Favorite 4000-footers for snowshoeing

[roadtripper]

What are everyones favorite trails to snowshoe up to 4,000 footers in NH, ME or VT? The only qualification is that the entire trail must be snowshoeable (i.e. no crampons) and at least somewhat commonly used in the winter (i.e. the trails will be frequently broken).

I have only done a few, but Waumbek has been my favorite so far. The grades are excellent for the entire time and the ridge between Starr King & Waumbek often exceeds 4-5 feet of fluffy snow.

Cannon was fun too, except for the one section near the summit that almost begs for crampons if the snow isn't deep enough. Carrigain was great as well.

 

[FARMER]

What are everyones favorite trails to snowshoe up to 4,000 footers in NH, ME or VT? The only qualification is that the entire trail must be snowshoeable (i.e. no crampons)

I have only done a few, but Waumbek has been my favorite so far. The grades are excellent for the entire time and the ridge between Starr King & Waumbek often exceeds 4-5 feet of fluffy snow.

Cannon was fun too, except for the one section near the summit that almost begs for crampons if the snow isn't deep enough.

It's a bit longer but Garfield from five corners has moderate grades the whole way except for the last .1 or so. It's a great cruise on the way out too.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Fire Warden's Trail to Hale

Tim

 

[LRiz]

All of the 48 are snowshoeable in the right conditions. This past winter season I hiked all 48 and didn't use crampons once...

I'd say all of the trails with nice grades make for great snowshoeing. Waumbek and Cabot are wonderful, as is/are Moosilauke, Pierce, Tecumseh, the Carters, and the Kinsmans (via Mt Kinsman).

Garfield and the Osceolas (via Tripoli Rd) are two other great options if you don't mind road walks.

 

[Stash]

Nineteen Mile -> Carter Dome -> Carter Moriah -> North Carter -> Imp (cutting the corner at Camp Dodge to make the loop an easy road walk)

 

[mookie]

camels hump in vt
short hike and very well used in the winter from the monroe trail.

from the west the burrow's trail is also fairly well used.

from the river you can also take the longest approach via the LT up the bamforth ridge. not always traveled during the winter so may involve breaking trail.

oh yeah, and only 25-35 minutes from my house.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Fire Warden's Trail to Hale

Lots of great trails, but nothing beats Firewarden's on a sunny day.

 

[roadtripper]

Thanks for the replies. Are any of the ME or VT 4,000 footers good for snowshoeing (besides Camels Hump, which is mentioned above)? Are any of them typically broken out?

 

[Bill and Sheep]

I found the Osseo to be an awesome trail on snowshoes. Other than the steep section over the ladders, it's a nice gradual pitch all the way to the top and coming down is a breeze... just the right grade to move quickly with little effort.

 

[chipc]

I would also add Passaconaway via Dicey's Mill trail.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Lots of great trails, but nothing beats Firewarden's on a sunny day.

Here's a taste - not sunny though:



Tim

 

[Mike P.]

I guess it depends on how much snow, what kind of snowshoes and how much you like crampons or snowshoes. Sometimes the Hancocks are a snowshoe & sometimes you need crampons for the climbs.

If you have the old sherpas with the real agressive crampon, it's like wearing crampons and snowshoes at the same time. They would handle any trail not considered in the "hardest" trail discussions.

Frequently used? Now I prefer bare boots & crampons over snowshoes so I'd say the most frequently used trails don't require snowshoes, well packed no post-holing. That would be a favorite of mine!

Pierce is one of my favorites. Osseo for Flume is great also. A couple of tricky spots as mentioned but nice the rest of the way.

North Crocker up & back might be nice, anyone? Trying to remember how tall the trees on top were, it's been 15 years. If the trees are 10-12 feet on top, a 6-8 foot depth would allow views. (View from South Carter was very nice a couple of years ago, we could see over the trees, unfortunately CM so full, we were in the canopy)

 

[Jason Berard]

Lots of great trails, but nothing beats Firewarden's on a sunny day.

I have to agree with you on that one! The company wasn't bad either!

 

[mirabela]

Mt. Abraham in VT via Battell Trail is an absolute treat.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Thanks for the replies. Are any of the ME or VT 4,000 footers good for snowshoeing (besides Camels Hump, which is mentioned above)? Are any of them typically broken out?

Just get a late start Sunday or go Monday morning!

 

[bryan]

i'm with lriz that all 48 can be great snowshoe hikes under the right conditions (though i strongly advocate carrying crampons on many of them for safetys sake). some of my favorite stretches of trail would be signal ridge on carrigain, the ridge between north and south hancock, the ridge between starr king and waumbek, the typical bushwack route (birch glades) to isolation, crawford path between pierce and eisenhower, bondcliff trail between bondcliff and guyot, wildcat ridge, bunnell notch trail, the ridge between osceola and east peak, and i could go on and on.....
looking forward to winter, especially after reading this thread.
thanks.

bryan

 

[sardog1]

Take a look at Steve Smith's Snowshoe Hikes in the White Mountains.

 

[chipc]

Take a look at Steve Smith's Snowshoe Hikes in the White Mountains.

Great suggestion - it was my introduction to winter hiking!

 

[dentonfabrics]

Pierce is a great snowshow. You're protected from the wind all the way till you come out on the ridge. If the weather is good you can climb the last few hundred feet to the summit and if the weather is no good, at least you get the reward of a great view from the ridge.