Call me crazy...

[HikerBob]

... but with only Owl's Head and Garfield left for the NH 4ks and a dislike for walking out the Wilderness Trail at the end of a long day I had a notion of doing both as a traverse.

This would involve doing Owl's Head by the standard route from Lincoln Woods then bushwhacking along the ridge and down to the Lincoln Brook Trail. Next, up the Franconia Brook trail to Garfield Ridge and the summit before heading down the Garfield Trail.

Topo! says this would be a shade under 18 miles and 5,500ft of elevation gain.

Apart from the thought that this would be a neat way to finish it would also provide an opportunity to check out what's 'beyond the sign' on Owl's Head.

Given that my bushwhacking experience is limited to pee breaks and navigation glitches I would not attempt this on my own.

Now, as anyone who has either hiked with me or read one of my trail reports will tell you (and I am not shy on reminding people either) I am a slow hiker and anything even hinting at uphill has me huffing and puffing.

So, anyone up for a slow adventure? If I can put together a small group with bushwhacking experience that can tolerate my lack of speed and is not averse to a very early start this could be a fun day out. Anyone else wishing to join me on Garfield for my finish has the option of an easy hike up the Garfield Trail, or they can do it as part of a Pemi Loop

No date set yet but I'd like to be done before the end of August.

Email me at [email protected] with 'I am crazy too!' in the subject line if you are interested.

Cheers!
Bob

 

[dr_wu002]

Call you crazy?

I have not bw'd Owl's Head so I don't want to chime in too much. Do you mean bushwhack across the ridge down to Franconia Brook Trail? That's a pretty hard trip! No matter what, you'll have to deal with the Garfield Ridge Trail for your approach to Garfield. That's a toughy after already putting in a bunch of miles.

I believe Owl's Head from the East isn't too hard although (speak to Steve Smith about it) you'll have to make sure you don't end up in a beaver pond and crossing Franconia Brook could be difficult, I guess. I'm sure there are plenty of people that have bushwhacked Owl's Head on this site so I'll let them speak. Just my $0.02...

-Dr. Wu

PS. if you ever consider going with me, read the trip reports for my bushwhacks. You would reconsider at that point!

 

[HikerBob]

On paper at least, it seems going north until past the 4025 bump then swinging slightly west of north to follow the ridge down (avoiding the drainages more to the east) and picking up the Lincoln Brook trail in the sag at around 3,000ft would offer easy grades at least.

However, I have been informed that the Lincoln Brook trail is not easy to follow when on it so locating it at a tangent might not be that simple!

In a recent trip report Dr. Dasypodidae did a similar route and noted that there were

many blow downs on the ridge, but otherwise bushwhacking was not too difficult

I would not dream of attempting this trip without experienced company so it might not happen. If it does I will defer all route planning to those more knowledgable.

Bob

 

[dundare]

Why not just do it as an overnight? Day 1 Owls Head and then camp at 13 Falls. Day 2 up to Garfield then either back to 13 falls and get your gear and head out the Franconia Brook Trail or just keep right on going down the Garfield Trail.

If you want to do it that way, I would be open to doing it with you. I had planned to do it last week, but strained my back. The back is better now so was toying with the end of this week, but would be happy to try n fit it to your schedule.

 

[sapblatt]

However, I have been informed that the Lincoln Brook trail is not easy to follow when on it so locating it at a tangent might not be that simple!

On the Lincoln Brook Trail subject...we only noticed one yellow blaze on the entire run yesterday. LittleBear pointed out some old ax blazes that I would have missed. With any luck you would find some boot prints in the mud and be on your way.

 

[HikerBob]

Dundare - I have done all the previous summits as day hikes and would like to finish them as such. I read somewhere that the 48 were originally conceived as each being doable in a day and I thought it would be neat to keep to that.

Bob

 

[JohnL]

Bob,

Have you thought about going north to south? Having been on the upper Lincoln Brook Trail 3 times, most recently 2 weeks ago, I can say it would be difficult to bw down off of Owl's Head to hit the right spot. If you come down to the east of the spot where the LBT crosses Franconia Brook, then you will be forced to try to cross the brook in the Falls area, not something I would relish. LBT actually crosses another tributary a short distance south of 13 Falls. The northern section of LBT is little used so it may that you could cross the trail and not even know it. The LBT is relatively easy to follow going either north or south and the going is gentle. The area at the height of land is generally wet, boggy and in and out of streams. This is where the trail finding can be a little more tricky but nothing major.

I am calculating about 22 miles for this trip (I don't have my book handy). The elevation gain from 13 Falls to the OH Slide is 1000 ft but it is very gentle. Going S to N after 14 miles, you have to climb up to the Garfield Ridge then you have another mile of stiff climbing after that to get to Garfield. Going N to S after 14 miles, you have an 8 mile flat walk out. That would be the way I'd do it.

JohnL

 

[el-bagr]

It seems the NW ridge of Owl's Head is an increasingly popular route to follow -- or at least to discuss. IMO Lincoln Brook Trail, while rough, shouldn't be that hard to find by intersection, at least by daylight.

 

[JohnL]

IMO Lincoln Brook Trail, while rough, shouldn't be that hard to find by intersection, at least by daylight.

It's not that LBT is rough (which I didn't think it was) but it is overgrown and narrow. Very easy to miss if crossing it at right angles.

JohnL

 

[Sleeping Giant]

If you can get enough people to do it with you, and send them ahead and follow behind, then you shouldn't have too many bushes to whack, no?

 

[Sherpa John]

Hikerbob... I'd LOVE to go with you.. depending on schedules.

May I make a suggestion? Skip on the bushwhacking and save yourself ALOT of time by just going back down the slide and taking Lincoln Brook the rest of the way to 13 Falls then go from there.

Dr. D is an experienced bushwhacker.. of course it wasn't "that bad" for him, but I think its horendous up there!

Anyways... food for thought.

If schedules are right on.. count me in!

SJ

 

[MichaelJ]

If schedules are right, you can count me in, too! Unfortunately, that means only one weekend in August (the 13th). But if that's when it is, I'm there!

I do like the suggestion of going North -> South. I know it does leave you with the Wilderness Hell, er, Trail, but after that many miles you may well appreciate it. I know I would.

That said, the Garfield Trail is easy on the feet and knees. Seven long switchbacks keep the grade very moderate, and then a very gentle descent back to the trailhead. So if you go north once you're off the summit area itself and have negotiated the boulders to below the Garfield Ridge Trail, you'll be fine.

As for the 'whack, others know far better than I do.

Oh, and yes, you're crazy.

 

[HikerBob]

Maybe not *that* crazy

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions folks.

I've decided to put the 'big finish' plan on the back burner and save that adventure for another time. The news that the height of land on the Lincoln Brook Trail was very boggy and difficult to follow/find was the clincher.

Bob

 

[SherpaKroto]

HikerBob: sounds like you already decided, but my .02 is that your 48th should be "fun", and leave you ample opportunities to savor what you've accomplished. Garfield was my 48th, and a great one it was, shared with my daughter Kayla. Skip the deathmarch for now. The last thing you would want is to look at your watch, find that it was 4:15 and you were still whacking the spruce, deep in the Pemi.

 

[dr_wu002]

Skip the deathmarch for now. The last thing you would want is to look at your watch, find that it was 4:15 and you were still whacking the spruce, deep in the Pemi.

Jeez, you make it sound like it's not fun!! That's the best part!!

-Dr. Wu

 

[SherpaKroto]

Wu: fun when the whack is the goal, not as much fun when you are trying to finish your 48, and likely have folks meeting you on the peak. I'm all about whacking for sheer fun. Not too long ago, Arm and I did Elephant from the NorthWest side just because Gene's notes said that he couldn't remember anyone trying it from that side. Needless to say, we went down the Southwest (traditional) side

 

[Blue]

The last thing you would want is to look at your watch, find that it was 4:15 and you were still whacking the spruce, deep in the Pemi.

well, I'd rather be whacking spruce than on 93-North at 4:15 inching my way forward!

Hikerbob - I have a date with Owl's Head, as my 48th.. but haven't scheduled my life farther than the next few weeks

 

[HikerBob]

Yes - I've come to my senses (nah - that'll never happen ) and posted a new thread with current plans for 47 and 48.

Blue - I'll be there when you set a date

Bob

 

[Bob]

Ok

you're cazy