Craig
New member
Taken from Mt. Lowell – 5/25/08
Preface
*In 1868 New Hampshire authorized a geological survey that would launch a period of exploration in the Pemi wilderness including Mt. Carrigain. Charles H. Hitchcock was appointed state geologist and simultaneously named as professor of geology and mineralogy at Dartmouth College.
In the fall of 1869 Hitchcock drew up plans and selected George L. Vose of Paris Maine, and Joshua H. Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut to survey and map the sandwich range. During the summer months this survey crew would be rounded out, chiefly, with Dartmouth students.
In September of 1869 Vose along with George F. Morse, an accomplished artist from Portland Maine and John C. Cobb, a guide from Bartlett New Hampshire set up base camp somewhere along the now present Carrigain Notch Trail. From there, they ascended Carrigain's East Face via the southern most slide that they named after their guide as “Cobb's Stairs”. Reportedly, they made it to Signal ridge where they were socked in by cloud cover. Thinking they had reached the summit and having no views for their surveying tasks, they descended.
There would be many more ascents by subsequent parties in the summer of 1870 that would complete the work started by these 3 men.
Within a few years of the survey being completed, trails were built, guidebooks published and accurate maps distributed. Once the Signal Ridge Tr was built, Cobb's Stairs became a thing of the past.
**Reportedly, Guy Waterman and friends made several ascents of Cobb's Stairs in the 1980's. Additionally, it's reported that someone has ascended one of these slides in the past 2-3 years while continuing their quest to “whack the 48”.
*Forest and Crag
**Steve Smith
9/6/09 – A Scouting Foray
The objective for the day was to locate the main drainage for the East Face and explore the 3 slides.
I got a leisurely start from the TH at noon this day. The walk up the Carrigain Notch Tr is always a treat as it's a very quite area.
There are several drainages that feed Carrigain brook from the East Face of Carrigain and it took me a bit of exploring before I found the right one. The drainage is wide and mostly dry. At about 2350' I came upon a ledgy inlet I believed to be Cobb's Stairs. I was surprised to see running water coming down it's face after 2 weeks of dry weather. After contemplating my ability to successfully climb this slick moss covered slab, I decided to continue up the drainage and explore the remaining two slides.
Climbing to about 2900' the main drainage forks with the left inlet appearing more climbable than the right. The right inlet presents a 30' cliff at it terminus and didn't look like fun.
I decided to climb the left inlet and soon found myself in the middle of scree field that can be seen as the large open area just above fork at about 3050'. This scree field is constantly being fed with additional rock from washout of it gravel gully slope. I wasn't having much fun on this scree slope and the terrain above appeared to be overgrown so I decided to downclimb and explore the right inlet.
The 30' cliff at the entrance to the right inlet was too sketchy to be climbed. I easily whacked the left side and continued up. This slide is made up of a series of stepped cliffs ranging in height from 6' to 30' and the rock is very fractured. There is heavy moss growth and the water is running into and down the slide from all directions. I climbed this slide to about 3500' before it became a little too sketchy for my taste. I didn't much like downclimbing it either but after picking my way down I reached the main drainage unscathed.
Having found and explored the 3 slides I decided to call it a day by following the drainage down to the Carrigain Notch Tr and would leave Cobb's Stairs for another day.
9/19/09 – Cobb's Stairs Ascent
I got a reasonable start from the TH at 8:00am. The air was markedly cooler than 2 weeks prior which was nice a change. The walk was quite, as usual, but there was no wildlife to be seen along the way. Within 45 minutes I was taking a left onto the main drainage.
The climb up the drainage is a quite one as you are surrounded on three sides and there is little running water. Within 45 minutes I was presented with the entrance to Cobb's Stairs.
After a quick snack, I started my way up. The slide is aptly named as the ledgy sloped rock is a series of steps and cliffs that are quite unique. The rock has intermittent moss covering it's face and was quite wet. Care was require in foot placement but with careful consideration the climbing was fairly safe. There is a real feel of remoteness climbing Cobb's Stair and with it's stepped ledges, each section requires route finding and concentration to navigate.
I was having a lot of fun climbing to about 3400' when the forest started to encroach upon the slide. From here the climbing was still quite open with the occasional blowdown to climb over. At about 3700' the slide petered out and the slope became markedly steeper. I would describe this section of the mountain as moderately thick. There was an occasional break in the trees that afforded great views. At about 3900' it became very thick and upward progress slowed. The final push from 3900' to the SR Tr at 4200' was difficult. In hindsight it might had been easier to side slope southeast at 3700' to the SR Tr.
This was a fantastic climb and highly recommended for those that enjoy this sort of thing. It might even be fun in winter with an up and down climb.
I tagged the summit at noon while the tower and nearby trees spit ice dislodged by the blowing wind.
I rounded out the day by a visit to Carrigain Pond and a trip up the Captain for some sweet views of Sawyer River Valley from the cliffs. I descended the drainage down to the old logging road, to Sawyer River Road and back to the car.
After this loop hike, I have a better appreciation of the hard work required during the exploration of the White Mountains by those with a sense of adventure.
