Continued meanderings in the Belknaps 5/7/10

[Ed'n Lauky]

The objectives for todays trip were Whiteface, Piper and Belknap. We left from the end of the Belknap mountain road. Because of the two new houses that had been built at the end of the road since the trail guide was done, we missed the trail which starts between the two houses and headed on up the old Belknap mountain road. Around .7 of a mile we found a tote road that took us up to the open granite top of Whiteface.

We took some time on the breezy top to check out the views.

The incredible views from the top of almost every mountain in the Belknaps never cease to amaze me.

We headed back down Whiteface following the Whiteface -- Piper link

We headed up the granite highway to the top of Piper

Looking back down Piper, Whiteface can be seen in the distance.

From up on the top of Piper we looked down at Swett mountain and decided "why not" and headed out to the granite summit of that mountain.

Standing there on the top of that remote summit, the thought occurred to me that probably more people have summited Everest than Swett. It was a great place to stop for lunch.

Back up on Piper we examined some of the rock formations.

We then headed off for Belknap and visited Trailwrightbratt working at his command post.

We left there hoping to find the old plane wreck. Somehow we missed the path and with time getting late we had to head back. Any suggestions on finding the wreck would be appreciated. We then retraced our steps back over Piper and back to the car.

Lauky is now an official State of New Hampshire junior fire warden. His job is to scent out potential fire spots and put them out before they start. He takes his job very seriously and has an uncanny ability to sent out hot spots and spray them down before the fire can get going. I'm sure he has a long an noble career before him.

Here is the link to the trail conditions report: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=35853

 

[loanshark]

Ed, We visited the plane wreck last week. Coming from the tower going towards Gunstock, the herd path is only 25 to 50 yards on your right. I think I recall seeing a blue ribbon near the entrance. The climb down to the wreck is short but steep.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Thanks, we obviously went way too far before looking for the path.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Finishing on Anna and visiting a plane wreck

We only had to do Anna to finish the Belknaps. There seemed to be no more fitting way to finish than the way we started which was on Mt. Major. So from the trailhead we took the yellow by-pass trail. We saw at least ten people on that trail. When we came to the cut off for Straightback we headed directly to Straightback. For the next 2 1/2 hours we saw no one else.

Then on to Anna.

We came back over Straightback then went up and over Major. We were back in the crowds and for good reason. The views from Major are breath taking.

Once back at the trailhead we took the car over to Gilford and the Carriage Road. From the parking lot we took the green trail up to Belknap. The object was to find that plane wreck that had eluded us last week. At the top we had the good fortune to meet a group that put us on the right path for finding the wreck. From the looks of the wreck I would say the passengers never knew what hit them.

"Dang it, the Red Baron got me again."

With that hike we finished the 12/12 in the Belknaps plus 3 -- North Straightback, East Quarry and Swett.

 

[Michelle]

Great close to home area to play in!!! We enjoyed a beautiful ridge walk from Rowe to Gunstock yesterday.
Only people we ran into were the trailcrew on the Overlook Tr. (another nice trail....until you get towards the bottom)

 

[Christa]

Did you guys by chance happen to go a little ways past Anna to the ledges? The view from the ledges do make up for the wooded summit of Anna itself (although they certainly don't match the views from Major).

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

I must admit that I didn't know about the ledges and didn't go there. I would imagine that they were a short ways down the trail that came in from the left.

What I'm curious about is the camps mentioned here. Are they something of significance that are worth seeing?

 

[carole]

The camps are boy scout camps as a large section in that part of the range is boy scout property.

Also, if you continue to explore the range you might want to upgrade to the 3rd edition of the SNH Guide for updated parking and trail info.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

The camps are boy scout camps as a large section in that part of the range is boy scout property.

Also, if you continue to explore the range you might want to upgrade to the 3rd edition of the SNH Guide for updated parking and trail info.

OK thanks, I didn't realize there was a later edition, I'll have to check into it. The SNH guide doesn't get the same 'press' on this site as the White Mountain Guide.

 

[carole]

It got a little bit of 'press' on this other site (RoT)

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

It got a little bit of 'press' on this other site (RoT)

Now that you mention it, I do vaguely remember Rocket making that post. At that point I was totally focused on finishing the winter 48 and I had forgotten about it.

With the 48 done and the arrival of Spring and monorails and rotten snow in the Whites my thoughts turned to snowless trails and that's what brought us to the Belknaps for the very first time. What a great time it has been. I've loved the solitude (with the exception of Major), the sense of exploring once again and not doing the same trails over and over (I can't tell you when I last looked at a map while hiking in the Whites), and the views--such amazing views. It's been a great time.

We will return.

 

[Maddy]

Nice bandanna for Lauky.
He is quite the handsome stud with an impressive "job"!

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

The Belknap Patch

Lauky just received his Belknap patch. He is the seventh dog to have received one. He's finally got something his big brother Duffy never had.
Of course the truth of the matter is all that stuff doesn't matter that much to him, he just wants to be out hiking.