Best Scar Ridge Winter Route

[Puma concolor]

Pondering an attempt next weekend. The Loon Mountain approach seems like a treasure hunt for the so-called Magic Line that is hit or miss. Lots of people in ski season, shallow col. The Big Rock Campground approach from the Kanc is shorter and has less elevation gain as well as less foliage coverage in winter. So why is Loon the favored approach?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

The route I used started by parking at the first campsite past Lincoln Woods - the name escape me at the moment. From that point, you walk a couple of hundred yards down the road (back towards Lincoln Woods), and then cross the river. It's a substantial river, so personally I'd wait for more cold weather. This is a river you want to walk over - not ford or walk over. Once across the river, you climb a ridge which will narrow and lead you to the summit. As bushwhacks go, it's pretty straightforward, and when I did (about 10 years ago) not too brushy/dense - not at all like the infamous summer route from the other side of the mountain at East Pond.

I believe this is still a viable route, as I hear "new" winter peakbaggers working on the NE100HH mention taking this route in recent years. Maybe someone will chime in here to comment upon whether a winter route from Loon is a viable alternative.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

That's the Discovery Center route over the north fork, I believe. I did it from Loon in late October and it was really pretty easy. I don't know if there was a "magic line", but it was only a bit thick in a few places and otherwise generally pretty open. I imagine that in winter it would be pretty easy as well, as long as Loon allows you to walk on the ski trails... that one doesn't get a lot of attention here, being sub-4K. (http://www.rbhayes.net/latest/Scar Ridge 12-04-05/images/a.jpg)

Tim

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I looked at the map, Tim, and yes - that's the route we used. My recollection was that we nearly stumbled on the cannister once we gained the ridge - none of the usual casting about trying to find it. Had a quick bite to eat, and were back to the vehicles by 1PM.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

There are/were two cannisters - one on East West Scar--this is the pointier bump and the slightly shorter one, and another on what is now considered the higher bump--West West Scar, which is much rounder/flatter making the cannister more difficult to find.

Tim

 

[Puma concolor]

Helpful. Much appreciated.

 

[RoySwkr]

I have climbed Scar Ridge twice in winter, both times using E Pond trail to near ridge then along ridge. If there is real snow on the ground a lot of the stuff people complain about in summer is buried, and you can also tag E & M peaks for when you continue to NH 100.

 

[Puma concolor]

Thanks Roy. I'll keep that in mind if the river crossing proves too challenging. I like the straight up the gut nature of the approach from the Kanc ... almost tried it from that direction many years back but decided to head up Chocorua instead that day. No designs on the NHHH; I was stuck on 88 NEHH for 9 years before bagging Coe and South Brother in September.

 

[andrewb]

In my opinion, the biggest advantage to the Loon approach is using their bridge to avoid the water. I did this trip "twice" last winter, the first time we used the far lefthand skiing trail for uphill travel only for about a half-mile or so, then veered into the woods and bushwhacked up to Black Mtn at the col north of its summit. FYI this is an amazing area with a spectacular network of backcountry skiing trails that I one day hope to revisit with skis. Anyway above here you eventually reach the ridge leading to Scar. I second that it's a totally easy and open walk. Honestly it's probably one of the easiest bushwhacks I have ever done. We got within a few minutes of the summit when we realized we had lost one of the dogs we brought hiking with us and had to turn back and find the dog (we did) and then evacuate him out. Second trip the variation was to stay on ski trails (upper walking boss) to the North peak summit - then headed east to meet the ridge. We encountered numerous people on the ski mtn and the ski patrollers we saw were quite friendly. My best guess was the "magic line" appeared to me to be a swath at least a hundred feet wide. The key to finding it is not venturing off the herd path leading between Loon and Black too soon. Hang in there until it makes the definite, hard turn -- that is the sweet spot, but the first few minutes are very thick before it opens way up.

 

[Highcomm]

Pondering an attempt next weekend. The Loon Mountain approach seems like a treasure hunt for the so-called Magic Line that is hit or miss. Lots of people in ski season, shallow col. The Big Rock Campground approach from the Kanc is shorter and has less elevation gain as well as less foliage coverage in winter. So why is Loon the favored approach?

Would appreciate a detailed trip report if you decide to do it. I might want to try it this winter, too. Thanks.

 

[Pucknuts61]

We did East Scar from East Pond Trail last weekend. Had to break East Pond Trail to the height of the land (2800-2900) and then it was a difficult whack to the summit. Figure we got within 20-40 feet of the canister but hit a massive blowdown area we couldn't navigate around it or through it.
Great views of the Osceola's and even Mt Bond from this side but next time I'm going with a different route! There has to be an easier way than the way we went but it is broken out now.

 

[Puma concolor]

Thanks all. Gonna give it a whirl Saturday. We'll see how it goes.

Edit - Postponed until weekend of January 26/27 due to wet weather forecast.

 

[Puma concolor]

Well, having accidentally left my White Mountain maps at home, I hit the woods from Lincoln Woods and climbed the wrong ridge. As a result, I wound up on the summit of the seldom-climbed Black Mountain instead. Would have been the first to summit Black in more than two months but for the fact that a fellow NY peakbagger got there about 10 minutes ahead of me. As I told my family when I got home, it was the best mountain I never meant to climb. Scar Ridge will still be there for another day. I'm sure of that.