Hitchcock Traverse

[SpencerVT]

I'd like to attempt to traverse the Hitchcock range going up the Discovery trail and bushwhacking to Hitchcock North and then traverse the range over to the East Peak and down out through the Cedar Brook trail. Not sure how the woods are on those peaks or if this has been done / is even really possible to do in a day, or would likely it require an overnight on the range?

 

[Tom_Murphy]

I'd like to attempt to traverse the Hitchcock range going up the Discovery trail and bushwhacking to Hitchcock North and then traverse the range over to the East Peak and down out through the Cedar Brook trail. Not sure how the woods are on those peaks or if this has been done / is even really possible to do in a day, or would likely it require an overnight on the range?

If you do overnight, there is a pretty sweet spot in the col south of North Hitchcock [3194.'].

I came in from the Eastside Trail south of peak 2255 and only managed North Hitchcock, but I am a slow hiker who will use any excuse to stop and take a photo. I was swimming in the col.

 

[Damselfly]

I've never hiked all five in one day... so my hats off to you! Approaching west peak from Lincoln Woods.... woods are decent... better than expected on the "bitchcocks". Woods from Main Peak to North were dense, as I recall. There is a helo pad out on North, I recall... cleared area... could camp around there if you carry water. East as an in and out was super easy from the HOL on Cedar Brook. Best to you!

 

[SpencerVT]

Not sure if I'm going to give it a shot or not, sounds like there might be some dense woods which could really rack up the time it takes. Might have to view this movie in two parts. Thanks so much for the info! and if anyone else also has any further Hitchcock words of wisdom, I'm all ears!

 

[Grey J]

Might have to view this movie in two parts. Thanks so much for the info! and if anyone else also has any further Hitchcock words of wisdom, I'm all ears!

"What are the 39 Steps?"

 

[SpencerVT]

"What are the 39 Steps?"

Hahaha! All I know is I'm going to try and do these Hitchcock mountains going North By Northwest!"

 

[Gamehiker]

Onestep and I did this in June 2008. It took us 12 hours, mostly because I'm slow. But your planned route was essentially what we did.

 

[HockeyPuck]

You're looking at a very long day. I've not hiked them yet but they are on my short list. Have you considered West to Middle to South to East then BW to Cedar Brook before continuing North to bag N Peak. It would save you from retracing your steps and I've heard the woods from Cedar Brook to N aren't too scrappy.. Do you have a date planned?

 

[SpencerVT]

I took a vacation day off work and climbed all five Hitchcock's yesterday. It took me 13 hours including stopping for lunch. Definitely a very long day! Perfect weather though and not too hot up there.
There was still some daylight (even though it doesn't look like it in the photo) on East Hitchcock and I made it back down to the Cedar Brook trail just at dark. Coming off of Mount Hitchcock South Peak was some of the worst forest imaginable; this part felt like the equivalent of the the Hitchcock shower scene from PSYCHO, as if the landscape was the shower, the forest was the killer, and the conifers were the knife: Cliffs, insanely thick spruce, blowdown; just absolutely brutal all the way until I got to high point which is before the East Peak.
From that high point to the East peak wasn't bad. Middle Hitchcock had the most open woods of the entire day (along with the West Peak).
I always take a photo of myself at every summit showing I reached the canister:

 

[Grey J]

I am Spellbound reading your trip report. Without a Shadow of a Doubt, a singular accomplishment for which you will be suitably Notorious. Some might consider you Psycho to attempt this feat, and many, including me, would be in a Frenzy descending through that thick stuff. I would have been at the end of my Rope by then. At least there were no Vertigo inducing cliffs to deal with. Seriously, that's a very impressive haul for one day. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing.

 

[SpencerVT]

Haha, thanks Grey J! Believe me, doing all 5 Hitchcock's in one day is for the Birds!

 

[Driver8]

Congrats, Spencer! What were your favorite parts of the trip?

 

[Damselfly]

Congrats! All five... and I know how bad the woods can be. Quite a feat. Well done!

 

[Grey J]

I was a little surprised to look at a map and see that the Hitchcocks are mostly sitting right on the southern boundary of The Pemigewasset Wilderness with West Hitchcock on the outside. In my mind, these peaks were deep inside the Pemi. I'm sure a lot of people experience the Pemigewasset without leaving the comfort of the Lincoln Woods Trail, while the vast majority of hikers (like me) may walk all around the entire Wilderness and hit all the summits but stay primarily on the established trails. Artificial boundaries aside, I think, in terms of experiencing The Wilderness (such as it exists in NH), you got right to the heart of the matter.
Good on ya mate.