the gate the East Gilford Trail splits off to Belknap Mountain and we continued on the fire road to the Round Pond Trail. Round Pond Trail becomes Round Pond- Piper Link Trail at the junction with the Piper Trail and leads down to Round Pond. What a nice pond, we would love to bring the kayak down and explore it.
The trail follows along Round Pond, but we couldn’t help but think we were on a rerouted trail as we could see what looked like a trail closer to the pond shore. The trail we were on didn’t seem as well used as the lower one did, but it was well blazed. Oh and we got the Geocache there too. Looping around the trailed dropped us off on what we believe was the Old Red Trail, which is no longer used. Right before the Mt Klem-Mt Mack Loop Trail there is a great open view of Round Pond..
We took the Klem-Mack Loop Trail heading towards Mt Mack. There was elevation gain, but it seemed minimal. We came out to a road that leads down to the main camp, but we took a left and then a quick right to stay on the loop trail. Pretty much the rest of the way up to Mt Mack the trail is quite wide, like a road and extremely easy to follow. There are two view points along the way right before the summit that pretty much have the same views of the Belknap range.
On the summit of Mt Mack, there is an antenna, some sort of small old wind mill (not working) and a huge cairn. We were told that the cairn marked the true summit, but as we continued along we found the sign marking Mt Mack. Either way we bagged #9 on the list.
Leaving Mt Mack heading over to Mt Klem is a nice walk, we really enjoyed it. The trail was a lot narrower than the one heading up Mt Mack Along the trail we came across a helmet wearing tree, yup that’s what we saw.
If you lost a helmet out there it is still there. Before long we came to an open area with views. If anyone plans on doing this hike and likes blueberries, then plan it when they are in season, there a bushes everywhere. We got to the trail junction with the Dave Roberts Quarry Trail and headed up to the true summit of Klem, #10. It is a viewless summit. Actually all four of the summits were viewless.
From the trail junction we headed down towards Mt Rand. This is where the day became less fun. The trail leads down, then very steeply down. Caution must be practiced if this trail is ever wet. Once we finally hit bottom, then it went up, very steeply. Not that we haven’t been on steeper trails, but after the way the day started out with mild elevation gains, this just seemed like a lot. As we got higher on the trail, we got great views on Mack and Klem.
With aching knees we got to the summit on Mt Rand, #11. We took a short break then searched for and found the Geocache. We gathered our belongings and took off for the last summit of the day, West Quarry Mountain.
The trail heading down from Rand, does not seem to get as much use that the other trails we had already used do, it was a little overgrown. That being said it was so much nicer than when we descended down Klem. We met another couple on their way up to Mt Rand and had a nice conversation with them. Before we knew it we were at the junction with Glidden Road.
Heading up to West Quarry, we passed the Old Quarry Site and took a look around the area. There are artifacts from the past laying around. Back on the trail we came to where the trail split, one side going to the cliffs and the other taking a milder approach to the summit. Naturally we took the with the cliffs, figuring we would take the mild trail back down. The cliffs are not too bad and we liked them, but if they were wet we would have avoided them.
Before reaching the summit we found the Geocache, then headed over to #12 and completed the list. The couple we saw heading up Rand came and summited (#11 for them) and we hiked back down together. They had parked at the Glldden Road and offered to drive us back to the East Gilford Trailhead. We gladly accepted as we did not feel like hiking back over everything we had just done to get back to the vehicle.
We did post a video on YouTube of our day for anyone interested in seeing it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDK2fEWJKKU&list=UUvonD5mWIH03yQY3eosLwcQ
The trail follows along Round Pond, but we couldn’t help but think we were on a rerouted trail as we could see what looked like a trail closer to the pond shore. The trail we were on didn’t seem as well used as the lower one did, but it was well blazed. Oh and we got the Geocache there too. Looping around the trailed dropped us off on what we believe was the Old Red Trail, which is no longer used. Right before the Mt Klem-Mt Mack Loop Trail there is a great open view of Round Pond..
We took the Klem-Mack Loop Trail heading towards Mt Mack. There was elevation gain, but it seemed minimal. We came out to a road that leads down to the main camp, but we took a left and then a quick right to stay on the loop trail. Pretty much the rest of the way up to Mt Mack the trail is quite wide, like a road and extremely easy to follow. There are two view points along the way right before the summit that pretty much have the same views of the Belknap range.
On the summit of Mt Mack, there is an antenna, some sort of small old wind mill (not working) and a huge cairn. We were told that the cairn marked the true summit, but as we continued along we found the sign marking Mt Mack. Either way we bagged #9 on the list.
Leaving Mt Mack heading over to Mt Klem is a nice walk, we really enjoyed it. The trail was a lot narrower than the one heading up Mt Mack Along the trail we came across a helmet wearing tree, yup that’s what we saw.
If you lost a helmet out there it is still there. Before long we came to an open area with views. If anyone plans on doing this hike and likes blueberries, then plan it when they are in season, there a bushes everywhere. We got to the trail junction with the Dave Roberts Quarry Trail and headed up to the true summit of Klem, #10. It is a viewless summit. Actually all four of the summits were viewless.From the trail junction we headed down towards Mt Rand. This is where the day became less fun. The trail leads down, then very steeply down. Caution must be practiced if this trail is ever wet. Once we finally hit bottom, then it went up, very steeply. Not that we haven’t been on steeper trails, but after the way the day started out with mild elevation gains, this just seemed like a lot. As we got higher on the trail, we got great views on Mack and Klem.
With aching knees we got to the summit on Mt Rand, #11. We took a short break then searched for and found the Geocache. We gathered our belongings and took off for the last summit of the day, West Quarry Mountain.
The trail heading down from Rand, does not seem to get as much use that the other trails we had already used do, it was a little overgrown. That being said it was so much nicer than when we descended down Klem. We met another couple on their way up to Mt Rand and had a nice conversation with them. Before we knew it we were at the junction with Glidden Road.
Heading up to West Quarry, we passed the Old Quarry Site and took a look around the area. There are artifacts from the past laying around. Back on the trail we came to where the trail split, one side going to the cliffs and the other taking a milder approach to the summit. Naturally we took the with the cliffs, figuring we would take the mild trail back down. The cliffs are not too bad and we liked them, but if they were wet we would have avoided them.
Before reaching the summit we found the Geocache, then headed over to #12 and completed the list. The couple we saw heading up Rand came and summited (#11 for them) and we hiked back down together. They had parked at the Glldden Road and offered to drive us back to the East Gilford Trailhead. We gladly accepted as we did not feel like hiking back over everything we had just done to get back to the vehicle.
We did post a video on YouTube of our day for anyone interested in seeing it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDK2fEWJKKU&list=UUvonD5mWIH03yQY3eosLwcQ
