peakbagger
In Rembrance , July 2024
It has been a few years since I first hiked the loop up Kearsage North via the traditional Kearsage North Trail and then down Weeks Brook trail to Shingle pond and then back down to Hurricane Mountain road via the "Shingle Pond Trail". The weather conditions were unusually warm yet there was still ice in the woods and ledges on both the Kearsage North trail and the upper Weeks Brook trail. This is fairly fast loop. I was leading a group hike with a slow member but expect most folks could complete it in 5 hours.
This route down from Shingle Pond is not an official hiking trail but makes an excellent loop hike without a car spot. It really cannot be considered a bushwhack but does require a comfort level following an indistinct route through open woods. In the past this was a maintained mountain biking trail that showed use but we found little evidence of recent maintenance and use. It is marked with red paint blazes on trees, but the paint is rapidly fading. The faded paint and the very open woods means that a hiker must be aware of their surroundings not to get off the route. Realistically the trail just follows the path of least resistance upslope from the stream draining Shingle pond so it would be difficult to really get substantially lost. The biggest challenge is finding where the route heads away from Shingle Pond. As Weeks Brook trail leaves the pond, there is a distinct cut trail, somewhat brushed in that quickly transitions to a stand of mature softwoods, the temptation is to immediately head south through the woods as the red paint blotches disappear but the actual route heads west paralleling the shore of the pond for a few minutes where the red paint reappears. It then makes a distinct turn south through a cut path and then heads south southwest and eventually crosses the outlet brook of Shingle Pond in a hemlock grove. From that crossing, the trail goes distinctly southwest through open woods. The path may have been a logging road long ago but in many spots its mostly the widest spot through the woods. There are no steep spots along the route, if you do get off the route, the grade tends to start dropping steeply down to the stream which may or may not be visible and if you go to far north you will be heading upslope. There are a few stretches of wet areas and then the route transitions to distinct logging road at the top of a steep slope. Near the end of the route it goes through a recent cut, just follow the logging roads and you will come out near a house and then past a large ski lodge and then down to Hurricane Mountain road where you take a right and walk a short distance down the road.
Other notes, The upper Weeks Brook Trail heading off the summit would be difficult to follow in winter as it meanders but traversing patches of ledge and woods with yellow paint blazes on rocks. Eventually it heads into the woods through a recently maintained trail. Single Pond is a great mountain pond but a blowdown at one point has encouraged a lot of new growth minimizing good camping spots.
Overall a nice hike to a favorite summit, the only thing I missed was the traditional stop at Moat mountain.
This route down from Shingle Pond is not an official hiking trail but makes an excellent loop hike without a car spot. It really cannot be considered a bushwhack but does require a comfort level following an indistinct route through open woods. In the past this was a maintained mountain biking trail that showed use but we found little evidence of recent maintenance and use. It is marked with red paint blazes on trees, but the paint is rapidly fading. The faded paint and the very open woods means that a hiker must be aware of their surroundings not to get off the route. Realistically the trail just follows the path of least resistance upslope from the stream draining Shingle pond so it would be difficult to really get substantially lost. The biggest challenge is finding where the route heads away from Shingle Pond. As Weeks Brook trail leaves the pond, there is a distinct cut trail, somewhat brushed in that quickly transitions to a stand of mature softwoods, the temptation is to immediately head south through the woods as the red paint blotches disappear but the actual route heads west paralleling the shore of the pond for a few minutes where the red paint reappears. It then makes a distinct turn south through a cut path and then heads south southwest and eventually crosses the outlet brook of Shingle Pond in a hemlock grove. From that crossing, the trail goes distinctly southwest through open woods. The path may have been a logging road long ago but in many spots its mostly the widest spot through the woods. There are no steep spots along the route, if you do get off the route, the grade tends to start dropping steeply down to the stream which may or may not be visible and if you go to far north you will be heading upslope. There are a few stretches of wet areas and then the route transitions to distinct logging road at the top of a steep slope. Near the end of the route it goes through a recent cut, just follow the logging roads and you will come out near a house and then past a large ski lodge and then down to Hurricane Mountain road where you take a right and walk a short distance down the road.
Other notes, The upper Weeks Brook Trail heading off the summit would be difficult to follow in winter as it meanders but traversing patches of ledge and woods with yellow paint blazes on rocks. Eventually it heads into the woods through a recently maintained trail. Single Pond is a great mountain pond but a blowdown at one point has encouraged a lot of new growth minimizing good camping spots.
Overall a nice hike to a favorite summit, the only thing I missed was the traditional stop at Moat mountain.
