Lost Pass

[dr_wu002]

Can anyone tell me what 'Lost Pass' is. I found this on the map yesterday and my curiosity is piqued. I'm not interested in routes, just maybe a description of what it is or what it's like. Reply here or PM me.

-Dr. Wu

 

[MichaelJ]

I'm told, though I have not yet been, that it is very, very, very wet, and makes for a fine winter xc ski but you don't want to go through there in the summer.

There was a trail, a long time ago...

 

[dr_wu002]

I'm told, though I have not yet been, that it is very, very, very wet, and makes for a fine winter xc ski but you don't want to go through there in the summer.

There was a trail, a long time ago...

What a quick response! From the map it looks wet and from google earth it looks wet, I guess. Why is it called 'Lost Pass'? Because there was a trail going through. I wish Steve Smith would post here... I bet he's reading this! We have to get him a pseudonym!

-Dr. Wu

 

[dug]

It shows on my DeLorme map, and have wondered about the area myself. How easy is it to follow the trail in the winter? It looks like it would be a GREAT XC ski trail.

 

[MichaelJ]

It used to be discussed on the Lost Trails web site, but I can't seem to find that site anymore...

 

[el-bagr]

1) Lost Pass is an interesting area. Like others have said, it's best explored on skis. I'd recommend "backcountry" skis, though I've thrashed around on XC skis there as well. You can use it as a through route from Flat Mountain Ponds to Snows Brook (steeper) or Cascade Brook (easier). Some interesting archeological stuff in there, if you know what I mean. There are some semi-maintained trails in there -- e.g. from Flat Mtn Pond, take Pond Trail through the pass to the Woodbury Trail or Snows Brook trail which hooks onto Waterville Valley's trails. I believe WODC has unofficial maintenance of these routes, and that the wilderness deal calls for winter use only (?).

2) Joe Jalbert's Lost Trails appears to be lost. Cached version of the Waterville page is here. I have a mirrored copy of what I think is the full set of pages, but have neither a way to host them nor a way to contact Joe for permission. (My last few emails to Joe over the past several years have received no response.) Any ideas on reaching Joe, or alternatively hosting my mirrored copies?

 

[MichaelJ]

I would happily serve those pages except that my bandwidth is suffering right now. I may change my setup in a few month's time and if I do, we can talk about serving them from my site.

 

[peakbagger]

The views from the top group did a fall group hike through the "Lost Pass" a few years ago led by Peter Miller. It was a great trip especially as Peter arranged a shuttle bus to bring us back to the trailhead!. The approach from the south was very obvious and easy following an abandoned railroad grade up to an unexpected large beaver pond at the head of the pass. We did have a bit of confusion north of the pass and ended up taking the wrong valley out. We eventually hooked up to a ski trail network and made it out in time to catch the bus.

The trip doesnt have much for views although there were a couple of limited ones towards south Tripyramid. The other issue is that ts a long way around for a car spot. The grades looked like great skiing and there is obviously a lot of minimal maintenance being down to keep things open for winter use.

 

[Dalraida]

I know the area pretty well since I have been through there at least four times summer and winter. If you follow the old RR grade and then trail from Flat Mountain Pond you will ultimately run smack into a small pond at the height of land. In the winter if you ski across the pond the trail picks up on the other side. In the summer, backtrack for about a qtr mile then go into the woods on the east side of the trail. The woods are pretty clear and if you keep a sharp eye out for cut brush stumps you can wend your way around and pick the trail up again. I remember walking into a tiny, dark semi-clearing in tall trees where the trail exits heading north. You should eventually get back onto a very well cut, but narrow trail that crosses the small brook that turns into Cascade Brook and the trail that follows it. After a bit of walking you will come upon the big clearings at the top of Cascade Brook Trail and the XC ski trails. Parts of this route follow the old Woodbury Trail that comes in from the Intersection of Downes Brook Trail and the Sleeper Trail. I have come across the Woodbury Trail closer to the Sleeper/Downes junction, but only in fragments. I didn't have that as a destination that day so I didn't follow it, but it would be a fun trail to rediscover. On one trip I took a westerly bypass around the pond at the head of Lost Pass. That brought me out onto the XC trail network at the extreme western edge of the WV trail network and not on the old Woodbury Trail. These trails were established at the turn of the century when Waterville Valley was a major hiking center. They are described in the book White Mountain Memories. A must read if you like historical hiking stories in the Whites. If you ain't bleeding, you ain't whacking.

 

[cooperhill]

1931 & 36 WMG

This excerpt from the the 1936 WMG may or may not help:

"Flat Mountain Ponds
The three ponds (2,311 ft) are connected by a narrow stream. They lie 2 1/2m. SW of Mt. Whiteface, between the two low summits of Flat Mt. One rounded summit (2,940ft) is SE of the ponds. The N summit (3,300 ft) is 2m. W. The chief charm of this region was the fine virgin forest, but lumbering began in 1920, and an extensive fire in 1923 completed its desolation.

The ponds may be reached by ascending the abandoned Beebe River Lumber RR to the NE either from Sandwich Notch road (see Squam map), or from the Bennett Street trail (see below). It passes along the NW side of both ponds, one branch diverging towards Lost Pass, the other continuing towards the Sleeper Ridge.

I will try and scan the 1931 waterville sheet and post it here.

Chris

 

[dr_wu002]

I posted too much of this whacky stuff today and it's going to take me some time to process everybody's responses. Anyway, the Lost Trails Website appears to be working (I had the link at home, not at work though).
http://world.std.com/~Whites/trails/249.html

Here's the beta:
Lost Pass Trail
Region: Waterville
Maintainer: WODC
North Terminus: Woodbury Trail
South Terminus: Railroad Grade NE of Flat Mountain Pond
Condition: Marginally Passable


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1931 White Mountain Guide

(pp.)"The ponds can no longer be readily reached from Waterville. The old trail from near the 3.5 mile mark on the Woodbury Trail is now very obscure through the spruce forest and obliterated in the logged and burned area. A rough trail from the trail up Snow Mountain is likewise difficult to follow."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2000 Peter Miller

(pp.)"The status of the trail needs to be upgraded from bushwhack to "abandoned" trail. I put abandoned in quotes because the trail is being semi-maintained (with USFS permission) by the same WODC folks who are keeping the old Woodbury Trail open. They use this trail network primarily for X-C skiing. Some members of their party claim to have skied all the way from Whiteface Intervale off 113A to the summit of Mt. Whiteface, the final leg done on the Sleeper Trail. See my description of the Woodbury Trail for complementary info. The Lost Pass Trail lies almost entirely within the Sandwich Range Wilderness Area. It is shown on the 1995 DeLorme Trail Map and Guide to the WMNF. South end of Lost Pass Trail. The trail begins at the far NE end of Flat Mountain Pond on the prominent old railroad grade spur that proceeds N on the E side of the brook that flows out of the beaver pond. In the vicinity of the beaver pond, the grade is under shallow water. Wade through, bushwhack around, or explore when frozen over (as I did the one time I was there). Where the spur terminates, bushwhack straight ahead and a bit to the right (more or less NNE) and you will almost immediately intersect an old logging road. Proceed N up the road. Two years ago, the road was in fine condition--wide, good treadway, clear of blowdowns and ice storm damage. In fact, it was in better condition than many White Mountain trails. It gains elevation gradually and stays to the E side of the brook. Quite lovely! A totally unexpected find. The road peters out as the terrain gets more and more boggy. Follow the saw cuts. This section is much more challenging to ski and would seem to require significant snow depth due to its rockiness. I did not follow it all the way into the heart of the Pass. It's a long trek. Getting to the south trailhead itself requires a 5+ mile hike up Flat Mountain Pond Trail. Today, with the bridge over the Whiteface River having been removed, it is probably most practical to hike up the W arm of Flat Mountain Pond Loop. The section along the north edge of Flat Mountain Pond is not railroad grade (which was flooded when the dam was built). It is rough, with elevation gain and loss. Allow for that in your time calculations. The logging road which the railroad spur intersects with appears to swing around toward the SE below the junction. Though it has not been kept clear, it seems worthy of exploration. North end of Lost Pass Trail. This branches right (more or less SSE) off the old Woodbury Trail approximately 4 or 5 miles from the Snow's Mtn ski area parking lot in Waterville. Watch for the right turn (crosses Cascade Brook) just before breaking into the open beaver meadow. The junction is obscure, but the continuation of the trail on the south bank of the brook is unmistakable and road-like. A derelict cooking pot lies to the left of the Woodbury Trail in the vicinity of the junction. The Lost Pass Trail continues into the heart of the Pass, first as a fine old road but then as an obscure footpath. Follow the sawcuts. There is little elevation gain or loss. The heart of the Pass is a truly wild jumble of evergreens in all stages of growth and dilapidation, leaning at all angles. The treadway is poor, rocky in places, very wet in others. Beaucoup moose sign, including fine scratch marks on trees in the fall. This is nature at its most primevil. The moss is spectacular, and some of it is very rare; please be eco-sensitive. Note: It is pointless to venture here except in the driest seasons (or winter) due to the dampness of the terrain. The one time I explored the heart of the Pass at length, I eventually began descending out of it while following the saw cuts. I assumed I was heading toward Flat Mountain Pond. However, the terrain below didn't look like the Flat Mountain Pond area. I wondered if I was exiting by Snow's Brook back toward Waterville. Though I didn't know it at the time, those WODC busy-beavers have indeed been maintaining a trail out of Lost Pass along Snow's Brook too! While a glance at the compass could have resolved this issue, I prefer to bushwhack without using it, relying on familiar landforms, the angle of the sun, and my own "inner compass". Though unlikely, it is possible I got turned around in this featureless terrain. Because I'd hiked for many hours by this point, I didn't continue downhill to see where I'd come out but retraced my steps. Further exploration needed! Note that some maps, such as the WVAIA's Hiking Trails Map of Waterville Valley, 1994, show a trail along the north bank of Snow's Brook all the way into Lost Pass. The heart of the pass is a challenge. In addition to the trails I've referred to, there are remnants of old roads that have been completely consumed by very thick beds of sphagnum moss. A naturalist should lead a walk here someday! I hope to have more to report next fall. "

The site works: http://world.std.com/~Whites/

-Dr. Wu

 

[sardog1]

About once every millennium I get the urge to do a group trip. Last one was in 1977, so I guess it's about time for another.

If anybody else wants to get together for a ski tour, I'd be interested in doing this one. I've got a Suburban with good ground clearance and room for up to 7 passengers, if you don't mind sharing space with a dog or two. (If you don't want canine company on the tour, please pick another tour operator.)

Winter cannot come too soon, IMO, and planning this will help erase the memory of this past week's dewpoints. If you're interested, send me a PM with your contact info and I'll reply with same.