Jazzbo
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2005
- Messages
- 1,199
- Reaction score
- 171
I had intended to co-lead an AMC hike with Eric S to Whiteface and Passaconaway, but winter got in the way. In spite of leaving at 5:20 AM, road conditions from Waltham were poor limiting my average speed to 45 to 55 mph. Roads got particularly shaky as I worked my way up to Ferncroft TH from Center Harbor. I went as fast I could, but not recalling the roads very well I ended up going up a side road whereupon a snowplow drive stopped me as I struggled up a wrong turn up a steep hill. I later saw two cars with passengers looking like hikers heading toward McCrillis TH who I thought might have been the AMC party, but couldn’t be sure.
I showed up at Ferncroft trail head somewhere around 8:45 where I met Ed and Buffy the Airdale who advised me Eric And AMC party had just left 10 minutes ago. So I was right. It was them! I left promptly to try and catch them, but then I figured maybe they were booted up and I’d just hold them up or maybe they’d have left already and I’d have to catch them. Not a good solution so I figured maybe I’d go back and ask Ed if I could join him on his excursion to Passaconaway. He graciously consented so I booted up ASAP. While booting up two VFTT guys stopped and introduced themselves. It was Sapblatt and ???. Very nice to meet them, but it was already late and I didn’t want to keep Ed and Duffy waiting.
Now the hike …. The day was sunny and clear as bells. The Bank in Center Harbor said it was 22 deg F. When I came through Center Harbor later at 5:30, the bank still said it was 22 deg F. Winds were considerable, (but not deadly) in the morning and kept on all day. You needed to keep moving or you'd get cold pretty fast. Passaconaway proved to be a good choice as Dicey Mill Trail is mostly sheltered from high-pressure Canadian air masses coming over the summit ridge from the north. We could see snow tornados billowing up on the slopes of Whiteface. It looked pretty windy up on Blueberry Ledges. The snow was 7 to 8 inches deep. We put our snowshoes on shortly after we left the road walk. Winds continued to be gusty down low, but died down a lot once we started up Dicey Mill Trail above the stream crossing by the big rock. Stream crossing is piece of cake.
We trudged up the steady 1500-foot climb up to Rollins Trail on summit ridge. There were no tracks at this stage coming from Whiteface. We met two parties who were doing the Whiteface – Passaconaway loop. One solo and one two-person party with two dogs. Ed changed over to crampons on climb up to the ridge, but I kept my snowshoes. The last stretch of 500' elevation to summit was too steep in snowshoes so I switched over to crampons too.
The views were fine at the summit. We didn’t stay long at summit view ledges as winds were not inviting. We made great time going down. We left summit at 2:00 and were back at Ferncroft by 4:30. I love walking down Dicey Mill looking up at Wanalancet Range. The sun continued to shine the whole daylong. It was a beautiful day to be out. There was only one blowdown bad enough to require getting down on knees on trail leading to summit.
It was a pleasure hiking with Ed and Duffy. Thanks to Ed and Duffy for letting me share a great day with them!
Pics are here!
I showed up at Ferncroft trail head somewhere around 8:45 where I met Ed and Buffy the Airdale who advised me Eric And AMC party had just left 10 minutes ago. So I was right. It was them! I left promptly to try and catch them, but then I figured maybe they were booted up and I’d just hold them up or maybe they’d have left already and I’d have to catch them. Not a good solution so I figured maybe I’d go back and ask Ed if I could join him on his excursion to Passaconaway. He graciously consented so I booted up ASAP. While booting up two VFTT guys stopped and introduced themselves. It was Sapblatt and ???. Very nice to meet them, but it was already late and I didn’t want to keep Ed and Duffy waiting.
Now the hike …. The day was sunny and clear as bells. The Bank in Center Harbor said it was 22 deg F. When I came through Center Harbor later at 5:30, the bank still said it was 22 deg F. Winds were considerable, (but not deadly) in the morning and kept on all day. You needed to keep moving or you'd get cold pretty fast. Passaconaway proved to be a good choice as Dicey Mill Trail is mostly sheltered from high-pressure Canadian air masses coming over the summit ridge from the north. We could see snow tornados billowing up on the slopes of Whiteface. It looked pretty windy up on Blueberry Ledges. The snow was 7 to 8 inches deep. We put our snowshoes on shortly after we left the road walk. Winds continued to be gusty down low, but died down a lot once we started up Dicey Mill Trail above the stream crossing by the big rock. Stream crossing is piece of cake.
We trudged up the steady 1500-foot climb up to Rollins Trail on summit ridge. There were no tracks at this stage coming from Whiteface. We met two parties who were doing the Whiteface – Passaconaway loop. One solo and one two-person party with two dogs. Ed changed over to crampons on climb up to the ridge, but I kept my snowshoes. The last stretch of 500' elevation to summit was too steep in snowshoes so I switched over to crampons too.
The views were fine at the summit. We didn’t stay long at summit view ledges as winds were not inviting. We made great time going down. We left summit at 2:00 and were back at Ferncroft by 4:30. I love walking down Dicey Mill looking up at Wanalancet Range. The sun continued to shine the whole daylong. It was a beautiful day to be out. There was only one blowdown bad enough to require getting down on knees on trail leading to summit.
It was a pleasure hiking with Ed and Duffy. Thanks to Ed and Duffy for letting me share a great day with them!
Pics are here!
