Cohos Trail

[B the Hiker]

I have the second half of August off and am thinking about thru-hiking the Cohos Trail (CT), which I'm estimating should take 9-10 days. I never hear any mention of it! I've section-hiked the Long Trail, which was really fun, and I'm looking for something...new. Yes, I love the Whites, but after 500+ peaks, I'm looking for something new.

If you've done the CT or parts of it, I would love to hear your thoughts!

I also have to get a ride up to the north terminus of the trail, and it looks like I might have to pay someone. If anybody knows of someone who could drive me, please let me know.

Also, there seems to be a full trail guide and also a shorter version. I don't want to buy both. Any suggestions on which of the two I should get if I'm only getting one?


Brian

 

[TJsName]

I have the second half of August off and am thinking about thru-hiking the Cohos Trail (CT), which I'm estimating should take 9-10 days. I never hear any mention of it! I've section-hiked the Long Trail, which was really fun, and I'm looking for something...new. Yes, I love the Whites, but after 500+ peaks, I'm looking for something new.

If you've done the CT or parts of it, I would love to hear your thoughts!

I also have to get a ride up to the north terminus of the trail, and it looks like I might have to pay someone. If anybody knows of someone who could drive me, please let me know.

Also, there seems to be a full trail guide and also a shorter version. I don't want to buy both. Any suggestions on which of the two I should get if I'm only getting one?


Brian

There is a FB group called Friends of the Cohos Trail that might be helpful.

 

[jniehof]

Your best bet for a shuttle would probably be Trail Angels or the Rattle River Hostel as both are more north country oriented.

 

[Snowflea]

I did the entire trail two summers ago. It is an "adventurous" trail. I was glad to finally do it and would do most of it again.

Report here: http://runsuerun.blogspot.com/2015/08/cohos-trail.html?m=1

 

[Scubahhh]

The Cohos Trail is terrific!

YOU can find all kinds of information about it here:
http://www.cohostrail.org/

and here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/153039451407973/

Have fun!

 

[B the Hiker]

I joined the Facebook group a few hours ago and already found a ride to the other terminus! I'm happy to hear people have had good experiences on the trail, it looks like a very different experience from the highways that lead up the NH48.

Stink, thank you for the blog post, it was fantastic!

If anyone else has comments, suggestions, or can point me to other posts, those would all be greatly appreciated.


Brian

 

[TJsName]

I joined the Facebook group a few hours ago and already found a ride to the other terminus! I'm happy to hear people have had good experiences on the trail, it looks like a very different experience from the highways that lead up the NH48.

Stink, thank you for the blog post, it was fantastic!

If anyone else has comments, suggestions, or can point me to other posts, those would all be greatly appreciated.


Brian

Glad to hear it! I'm guessing you've figured out already that the trail is constantly evolving, so just make sure you're apprised for the most recent changes for this year.

 

[B the Hiker]

It looks like I also should be grateful for hiking the trail in August when things are likely to be at their driest, since stretches of it look rather...moist, other times of the year.

It is rather notable that one effect of hiking the 48 is that it is rare to (well, never) find oneself on a trail that is overgrown with grasses, while this does appear to be more of an issue with the CT. I also noticed that on the LT once the AT diverged: it was readily noticeable that the grasses encroached once all the thru-hikers were no longer passing by.

 

[Driver8]

What an adventure! Sounds like the CT could be the northern end of what I envision as an expansion of the New England Trail to the Canadian border. I see it continuing north from the Mass/NH border, over Monadnock and on to Sunapee, then over to Kearsarge, Cardigan, across to lakes country over Whiteface and Passaconaway and on to the Davis Path and points north. Someday! Likewise, I'd love if the Long Trail could be augmented into a Longer Trail by continuing to coincide with the AT down to Sherman/Kent, CT, then down past Candlewood Lake and on to Long Island Sound, perhaps in Darien, having crossed New Fairfield, Danbury, Ridgefield, Wilton and New Canaan. Probably a tougher get, though I like to dream about it.

 

[iAmKrzys]

It is rather notable that one effect of hiking the 48 is that it is rare to (well, never) find oneself on a trail that is overgrown with grasses, while this does appear to be more of an issue with the CT. I also noticed that on the LT once the AT diverged: it was readily noticeable that the grasses encroached once all the thru-hikers were no longer passing by.

If overgrown trails and solitude appeal to you then you may want to consider hiking the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway. I did MSG recently and I had to share a shelter with two other hikers on the first night only. Other than that I did not run into any other thru-hikers and I saw only a handful of day hikers at Monanock, Pitcher Mountain & Mt. Sunapee. Other than that I had the trail and shelters all to myself!

 

[B the Hiker]

Not only that, Chris, but the trail continues on for another 70 miles into Canada, making it only 30 or so miles shorter than the Long Trail. The CT is still a new trail, and it doesn't go over 4,000 footers. Interestingly, when my friend Neil and I co-led about 11 AMC weekends to cover the LT, if the particular trip went over a 4,000 footer, we always had people sign up. When the section didn't have a 4,000 footer, as often as not it was just the two of us!

As AmKrys's posting shows, when one takes away mountains to bag or a name trail like the AT, suddenly hikers are few and far between.

 

[TJsName]

Not only that, Chris, but the trail continues on for another 70 miles into Canada, making it only 30 or so miles shorter than the Long Trail. The CT is still a new trail, and it doesn't go over 4,000 footers. Interestingly, when my friend Neil and I co-led about 11 AMC weekends to cover the LT, if the particular trip went over a 4,000 footer, we always had people sign up. When the section didn't have a 4,000 footer, as often as not it was just the two of us!

As AmKrys's posting shows, when one takes away mountains to bag or a name trail like the AT, suddenly hikers are few and far between.

I thought it went over Cabot and Waumbek, with an option for tagging Washington, and passes right next to Isolation and Monroe.

 

[Driver8]

I thought it went over Cabot and Waumbek, with an option for tagging Washington, and passes right next to Isolation and Monroe.

It does look like it catches the Starr King Trail, followed by Kilkenny Ridge and so would traverse Waumbek and Cabot, also catching Iso on the Davis Path, no?

Anyhow, seems like a cool outing.

 

[Snowflea]

I thought it went over Cabot and Waumbek, with an option for tagging Washington, and passes right next to Isolation and Monroe.

The CT route "proper" is off Davis Path via Isolation Trail (west) and up Mt. Eisenhower Trail. Therefore, one can easily climb Eisenhower, but Monroe and Washington are a few miles off.

Obviously Isolation is very close. The CT does hit the 4k summits of Waumbek and Cabot. Not surprisingly, on my CT end-to-end in 2015, I met the most people, by FAR, on Edmands Path and Starr King Trail.

re MSGT: it's been awhile, but I have run that trail E2E 4 times and never found it to be overgrown.

 

[vegematic]

I hiked the Cohos last year and enjoyed it, although there was definitely some type-2 fun in there, especially north of the Kilkenny. If you are confident in your ability to follow overgrown trails, don't get too upset when trail markers (or the trail, in the case of an active logging section) disappear for a while, and like not seeing people for a day or two, then you will enjoy the Cohos. If you really prefer clear tread ways and meeting other hikers, save the northern portion of the CT for another time.

As for which book: the shorter data book is what you want to have on the hike and it is (or was, last year) available in e-book form as well as print. The larger book is great, and has a lot of stories about the history, places and features along the trail but doesn't have the kind of detail you want when you can't find the trail or need to know where to camp.

Your feet WILL get wet on those northern logging roads and snowmobile trails. Bring extra socks and some Gold Bond.
Have a blast!
-vegematic

 

[Scubahhh]

That's an awesome thought and the only really hard part I think is between Ragged Mt. and Alexandria, where you can connect to trails to Cardigan. Why not connect from Cardigan via Smarts and the AT the rest of the way up?

 

[peakbagger]

It does look like it catches the Starr King Trail, followed by Kilkenny Ridge and so would traverse Waumbek and Cabot, also catching Iso on the Davis Path, no?

Anyhow, seems like a cool outing.

Unless the status has changed, technically the CT does not go over any 4000 footers. Kim Nilson managed to upset the WMNF with his "announce it first and build it later" philosophy so the CT was/is officially not allowed on WMNF property. At one point he had installed signs in the WMNF and they were removed. There is sign at the Starr King parking lot which is on WMNF land and therefore possibly he worked something out with the WMNF but expect it more likely an oversight by the WMNF or persistence by the CT. Thus anyone summiting a 4K would not be on the CT but rather an interconnecting trail between CT segments.

Reportedly there was an issue with the quality of the initial trail routing in some areas. Some of the earlier iterations of the trail were apparently poorly routed to connect blank spaces on a map. I have heard other variations of this.

The trail has more legitimacy these days even receiving support from the Tillotson Foundation. Given the attempt to bring more tourism to the region I expect the CT is regarded as one additional attraction although to date ATV users are the major industry.

 

[B the Hiker]

It really is remarkable what one person can accomplish! The fact that a new trail 170 miles long can come into being (admittedly with much being stitched together from other trails) primarily through the efforts of a single person is amazing. This man's legacy is going to live on and on, and what's cool about this trail in its current form is that it is living in the sense that the thing is still rapidly evolving, and growing and changing. A new shelter this year, something new will change again next year. That's quite a legacy!

 

[Driver8]

It really is remarkable what one person can accomplish! The fact that a new trail 170 miles long can come into being (admittedly with much being stitched together from other trails) primarily through the efforts of a single person is amazing. This man's legacy is going to live on and on, and what's cool about this trail in its current form is that it is living in the sense that the thing is still rapidly evolving, and growing and changing. A new shelter this year, something new will change again next year. That's quite a legacy!

I should say so! Interesting what Dennis points out about the CT's official status in the eyes of the WMNF. I guess one must take care not to step on Waumbek's or Cabot's proper summit in a thru-hike, lest one have veered off trail. Could skirt ever so close, though!

Meanwhile, I trekked up to NH yesterday and poked around Gunstock. Had intended to do it and Belknap from the upper lot, but missed the fact that the road closes at 6, and got there shortly before that. Drove around the mountain and climbed halfway up on a ski resort road. Clearer views to start, clouding in with time. Nice to see views opening up with the climb - Shaw and the Ossippees, as well as Passawhiteface, are beautiful across the lake. Washington was in and out of the clouds, for a change. An easy ramble to go with business I had up that way. Will have to go earlier another day and explore further from the west.

 

[iAmKrzys]

re MSGT: it's been awhile, but I have run that trail E2E 4 times and never found it to be overgrown.

I think Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway was pretty easy to follow with only a few confusing spots. I found center of the trail pretty well defined whenever it was in the woods. When I said "overgrown" I meant a section of a trail where it was hard or impossible to pass without brushing against vegetation on both sides of the trail that would be at least thigh high:

If I recall correctly there were only two short sections like this on the trail where some logging work apparently took place in recent years. One was just north of Nelson Rd, and the other one was on the north side of Oak Hill just before entering the woods. I think that if there is a limited amount of foot traffic and plenty of sunshine then the grass and other greens grow so fast that it is impossible to keep the trail wide without doing weekly maintenance (heck, I'm having trouble keeping my lawn from being overgrown ) but who would want to sign up for doing this? Personally, I don't mind this - it's just adding a bit of reminder to me that I am in some wild place.

Again, the picture above is really an exception, not the norm on MSG, and I'm really grateful to all the maintainers for keeping the trail in great shape throughout the entire length!