Evans Notch - Route 113 open?

[Jean]

Planning on doing the Baldfaces and Eastman on Saturday. Is route 113 open?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Lefty E]

Rt. 113 is open but you have to approach it from the Conway side...pretty sure the gate on it from the Rt. 2 side is still closed....

 

[Jean]

OK. Thanks for the info.

 

[vegematic]

North gate is still closed as of yesterday afternoon and there is still quite a bit of snow on the road. From the south, the road is plowed past the Baldface parking area. The road is in awful condition with frost heaves but you can get to the trailhead. If your car is very low clearance the drive will be adventurous.

 

[wb671987]

Does anyone know how the approach from the North compares to the approach from the South, in terms of frost heaves and potholes? It will be 5 weeks from now that I plan to be there, so snow and gates no longer a factor. Just wondering on actual road conditions to Baldface parking from North (Route 2) vs. South (Route 302)? I was thinking the North section of 113 may be much better condition since it is gated all winter (less pothole and plow blade damage?)

 

[Lefty E]

I think it is usually in better shape from the Rt. 2 side, but of course there are some spots where the bumps and holes always seem to be there...on the downhill side after the Laughing Lion trailhead is where the worse spots are...

 

[Guthook]

I haven't been in the south side since January, but I can attest to the frost heaves then being pretty epic. My Jetta handled things fine once I remembered to slow down, but that first bump nearly sent me airborne. I can't remember how bad the road was in summer, since the last time I was there was several years ago. I'd say if you go in from the south, just drive slowly and carefully, and you should be fine. But from the north is definitely in better shape.

 

[peakbagger]

It will be 5 weeks from now that I plan to be there, so snow and gates no longer a factor

The road has been closed due to snow left over from the winter as late as the weekend before Memorial Day.

Bothe approaches can be miserable due to first heaves, generally its whatever end has gotten paved most recently.

 

[Lost Dad]

Missing info in this discussion is where the OP is starting from on hike day. I come from the East-South-Easterly direction. I hate the slog from rt 302 up to the trailhead (17 mi) I actually prefer the dirt road approach from the old Evergreen Valley ski area in Stoneham, ME. This skips all of rt 113 as it takes a leisurely path through the southern edge of the Whites. From Rt 5 in Stoneham, follow adams rd, Evergreen Valley Rd, Shell pond rd & Deer Hill Rd. No idea when these roads will open but they do have the benefit of being lower elevation than 113 as it passes through the notch.

Mileage estimates:
From the North: 13 mi rt 2 to trailhead
From the South: 17 mi rt 302 to trailhead
From the East: 9.5 mi rt 5 to trailhead

 

[wb671987]

I will be coming from way South, nearly equal time for me to get to Baldface Parking Lot by either I93 North to Route 2 West to 113 South OR NH16 North to 113 North. I havent been in the Evans Notch area for years, dare I ask if there are any plans to pave 113 anytime soon? I am highly doubtful of this since the area is not a tourist hot-spot or major route through the mountains.. I do have a fondness for Evans Notch having started all my hiking there in the 90s, particularly Basin Pond, Wild River and the Deer Hill Mine, I think the area is a hidden gem of the Whites!

 

[vegematic]

There's been some work done on 113 between the height of land and RT 2. I don't recall seeing any new pavement south of the height of land. South side of the notch can be rough for cycling in places but not so bad for autos. The frost heaves should be much less of an issue by the middle-end of May.
-vegematic

 

[Framerman]

That southern section of rte 113 is rough. Beats the body up just driving. Once you get to the gate it's not bad.

 

[TJsName]

North gate is still closed as of yesterday afternoon and there is still quite a bit of snow on the road. From the south, the road is plowed past the Baldface parking area. The road is in awful condition with frost heaves but you can get to the trailhead. If your car is very low clearance the drive will be adventurous.

Can anyone confirm just where the gate is on the south end of 113? Looking to do some winter exploring, so just wondering how much road walking might be involved.

 

[peakbagger]

The gate was just after the Cold River Campground (a few years ago). just west of the Brickett Place parking lot.

 

[TJsName]

The gate was just after the Cold River Campground (a few years ago). just west of the Brickett Place parking lot.

Cool - thank you! I wonder if NHDOT just plows to the border?

 

[peakbagger]

If they did that they would leave snow banks at about five places along the way . The gate was quite close to the state line. I think the gate is the logical point where private inholdings peter out. If I look at the updated WMNF boundary in the area there is NW corner of an inholding that just meets the road in this area so the gate may be where it is to allow access to this point.

A general note is that the Cold River campground gets a lot of off season use by folks that want to get away from the crowds in the offseason. I have come zipping up 113 in the late spring at least once and went around the corner and encountered the snow bank at the gate.

 

[egilbe]

The gate is just past the Basin pond campground entrance. There is a private driveway entrance shortly before the gate, so I'm assuming its plowed to at least that driveway. Its my understanding that it becomes a snowmobile trail in the Winter.