Getting to Owl's Head in the winter

[hikrgrl]

Last Friday, my goal starting out was to hike Owl's Head, but when I made that plan, I hadn't taken into account that I'd be shoveling for 2+ hours to get my car to the road. Oops.

I decided to head in the general direction on skis, knowing that it was unlikely I'd make it as far as my initial goal, but I planned to have a good day outside, anyway. The first three miles were glorious - I was there early enough so that there were still good XC tracks. At the Franconia Brook trail, ski travel was no longer possible so I switched into my snowshoes. However, when I got to the first major crossing on the brook, I chose to turn around.

I'm looking for advice on getting to OH in the winter. In a few weeks' time, will there be snow bridges safe enough to cross on (do I just need to be patient)? I've never done the Black Pond bushwhack in summer much less winter. Any other advice? (I mean, aside from "Why bother?" ) What's the feasibility of coming up and over Garfield and then southbounding FBT? (I'm guessing that's silly, too, because I tried that during the summer several years ago and discovered what "maintained infrequently" means).
I'm working non-obsessively on my winter 48 and have done just over half of them, including Washington.

Thanks!
Chris
aka "Ducky" (AT '09)

 

[Raven]

Hi Chris,

The Black Pond Bushwhack will be the most likely broken out route to approach Owl's Head. There is less chance of the trailed route being broken as the BW has become the most popular route. It also avoids these crossings (which I would think would be solid at this point anyway after the snow and cold we have just had - but not sure).

Once near the base, the Brutus BW which avoids the slide as well as the route up the slide may be broken out. The Black Pond BW was recently broken out but may no longer be:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?47425-Brutus-Bushwhack-is-in!

Great winter hike - ironically, it was the first (January) and last (December) hike I did in 2010 - unplanned. Enjoy it.

 

[peakbagger]

Owls head in the early winter solo is going to be a challenge no matter what route you take. With 7.5 hours of daylight, you either start or end with headlamps. Give it 4 or 5 weekends and a lot more folks will have have gone out there via the various routes and the odds are high you will encounter a broken out path. Usually from the various college vacation weeks until the end of winter the paths are broken out almost daily. Usually in a typical winter, late winter means cold nights and sunny days which lead to a strong crust with occasional overnight fresh powder which would be ideal for skiing in. Generally once the snow bridges form they hang around for awhile but the trade off with later winter approaches is that a early warm stretch can blow them out.

If the snow conditions have underlying crust that you can ski on, I have met folks who ski that argue that they can do Owl via the FBT just as fast as the BPB. I have always liked the approach via FBT heading north towards 13 falls and then a bushwhack up the east side of mountain as its a lot sunnier. Any approach from the west side tends to be dark and cold as the suns angle in combination with the terrain tends to limit the hours of sun.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

See this thread on the Brutus Bushwhack for more details on the winter route(s) to Owl's Head.

Tim

 

[Kevin Rooney]

A group of us did Owls Head on 12/23 and B The Hiker did it a few days later. We did it via the Black Pond, and of course - the Brutus Bushwhack (that's the guy himself on the left in the avatar). Of course by now more snow has fallen, but if anything the 3 stream crossings will have improved. The first two were frozen and presented no problems, and the 3rd required a small rock hop across open water. My hunch is it's frozen over completely by now. This was the first time I'd been up in winter since doing it with Brutus on 2/9/05.

FWIW - each of these three brook crossings getting a little wider the closer you get to Owls Head.

 

[B the Hiker]

I have to say in very clear terms that hiking Owl's Head alone is very dangerous. It is a long hike, the bushwhack is not obvious, especially if you have never done it. There are numerous crossings, and the Brutus bushwhack is hard to find, let along climb alone if you need to break trail. The entire trip from start to finish is a cell phone dead zone, and there is no guarantee that you will see anyone else on a given day.

You can always hike it with AMC. We just did it, but I'm sure one chapter or another will have a trip out there shortly.


Brian

 

[sierra]

I have to say in very clear terms that hiking Owl's Head alone is very dangerous. It is a long hike, the bushwhack is not obvious, especially if you have never done it. There are numerous crossings, and the Brutus bushwhack is hard to find, let along climb alone if you need to break trail. The entire trip from start to finish is a cell phone dead zone, and there is no guarantee that you will see anyone else on a given day.

You can always hike it with AMC. We just did it, but I'm sure one chapter or another will have a trip out there shortly.


Brian

No offense, I get the point your " Trying" to make, but as a devoted soloist, I would have to dissagree with your statement. With the proper experience and equipment, soloing Owl's head is not dangerous at all, respecfully.

 

[Dave Bear]

No offense, I get the point your " Trying" to make, but as a devoted soloist, I would have to dissagree with your statement. With the proper experience and equipment, soloing Owl's head is not dangerous at all, respecfully.

Sierra, I totally agree! Even my first time out solo on a New Years weekend, two nights and three days, broke out slide but not enough stamina left for the peak. Just me and my steaks!;-) Have soloed it from Franconia Ridge twice, once from North of Liberty in the col at night and once from the col between Liberty and Flume, both times in winter. Standard routes are fine including Black Pond Bushwhack and the Brutus Bushwhack!

 

[RoySwkr]

If the snow conditions have underlying crust that you can ski on, I have met folks who ski that argue that they can do Owl via the FBT just as fast as the BPB. I have always liked the approach via FBT heading north towards 13 falls and then a bushwhack up the east side of mountain as its a lot sunnier. Any approach from the west side tends to be dark and cold as the suns angle in combination with the terrain tends to limit the hours of sun.

Although it's counter-intuitive, the E side approach is actually a couple miles shorter than the Black Pond bushwhack - anyone disputing this statement please post your distances! You will almost certainly have to break out the E side bushwhack up so good conditions or a group are suggested. Anyone you know telemark the glades coming back down?

 

[Dennis C.]

Although it's counter-intuitive, the E side approach is actually a couple miles shorter than the Black Pond bushwhack - anyone disputing this statement please post your distances! You will almost certainly have to break out the E side bushwhack up so good conditions or a group are suggested. Anyone you know telemark the glades coming back down?

I'm not familiar with the approach from Black Pond. Years ago, we used to bushwhack up from the east side also ... from the Hellgate Brook crossing. The best suggestion I can offer is wait for consolidated snow conditions and the major brook crossings to freeze over before doing some of these major long distance peaks.

 

[peakbagger]

I havent done the east side bushwhack for a few years but it sure looked like some nice open glades at the time. The time we did it, we headed for the ridge too early (south of the summit) and got in some nasty stuff on the ridge. We did get some nice views along the ridge and even found what we think was the "old" summit, complete with bolt in an old tree. When we came down we slabbed SE through the thick stuff until we hit open softwoods and then followed the contour south until we met our track up. We did it in late winter and the most difficult part of the hike was the brook crossing tot he west of Hellgate. I think we found a couple of trees to use.

The bushwhack direct from the new summit down the east side is still in my list to do. Looking at Googel earth it looks like with some navigation most of the hike is in hardwoods.

 

[Brambor]

the Lincoln Brook trail and the 'brook trail' section that loops around Owls head looks like it would be a nice bc ski tour. The contours look forgiving. Anyone done that? Feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss off line. Thank You.

 

[Dave Bear]

Peakbagger, Do you know if anyone has been able to follow the railroad grade around the mountain from the east and upward around the southend? I remember how clearly I could still see it in January from Bondcliff.

 

[peakbagger]

I have read and seen pictures of someone hiking that railroad bed but I have no idea where. It may be one of the Rocks on Top folks.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I think Steve Smith has... Jazzbo, are you reading??? You mentioned something about this last winter...

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

the Lincoln Brook trail and the 'brook trail' section that loops around Owls head looks like it would be a nice bc ski tour. The contours look forgiving. Anyone done that? Feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss off line. Thank You.

I have skied up LBT past the slide to a point close to the height-of-land NW of the OH summit. We then climbed up onto the ridge and skied to the OH summit. It was not particularly difficult (we carried overnight gear to a point beyond the slide), but there were spots where sliding off the trail could drop one into/onto the brook. IIRC, a moderate rating would be appropriate.

It was a long time ago (~1980), there has been a hurricane or two, and the trail maintenance standards have changed so the difficulty may have changed.

Doug

 

[hikrgrl]

Thanks for all the input everyone!

 

[Brambor]

It almost seems that skinning the westernpart to the campsite and then skiing the eastern part back to Lincoln Woods would be a safe and and entertaining overnighter.

I have skied up LBT past the slide to a point close to the height-of-land NW of the OH summit. We then climbed up onto the ridge and skied to the OH summit. It was not particularly difficult (we carried overnight gear to a point beyond the slide), but there were spots where sliding off the trail could drop one into/onto the brook. IIRC, a moderate rating would be appropriate.

It was a long time ago (~1980), there has been a hurricane or two, and the trail maintenance standards have changed so the difficulty may have changed.

Doug

 

[Tom_Murphy]

It almost seems that skinning the westernpart to the campsite and then skiing the eastern part back to Lincoln Woods would be a safe and entertaining overnighter.

Good route finding skills are required just past the OH silde and later at the height of land.

I have had trouble with the right hand turn at the entrance to the Franconia Brook "beaver pond bypass" from the south in the winter which might suggest using the Black Pond cut-off.

I have been doing overnights in the late autumn to create GPS tracks for my more ambitious winter trips.

 

[DougPaul]

It almost seems that skinning the westernpart to the campsite and then skiing the eastern part back to Lincoln Woods would be a safe and and entertaining overnighter.

As Tom mentioned the trail finding is difficult near the height-of-land. (It was difficult even back then too. But we didn't try that section.) From the height-of-land down to Camp 13 Falls campsite is also significantly steeper than any other part of the route.

A bit past the slide, the trail appears to go over an edge and you will fall in the river if you continue. The trail actually turns uphill just before this point to attain a higher ledge and then continues parallel to the river. I don't recall any other difficulties before getting to the point where we turned to climb the ridge.

FWIW, I skied into Camp 13 Falls campsite via Franconia Brook Tr (ca 1976). It was pretty easy skiing back then, however I believe there have been some changes to the trail since then (washouts, IIRC).

Doug