Chocorua lost trail, Twin Sister?

[Jim lombard]

Has anyone heard of an old trail on Chocorua called Twin Sister? Speaking with an older couple last night, and they said it was on the back-side of Chocorua. Trail was supposed to be 2.5 miles to the summit and steep with lots of washouts. They thought it was gone with all the condominium development in the area. I couldn't find anything in a Chocurua trails guide.

 

[RoySwkr]

Are you sure they aren't confusing it with the Middle Sister Trail?

Which side do you consider the back side? I'm not sure where a 2.5 mile trail could have started, some of the existing trails are pretty straight and are somewhat longer.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I'm with Roy and thinking maybe it's Middle Sister. Have only been to it once - we went up Champney Falls and made a left - and had lunch there. Great views - it's open and there's an old foundation, and it doesn't see too many visitors. At least compared to Chocurua. It's well worth doing again -

Kevin

 

[dr_wu002]

Here's an old map: http://docs.unh.edu/NH/choc31ne.jpg I don't recall ever hearing of a trail like this on Chocoura.

-Dr. Wu

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

No listing for the Twin Sister Trail on any of the AMC Chocorua maps from the following years: 1917, 1920, 1925, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1948, 1952, and 1955.

If it existed, it was a long...long time ago.

 

[Amicus]

Middle Sister - Bee Line?

Midle Sister is certainly not lost, although less traveled than the Champney Falls or Piper Trails. If you're going up from Rte 16, it's a more interesting longer alternative to Piper, and parts of it can be combined with Carter Ledge Trail and others for a fine loop from the Piper parking lot.

Your description sounds more like the Bee Line - which I hiked up and down in 1970 (a mere stripling) and remember as just like it sounds. It ends at the Old Paugus Trail, not far south of Mount Paugus. Many would call that the back side of Chocorua. (It seemed like the backside of Hell to me on that '70 hike - I was wearing penny loafers.)

 

[TroutBumNH]

I went up one of the 'back' trails (that is, one of the trailheads on a back road, vs. 16 or the Kanc). It was the Liberty Trail. On the way down, I ran into a guy and walked past the cabin to a spot just before the intersection of the Liberty and Hammond trail. He said 'well, see ya' and started walking off the trail. I asked what was up, and he mentioned that some landowners maintained some local trails. If you look on the AMC maps, just below the icon for the Jim Liberty cabin, there's a little hairpin turn. It was some time ago, but if memory serves, it was right at that point he turned off.

Now, why a THIRD trail would be necessary between the Liberty and Brook trails, I don't know...

just my $0.02...

mike

 

[dr_wu002]

I went up one of the 'back' trails (that is, one of the trailheads on a back road, vs. 16 or the Kanc). It was the Liberty Trail. On the way down, I ran into a guy and walked past the cabin to a spot just before the intersection of the Liberty and Hammond trail. He said 'well, see ya' and started walking off the trail. I asked what was up, and he mentioned that some landowners maintained some local trails. If you look on the AMC maps, just below the icon for the Jim Liberty cabin, there's a little hairpin turn. It was some time ago, but if memory serves, it was right at that point he turned off.

Now, why a THIRD trail would be necessary between the Liberty and Brook trails, I don't know...

just my $0.02...

mike

Skull Cairn Trail. MEB and I went lookin' for it in March.

-Dr. Wu

 

[TroutBumNH]

Right on! I didn't look at the UNH archive map closely enough...

 

[Jim lombard]

Here's an old map: http://docs.unh.edu/NH/choc31ne.jpg I don't recall ever hearing of a trail like this on Chocoura.

-Dr. Wu

Great map dr_wu, this couple is in their sixties and I'm guessing they last climbed this in the 1960's or 70's. She called it Three Sisters but he corrected her calling it Twin Sisters. I can't imagine looking on the map that there is a 2.5 mile route either.

Roy, it might be the Middle Sister trail, I'm not sure. I'll admit, I've only been up Chocorua once, that was in winter via Piper.

Amicus, your description of the Bee-line sounds more like it. I'll ask them on Sunday.

Great discussion, thanks for the info