Last Minute Owls Head Crossings 411 Needed

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I hiked Owls Head last Saturday via Franconia Falls and Fisherman's "Trail" (it is really mostly a bushwhack, and I think it is a bit thicker and wetter than the Black Pond bushwhack). I was right behind two others when I turned off to Franconia Falls, so got ahead of them, but they caught up with me well before the slide after taking the trails. I took the trails out and found both lower crossings a little tricky, although was able to keep my boots dry. The upper crossing was no problem, but all of this was after a few dry days. Whatever route you take, make sure that you visit the "new" better and higher summit about 0.2 miles farther north along the ridge; the herd path from the "old" summit to the new is getting better every day!

 

[sjhbos]

Just read this threat and thought that I would comment. We (me and one friend) hiked Owls Head last weekend for the first time. It was a nice hike and once off the Wilderness Trail we only met 4 others all day. We were undecided between doing the Black Pond bushwhack or staying on the trails and crossing what could be difficult rivers. Decided to cross the rivers - there were four crossings but the second two are very easy. Of the two difficult crossings that we reached, both were manageable. I wanted to keep my hiking boots dry and so took a pair of light water shoes and a towel but in the end kept my boots on as for each of the two crossings I noticed a line of rocks that I was able to use to step across which were about 40 or 50 yards down and to the left from the official trail crossing, then bushwhack back onto the trail.

Also, following up on Dr. Dasypodidae comments. Sean and I were the hikers a short distance in front of you on the Wilderness Trail, before you did the Fisherman’s bushwhack, and then meet up with you on the Lincoln Brook Trail. It was nice meeting you last weekend and sharing the trail with you for a while. As the good Dr. mentioned the crossing were manageable and still keep boot on but with the forecast of a lot of rain you should take a pair of water shoes, they are not heavy and good to have dry boots for the rest of the hike. Plan on 8 to 9 hours from when you leave Rt-112 until you will be back at your car. It is along way but except for the short climb up the slide the rest is very flat and fast going.

Out of interest about how many feet higher is the new summit than the old one? We did pop into the map store in Lincoln after the hike and Steve knew that you were doing Owls Head that day and passed on his best.

Best of luck with you 48x12 journey.

sjh

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Hi sjh,

Was waiting for you two to post a trip report, but then not seeing your report, thought that I should reply to this thread. Because of the changing weather conditions on Sunday the 15th, my surveying altimeter was less stable than it was in summer 2005. But, nevertheless, I was still measuring the new summit at about 10-15 ft higher than the old.

I spent about 12 minutes averaging readings on the old summit just after you headed down, then needed about 12 minutes to arrive at the new summit, spent another 12 minutes averaging readings there, then needed about 10 minutes to return to the old summit, and closed the loop by averaging readings for another 12 minutes there. So, about an hour-long project this time, rather than the 15-20 minutes that Weedhopper and I spent making measurements in 2005; although we did not close our loop then, I think that the more stable weather conditions made up for that.

I caught Steve Smith at the shop just as he was closing, and he said that you guys had stopped in a few minutes earlier. Steve hiked Owls Head on October 10th, and told me that this past summer Larry Garland had resurveyed the ridge with a Trimble GPS (similar to the systems with the large antenna sticking out of a backpack that you see used by highway crews), which allows post-processing of data against a base station, etc., and found the new summit to be between 5 and 10 ft higher than the old summit.

So, until someone drags a theodolite and rod up there (Ed Hawkins?), I guess all we can say is that the new summit is somewhere between 5 and 20 ft higher than the old.

Good seeing on OH last Sunday, and good luck completing your 48 in the next couple of weeks.

 

[drewski]

new summit

And there is a new sign at the new summit

 

[KenC]

Just wanted to leave a "Thank You" to everyone that responded. I did decide to call it off for a variety or reasons. Having been trained in the conservative "stay healthy to hike another day" school.

With the rapidly changing weather lots that i considered:

1.
Having seen other crossings after a good dump of rain, i figured a good chance we may not be aboe to make the worst crossing with what was on the way and flood conditions issued. maybe 50/50, 60/40
2.
Rain and lots of it ment wet crossings, even if we were able to get across chances are it woudl have been difficult to stay dry. With so many crossings both out and back, and temps in the 40's and colder at elevation. IE cold/wet= be damn carefull of Hypo.
3.
The sudden temperature drop (especially at elevation) ment icing and snow. Add that to the Owls Head Slide in a "transition" season, and you have enough ice to make things dangerous, but not enough for crapmons.

1,2,3 strikes and i'm out...

As a side note. Cantdog, i saw the gage pinned at 7,000!!! Yikes!!

Thanks again all.

Ken