Elephant Mountain in Winter

[dRitter]

Any of the folks on this server have any suggestions/ info on an Elephant Mountain jaunt in winter conditions? I have Tuesday (3/8) off and I am thinking about heading up for another winter highest 100 bush whack. Can't be worse than Scar West was. Based on the logging roads that head up part of the mountain my guess is that there will be some trailbreaking effort already put behind by the snowmobile folks (I prefer to tag them with the gasoline athelete label ). Anyone with suggestions/ info, I would appreciate the assistance. Thanks in advance.
Damon

 

[Espy]

I did Elephant Mt last winter. We skied up the road (without skins), carrying snowshoes. At the end of the logging road, which took us about 3/4's of the way up, we ditched our skis and wore snowshoes for the bushwhack to the summit. It was a great ski down w/ wonderful views. The road was packed, w/ unbroken trail thereafter. It took us less than 4 1/2 hours w/ a couple of good breaks. Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[bobandgeri]

Perhaps you could talk Bob and Geri into playing hookey and joining you. They need it and they have a Surburban.

Nope - have folks in from Paris I have to meet with all week. We are concentrating on the NH48 Winter peaks, but plan to do Elephant the as soon as Winter is over - maybe even the weekend of teh 25th, 26th, 27th if anyone else is interested.

 

[Oldlurp]

Climbed Elephant on Feb 19, 2005. There is a sign saying Elephant Mtn. Road on the plowed road to South Arm where you should park. If you are lucky a parking area will be plowed out to allow off the road parking. If not, take your chances beside the road like I did or take a shovel and clear a spot like I would have preferred. The trail is a fairly easy grade and has been packed by snowmobiles all the way up the mountain on the roads shown on the maps. The roads on the map are fairly accurate. Be sure that you take the left to go North instead of going East and parallel to Clearwater Brook which will take you over to the AT. It will be clear enough if you stay aware of your direction with the compass. When the skidder road ends, so does the easy walking. From here it's an hour or likely more of tough bushwhack to the summit. We just took an azimuth and went for it. You will go through very thick stuff and be excited to see an open area only to find the open areas are snow over short evergreens which won't support your weight. The snow was only waist deep for me. But it's snowed since. Don't worry about herd paths, at times we thought we'd found one only to have it disappear. Perseverance will get you to the fairly flat summit which is in the picture with this reply. Have a good hike!

 

[dRitter]

Thanks to all who have replied, it'll be a coin toss in the wee hours to see whether or not I drive up. Oldlurp, check your forum inbox or send me a private message by clicking on my name, looks like we may actually be neighbors, I'm in Brentwood as well!
Damon

 

[Papa Bear]

Climbed Elephant on Feb 19, 2005. ... When the skidder road ends, so does the easy walking. From here it's an hour or likely more of tough bushwhack to the summit. We just took an azimuth and went for it.

We did it in summer and at least in that season it would be easier to go straight up to the col (there are skid roads almost all the way up) and then circle around along the north (back) side of the ridge to the SW summit. Note also that the ridge between the two peaks tends to curve slightly to the north - check the map (Topozone map). Going straight for the summit involves thicker stuff and some steep ledges. On the way back we were taking a short cut and found ourselves looking down some 10' drops. Gene's advice was good here: "bushwhack up the valley between the two knobs ... you might find a skid road that would help ... The going between the two knobs was once a fairly easy bishwhack - but woe betide those who try to shortcut."

It may be different in winter, but we saw some blowdowns that I would not want to fall into through the snow.

Have fun.

Pb