blacknblue
Active member
29-Jun-2007, Cardigan via Clark, Holt, and South Ridge
Cardigan never ceases to amaze. No matter how many times I climb the bugger, it has so many wonderful trails/routes for such a low mountain (3121' or so). I did the North Slide of Tripyramid a few weeks ago and was rained out of Huntington Ravine last week, so I was ready for the last leg of the NH's hardest hiking trails trifecta: Holt Trail.
Living in VT, I start at the western parking lot and start up the West Ridge Trail. I scooted over to the cabin and descended the Clark Trail past PJ Ledge and to "Grand Junction," where it meets the Holt Trail. This all took about an hour. It was a gorgeous morning and hard to not stop and look around, but I wanted to spend ample time on Holt and I knew I would always be returning later in the morning anyway.
Holt Trail can be neatly divided into five sections: the first half (mileage-wise) is "This Ain't So Bad." Then comes "Hey, This is Pretty Fun," "I'm Glad It's Not Raining," "This Is Quite the Challenge," and, lastly, "There's No Effing Way." The first feature to ascend when it starts getting really steep is a wide gap between two rocks that is harder than it looks at first. It continues steeply, climbing over large rocks, while still in the woods. Fun, but not particularly difficult. It finally breaks out onto the open rock and you are presented with a nice wedge, but it is easier than it looks at first. For much of the next ten minutes, the trail ascends open rock, but exposure is never a factor and the angle is mellow enough that decent tread on boots will suffice. The rock is plenty course. When it steepens, the rock is still course, almost like walking on climbing micro-holds. Finally, there is one slick, slabby part, followed by a reeeeally steep part that requires wedging yourself under a rock and pulling yourself up with your hands--probably the hardest single move of the hike (and pictures never do it justice). The next feature has much better handholds and isn't too bad. A few more minutes of walking up course slab, and you are home free! It took me about 30 minutes to go up the last 1/3 mile when it gets steep, but that does include some photo-taking.
From the summit, the views were tremendous--very clear air today. I descended the south face on a little off-piste route (there are many many variations on the south face!). I descended over South Peak and Rimrock and the South Ridge Trail because of the crowds on the West Ridge. I still think South Peak is one of my favorite places anywhere in New Hampshire.
Overall, I think the Holt Trail requires harder individual moves than the North Slide, but does not require the overall physical exertion b/c it is shorter. I keep getting rained out of Huntington Ravine Trail trips, but IIRC, the slabby traverse part of HRT is probably the most exposed section of the three, which affects people differently. Huntington is the most dramatic, I find the North Slide the most physically grueling b/c of its length, and Holt the most fun.
As a postscript, it was a very good day to take my boots off, sit in the back of the Jeep in the parking lot, bask in the sun, and read for an hour or two.
Pics here
Cardigan never ceases to amaze. No matter how many times I climb the bugger, it has so many wonderful trails/routes for such a low mountain (3121' or so). I did the North Slide of Tripyramid a few weeks ago and was rained out of Huntington Ravine last week, so I was ready for the last leg of the NH's hardest hiking trails trifecta: Holt Trail.
Living in VT, I start at the western parking lot and start up the West Ridge Trail. I scooted over to the cabin and descended the Clark Trail past PJ Ledge and to "Grand Junction," where it meets the Holt Trail. This all took about an hour. It was a gorgeous morning and hard to not stop and look around, but I wanted to spend ample time on Holt and I knew I would always be returning later in the morning anyway.
Holt Trail can be neatly divided into five sections: the first half (mileage-wise) is "This Ain't So Bad." Then comes "Hey, This is Pretty Fun," "I'm Glad It's Not Raining," "This Is Quite the Challenge," and, lastly, "There's No Effing Way." The first feature to ascend when it starts getting really steep is a wide gap between two rocks that is harder than it looks at first. It continues steeply, climbing over large rocks, while still in the woods. Fun, but not particularly difficult. It finally breaks out onto the open rock and you are presented with a nice wedge, but it is easier than it looks at first. For much of the next ten minutes, the trail ascends open rock, but exposure is never a factor and the angle is mellow enough that decent tread on boots will suffice. The rock is plenty course. When it steepens, the rock is still course, almost like walking on climbing micro-holds. Finally, there is one slick, slabby part, followed by a reeeeally steep part that requires wedging yourself under a rock and pulling yourself up with your hands--probably the hardest single move of the hike (and pictures never do it justice). The next feature has much better handholds and isn't too bad. A few more minutes of walking up course slab, and you are home free! It took me about 30 minutes to go up the last 1/3 mile when it gets steep, but that does include some photo-taking.
From the summit, the views were tremendous--very clear air today. I descended the south face on a little off-piste route (there are many many variations on the south face!). I descended over South Peak and Rimrock and the South Ridge Trail because of the crowds on the West Ridge. I still think South Peak is one of my favorite places anywhere in New Hampshire.
Overall, I think the Holt Trail requires harder individual moves than the North Slide, but does not require the overall physical exertion b/c it is shorter. I keep getting rained out of Huntington Ravine Trail trips, but IIRC, the slabby traverse part of HRT is probably the most exposed section of the three, which affects people differently. Huntington is the most dramatic, I find the North Slide the most physically grueling b/c of its length, and Holt the most fun.
As a postscript, it was a very good day to take my boots off, sit in the back of the Jeep in the parking lot, bask in the sun, and read for an hour or two.
Pics here
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