shamples
New member
So I've been up Chocorua three different times in the past five years and all have been going out and back by Champney Falls Trail. This was my father-in-laws favorite way up and quite frankly the only way he had ever done it also. He's a creature of habit so he's not as open to try new trails sometimes. However, since I have become his hiking partner and I am always looking to hit new trails I have yet to do - especially if we are heading up a repeat summit - I have been doing a good job breaking him out of his shell and trying new routes.
So after much internal debate within myself over whether I wanted to do the Brook/Liberty loop OR the Piper/Nickerson&Carter Ledge/Piper loop, I chose up Brook and down Liberty. Because my wife had a wedding to hit tonight, this meant I had to be home by 2 so we were on somewhat of a time crunch with the drive alone being 1 hour + one way. So we got an early start leaving my house at 4AM and made it to the trailhead just after 5AM. Started up Brook at 5:15AM.
Brook runs along the Claybank Brook for most the way up so there is some nice scenery much of the way up. The one major brook crossing was absolutely no trouble at all. Pretty easy going up until you hit the junction with Bee Line Trail. Then the next 0.4 gets a little more challenging but nothing drastic. I thought it was fun, but there was one particular hairy spot at one open steep ledge point where ya gotta take extra caution. But like I said, fun stuff for me! The last 0.2 from the junction with Liberty to the summit is really easy. Peaked at exactly 8AM and had the entire mountain to ourselves. Nobody, I mean nobody within earshot or sight. Doesn't happen too often atop a popular peak like Chocorua so we savored in the moment and spent the next half hour with our shirts off basking in the perfect weather and sunshine. No bugs and no wind, so calm up there and quiet.
Started our descent at 8:30AM down Liberty. This was a VERY easy and pleasant descent. The only tricky part was that much of the Liberty Trail was wet so some extra caution had to be taken here and there, but overall, we smoked these trails and was back at the parking lot by 10:15AM. So overall, 5 hours for the 7.5 mile round trip and that 5 hours includes the half hour break up top and a few break spots along the way. Not many hikers at all, maybe only saw like 5 groups all day, but we did start early. So a great experience attempting Chocorua from a different angle and perspective this time! Maybe next years early May hike will be up Chocorua from the East's Piper. But I highly recommend the Brook/Liberty loop for a nice quick enjoyable hike.
So after much internal debate within myself over whether I wanted to do the Brook/Liberty loop OR the Piper/Nickerson&Carter Ledge/Piper loop, I chose up Brook and down Liberty. Because my wife had a wedding to hit tonight, this meant I had to be home by 2 so we were on somewhat of a time crunch with the drive alone being 1 hour + one way. So we got an early start leaving my house at 4AM and made it to the trailhead just after 5AM. Started up Brook at 5:15AM.
Brook runs along the Claybank Brook for most the way up so there is some nice scenery much of the way up. The one major brook crossing was absolutely no trouble at all. Pretty easy going up until you hit the junction with Bee Line Trail. Then the next 0.4 gets a little more challenging but nothing drastic. I thought it was fun, but there was one particular hairy spot at one open steep ledge point where ya gotta take extra caution. But like I said, fun stuff for me! The last 0.2 from the junction with Liberty to the summit is really easy. Peaked at exactly 8AM and had the entire mountain to ourselves. Nobody, I mean nobody within earshot or sight. Doesn't happen too often atop a popular peak like Chocorua so we savored in the moment and spent the next half hour with our shirts off basking in the perfect weather and sunshine. No bugs and no wind, so calm up there and quiet.
Started our descent at 8:30AM down Liberty. This was a VERY easy and pleasant descent. The only tricky part was that much of the Liberty Trail was wet so some extra caution had to be taken here and there, but overall, we smoked these trails and was back at the parking lot by 10:15AM. So overall, 5 hours for the 7.5 mile round trip and that 5 hours includes the half hour break up top and a few break spots along the way. Not many hikers at all, maybe only saw like 5 groups all day, but we did start early. So a great experience attempting Chocorua from a different angle and perspective this time! Maybe next years early May hike will be up Chocorua from the East's Piper. But I highly recommend the Brook/Liberty loop for a nice quick enjoyable hike.
