BIGEarl
Well-known member
August 8, 2009: Kilkenny Ridge E2E Traverse
Trails: Kilkenny Ridge Trail (E2E), Starr King Trail (E2E), The Horn summit spur, Terrace Mountain summit spur
Summits: The Horn, The Bulge, Cabot, N. Terrace Mtn., Terrace Mtn., N. Weeks, M. Weeks, S. Weeks, Waumbek, Starr King
Distance – Elevation: 25 miles, 8626 feet, plus 1.1 mile and 200 feet road walk at the start
Hikers: Bryan Cuddihee, Trail Trotter (Sue) and me.
This hike has been hanging around our to-do list since last year, along with a couple others. We had plans to complete this hike late in the summer last year but it kept being delayed in favor of other hikes. We decided now was a good time to take on Kilkenny Ridge, and the other stuff in the neighborhood. Bryan has also been thinking about this one for a while and decided to join the fun.
As planned, we all met at the trailhead lot for the Starr King Trail in Jefferson (our ending location) to drop a vehicle. We consolidated gear into Bryan’s car and headed for the South Pond Recreation Area in Stark (our starting location), a ~45 minute drive. A little ahead of plan we were leaving the parking area outside the entry gate for the recreation area. Early access to the recreation area is restricted which means we started with a 1.1 mile road walk including ~200 feet in elevation to reach the north end of the Kilkenny Ridge Trail. Roughly fifteen minutes later than planned we were on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail (KRT) headed for Jefferson and our waiting truck. We expected to arrive around 9:30pm.
KRT – Trailhead to Rogers Ledge
The initial section of our hike was a cool one. The forecast conditions for the day were great but we started early, the sun wasn’t up yet, and we were hiking in the shade. With a temperature in the low forties we needed to keep moving to get warm and stay warm. Along South Pond we started to encounter some significant mud pits, which seem to be the general condition everywhere. The mud continued nearly all of the way to Rogers Ledge. Other than the mud, the Kilkenny Ridge Trail was in great shape and things were already shaping up to be a terrific day. We worked our way south gaining elevation along the way for the 4,1 miles and 1850 feet to Rogers Ledge. There is evidence of a great deal of recent moose activity in the area but we did not see any animals. By the time we reached Rogers Ledge the sun was up and the temperature was starting to climb slowly. We stepped onto the ledge and enjoyed great views to the east, south, and west. Directly in front of us was a beautiful view to the Presidentials including the Carter Range and Carter Notch. I wasn’t expecting this to be a view hike – nice bonus!
KRT – Rogers Ledge to Bunnell Notch
The next target on our list was The Horn. Originally, The Horn and Terrace Mountain were “optional” targets. Early on we decided to go for everything along the route. Leaving Rogers Ledge, the KRT seems to head off in the wrong direction. Actually, the trail exits and drops elevation quickly but then makes a u-turn and heads south toward our next target. Along the way we passed Kilback Pond. A short distance before reaching the Pond we noticed an odd looking track with little detail due to the wet mud. A few yards later we came to a much clearer copy of the bear track. The track was a small one, approximately six inches across – perhaps eight. Pictures are included in the slideshow. At the pond there is a section of bridges that is half underwater. There is no way to cross on the bridges with dry feet. After quickly surveying the situation we decided to take advantage of the work done by the local beaver population. From the end of the submerged bridge we went right (west) and used the beaver dam as a bridge. We all reached the far side of the water with dry feet.
The great amount of mud generally continued until the trail started to climb the ridge near Unknown Pond. Soon the trail conditions were greatly improved. We reached the east junction with the Unknown Pond Trail, made the turn west and headed for the other junction to continue our hike south. Here we made a quick refreshment break. I pulled out my hike notes to check how we were doing versus plan and we were actually ahead. Without spending too much time, we finished our break and set off for The Horn. The trail passed on the west side of Unknown Pond and then had a steady climb to The Horn passing to the west of the summit area. South of The Horn is a spur trail that leads to the summit. We made the turn and completed the short hike to the scrambles leading to The Horn, and more great views.
After a few summit pictures and view pictures we were on our way back to KRT and our hike south. Next target was The Bulge. The KRT passes over the summit of The Bulge which is a good thing since there are no summit markings that we could find. We cleared the high point and kept moving. The Bulge is a treed summit with no views and no reason to delay. Next on our list was Mount Cabot – our first 4K peak for the day.
The section of trail including The Horn, The Bulge, and Mount Cabot is a short one. All three targets are very close together and we were soon on final approach to Mount Cabot. The last time I was at the summit of Mount Cabot in mid summer the day was hot, humid, and there was no breeze. The mosquitoes were a huge test on that hike. Today, we enjoyed cool temperatures, a nice breeze, and no flying insects at all. What a day! It was almost like late September conditions. We reached the treed summit of Mount Cabot, got the usual summit shots, and set off for the Cabot Cabin and our lunch break. After roughly thirty minutes we were setting off for Bunnell Notch. On our exit from Mount Cabot we made a quick stop to enjoy the views from Bunnell Rock. From the junction with the Mt. Cabot Trail and Bunnell Notch I expected a significant mud problem to deal with. Fortunately, the trail was relatively dry. This was a pleasant surprise.
Bunnell Notch to the Trailhead
Next target, Terrace Mtn. Starting with our departure from Bunnell Notch, the KRT became a very different trail. We found the trail to be grown in very tight, and there were many blowdowns all of the way across Terrace Mountain, The Weeks, and to within a very short distance of Waumbek. The trail is a mess. On the other hand, we were hiking on a trail section that seemed much more remote and less traveled which was also very nice. The trail climbing to North Terrace Mtn. includes sections of dense fern and moss growth. This area was unique in our hike south and a very enjoyable change. From Bunnell Notch to North Terrace is a mild climb and we were soon on the ridge leading to the summit spur for Terrace Mountain. We hit the spur, wandered out to the summit, and were back on the hike south after a brief break. At this point we were moving into mid-afternoon, we still had roughly eleven miles and three thousand feet, and five more summits to clear before we were on our final cruise to the waiting truck. Plus, Bryan and I were running low on water and the search was underway for a stream where we could take care of a re-supply.
We hiked down from Terrace Mtn. into Willard Notch and the junction with the York Pond Trail. Near the trail junction we found a stream but the slow rate of flow, general appearance of the stream, and the great amount of “evidence” of moose activity told us to keep looking. We continued our trek south and search for water. The next target on the list was North Weeks. At this point, with ~14.5 miles and 4800 feet in elevation behind us we’re starting to feel the hike – at least I am. The climb to North Weeks involved 1.3 miles and 1200 feet in elevation. There were multiple streams shown on the map in this area but we could find none. Slowly we made our way to the summit stopping along the way as needed (and the stops were becoming more frequent). With the climb to North Weeks behind us we had a generally mild hike ahead. On our exit from North Weeks we came upon a stream and took care of the water and Gatorade re-supply. This ~ten minute distraction gave us another needed break. Soon we were on a cruise to Middle Weeks and then South Weeks. The trail conditions continued to be a test. More tight trail that was littered with blowdowns. We easily cleared Middle and South Weeks and were off for Waumbek.
Suddenly the day got very easy. The hike from South Weeks to Waumbek is over mild terrain. The elevation gain of 600 feet is really spread out making the climb to our final 4K for the day very easy. In a relatively short time we were standing at the Waumbek summit cairn snapping pictures and preparing for the hike out, which included headlights. Shortly after leaving Waumbek we turned on the headlights. The Starr King Trail is in great shape, clear, and generally dry. We enjoyed 3.6 miles of headlight hiking over Starr King and on to the trailhead. As we passed the site of the old cabin near the summit we stopped for a brief break to cool off the feet a little. It’s late, I’m pretty sure we’re all tired, but the day has gone off as planned and we were right on schedule. Only 2.6 miles more and we can call it a hike. Even the hike out from Starr King was much better than expected. The great amount of mud that was expected wasn’t there. The trail was generally dry and we were able to make our way to the trailhead with no slips or falls on the slick mud that is usually found on this section of trail.
We hit the trailhead, on plan, packed our things into the truck, and set off for the north end of our hike and retrieved the vehicle that was left there in the morning. What a terrific day! We enjoyed outstanding weather conditions for the day and had no on-trail mishaps at all. Thanks Sue and Bryan for a great hike.
Our to-do list is getting shorter.
Pictures will follow.
Trails: Kilkenny Ridge Trail (E2E), Starr King Trail (E2E), The Horn summit spur, Terrace Mountain summit spur
Summits: The Horn, The Bulge, Cabot, N. Terrace Mtn., Terrace Mtn., N. Weeks, M. Weeks, S. Weeks, Waumbek, Starr King
Distance – Elevation: 25 miles, 8626 feet, plus 1.1 mile and 200 feet road walk at the start
Hikers: Bryan Cuddihee, Trail Trotter (Sue) and me.
This hike has been hanging around our to-do list since last year, along with a couple others. We had plans to complete this hike late in the summer last year but it kept being delayed in favor of other hikes. We decided now was a good time to take on Kilkenny Ridge, and the other stuff in the neighborhood. Bryan has also been thinking about this one for a while and decided to join the fun.
As planned, we all met at the trailhead lot for the Starr King Trail in Jefferson (our ending location) to drop a vehicle. We consolidated gear into Bryan’s car and headed for the South Pond Recreation Area in Stark (our starting location), a ~45 minute drive. A little ahead of plan we were leaving the parking area outside the entry gate for the recreation area. Early access to the recreation area is restricted which means we started with a 1.1 mile road walk including ~200 feet in elevation to reach the north end of the Kilkenny Ridge Trail. Roughly fifteen minutes later than planned we were on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail (KRT) headed for Jefferson and our waiting truck. We expected to arrive around 9:30pm.
KRT – Trailhead to Rogers Ledge
The initial section of our hike was a cool one. The forecast conditions for the day were great but we started early, the sun wasn’t up yet, and we were hiking in the shade. With a temperature in the low forties we needed to keep moving to get warm and stay warm. Along South Pond we started to encounter some significant mud pits, which seem to be the general condition everywhere. The mud continued nearly all of the way to Rogers Ledge. Other than the mud, the Kilkenny Ridge Trail was in great shape and things were already shaping up to be a terrific day. We worked our way south gaining elevation along the way for the 4,1 miles and 1850 feet to Rogers Ledge. There is evidence of a great deal of recent moose activity in the area but we did not see any animals. By the time we reached Rogers Ledge the sun was up and the temperature was starting to climb slowly. We stepped onto the ledge and enjoyed great views to the east, south, and west. Directly in front of us was a beautiful view to the Presidentials including the Carter Range and Carter Notch. I wasn’t expecting this to be a view hike – nice bonus!
KRT – Rogers Ledge to Bunnell Notch
The next target on our list was The Horn. Originally, The Horn and Terrace Mountain were “optional” targets. Early on we decided to go for everything along the route. Leaving Rogers Ledge, the KRT seems to head off in the wrong direction. Actually, the trail exits and drops elevation quickly but then makes a u-turn and heads south toward our next target. Along the way we passed Kilback Pond. A short distance before reaching the Pond we noticed an odd looking track with little detail due to the wet mud. A few yards later we came to a much clearer copy of the bear track. The track was a small one, approximately six inches across – perhaps eight. Pictures are included in the slideshow. At the pond there is a section of bridges that is half underwater. There is no way to cross on the bridges with dry feet. After quickly surveying the situation we decided to take advantage of the work done by the local beaver population. From the end of the submerged bridge we went right (west) and used the beaver dam as a bridge. We all reached the far side of the water with dry feet.
The great amount of mud generally continued until the trail started to climb the ridge near Unknown Pond. Soon the trail conditions were greatly improved. We reached the east junction with the Unknown Pond Trail, made the turn west and headed for the other junction to continue our hike south. Here we made a quick refreshment break. I pulled out my hike notes to check how we were doing versus plan and we were actually ahead. Without spending too much time, we finished our break and set off for The Horn. The trail passed on the west side of Unknown Pond and then had a steady climb to The Horn passing to the west of the summit area. South of The Horn is a spur trail that leads to the summit. We made the turn and completed the short hike to the scrambles leading to The Horn, and more great views.
After a few summit pictures and view pictures we were on our way back to KRT and our hike south. Next target was The Bulge. The KRT passes over the summit of The Bulge which is a good thing since there are no summit markings that we could find. We cleared the high point and kept moving. The Bulge is a treed summit with no views and no reason to delay. Next on our list was Mount Cabot – our first 4K peak for the day.
The section of trail including The Horn, The Bulge, and Mount Cabot is a short one. All three targets are very close together and we were soon on final approach to Mount Cabot. The last time I was at the summit of Mount Cabot in mid summer the day was hot, humid, and there was no breeze. The mosquitoes were a huge test on that hike. Today, we enjoyed cool temperatures, a nice breeze, and no flying insects at all. What a day! It was almost like late September conditions. We reached the treed summit of Mount Cabot, got the usual summit shots, and set off for the Cabot Cabin and our lunch break. After roughly thirty minutes we were setting off for Bunnell Notch. On our exit from Mount Cabot we made a quick stop to enjoy the views from Bunnell Rock. From the junction with the Mt. Cabot Trail and Bunnell Notch I expected a significant mud problem to deal with. Fortunately, the trail was relatively dry. This was a pleasant surprise.
Bunnell Notch to the Trailhead
Next target, Terrace Mtn. Starting with our departure from Bunnell Notch, the KRT became a very different trail. We found the trail to be grown in very tight, and there were many blowdowns all of the way across Terrace Mountain, The Weeks, and to within a very short distance of Waumbek. The trail is a mess. On the other hand, we were hiking on a trail section that seemed much more remote and less traveled which was also very nice. The trail climbing to North Terrace Mtn. includes sections of dense fern and moss growth. This area was unique in our hike south and a very enjoyable change. From Bunnell Notch to North Terrace is a mild climb and we were soon on the ridge leading to the summit spur for Terrace Mountain. We hit the spur, wandered out to the summit, and were back on the hike south after a brief break. At this point we were moving into mid-afternoon, we still had roughly eleven miles and three thousand feet, and five more summits to clear before we were on our final cruise to the waiting truck. Plus, Bryan and I were running low on water and the search was underway for a stream where we could take care of a re-supply.
We hiked down from Terrace Mtn. into Willard Notch and the junction with the York Pond Trail. Near the trail junction we found a stream but the slow rate of flow, general appearance of the stream, and the great amount of “evidence” of moose activity told us to keep looking. We continued our trek south and search for water. The next target on the list was North Weeks. At this point, with ~14.5 miles and 4800 feet in elevation behind us we’re starting to feel the hike – at least I am. The climb to North Weeks involved 1.3 miles and 1200 feet in elevation. There were multiple streams shown on the map in this area but we could find none. Slowly we made our way to the summit stopping along the way as needed (and the stops were becoming more frequent). With the climb to North Weeks behind us we had a generally mild hike ahead. On our exit from North Weeks we came upon a stream and took care of the water and Gatorade re-supply. This ~ten minute distraction gave us another needed break. Soon we were on a cruise to Middle Weeks and then South Weeks. The trail conditions continued to be a test. More tight trail that was littered with blowdowns. We easily cleared Middle and South Weeks and were off for Waumbek.
Suddenly the day got very easy. The hike from South Weeks to Waumbek is over mild terrain. The elevation gain of 600 feet is really spread out making the climb to our final 4K for the day very easy. In a relatively short time we were standing at the Waumbek summit cairn snapping pictures and preparing for the hike out, which included headlights. Shortly after leaving Waumbek we turned on the headlights. The Starr King Trail is in great shape, clear, and generally dry. We enjoyed 3.6 miles of headlight hiking over Starr King and on to the trailhead. As we passed the site of the old cabin near the summit we stopped for a brief break to cool off the feet a little. It’s late, I’m pretty sure we’re all tired, but the day has gone off as planned and we were right on schedule. Only 2.6 miles more and we can call it a hike. Even the hike out from Starr King was much better than expected. The great amount of mud that was expected wasn’t there. The trail was generally dry and we were able to make our way to the trailhead with no slips or falls on the slick mud that is usually found on this section of trail.
We hit the trailhead, on plan, packed our things into the truck, and set off for the north end of our hike and retrieved the vehicle that was left there in the morning. What a terrific day! We enjoyed outstanding weather conditions for the day and had no on-trail mishaps at all. Thanks Sue and Bryan for a great hike.
Our to-do list is getting shorter.
Pictures will follow.
Last edited:
