Mt. Chocorua and Middle Sister

[sierra]

Champney falls trail up to the ridge junction, Piper to the summit. Jumped on the Middle Sister trail back at the junction and hit MS, took the Middle Sister cut-off on the way down to jump back on the Champney falls trail. Massive ice flows on the cut-off and the switchbacks as usual. My dog had zero issues on the ice, using the ice and the woods, while I trailed behind in my Hillshound trail crampons. He is moving through his third round of the 52wav list standing at #19 now. Back out this weekend, hopefully enjoying some fresh snow.

 

[NH2112]

Nice! A friend and I went up Champney on a frigid day in March 2017, his first time up and first time in subzero temps. We must have each eaten 5000 calories at the Yankee Smokehouse afterward .

Chocorua is still my favorite mountain in the Whites, it was the first one I hiked in Boy Scouts back in 83 or so and the one I’ve hiked the most times by a big margin. The only one I’ve done completely by headlamp as well (on 10-11 Nov 2017), though I did stop at Jim Liberty cabin for the night. Great night for a hike up, and one of those beautiful blue sky days you only have in winter for the hike down. My favorite route? Piper-Weetamoo-Hammond-Liberty, though to the best of my knowledge I’ve never taken Bee Line or Bolles. If I did it was with the Scouts. One of these days I’ll get back down there, but there are just so many to explore up here and the bushwhacking is much better.

 

[DayTrip]

Chocorua is a great peak. Reminds me of Monadnock. Great summit, variety of routes with challenging terrain.... and insane crowds.

 

[NH2112]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than 6-8 people on the summit since my Boy Scouts days. Now Monadnock and Little Haystack on Labor Day weekend are another story! Kearsarge North got pretty crowded, too, even on frigid winter days.

 

[Beckie and Prema]

Great photos, especially that last one. I love those ice formations! Overnighting at the cabin is a goal we never meet each year. Hope to get there next year, depending on PE management. Want to see the sunrise/sunset from Chocorua, but have to behave for now....

And now I see that Kearsarge North photo as well. Another night time destination! Every time we go to the Fryeburg Fair or drive up 113 to Evans Notch I hear it calling my name....

 

[sierra]

Chocorua is a great peak. Reminds me of Monadnock. Great summit, variety of routes with challenging terrain.... and insane crowds.

I have climbed Chocorua maybe 20 times in the last 40 years, I now only climb it mid-week and in the winter months preferably. Rarely share the summit with anyone. On a fine summer day, you are correct, bedlam.

 

[DayTrip]

I have climbed Chocorua maybe 20 times in the last 40 years, I now only climb it mid-week and in the winter months preferably. Rarely share the summit with anyone. On a fine summer day, you are correct, bedlam.

Yes Monadnock is the same way. I know when and where to be to avoid people and have the summit to myself. That would not be a sunny July Saturday afternoon....

 

[JoshandBaron]

Want to see the sunrise/sunset from Chocorua, but have to behave for now....

I was treated to a pretty dramatic sunset on an overnight last summer. No one else on the mountain.

 

[peakbagger]

FWIW many years ago I made a bet for six pack that we could climb Chocorua on nice fall weekend day and have the summit to ourselves. I won the bet and had it for at least 30 minutes. All we did was left early and got up there at 10:30 AM. The vast majority of hikers plan to eat lunch at the summit, if you get there early it is pretty rare to see anyone. Around 11 AM we could hear voices coming from several directions and headed down. Some parties get going late or are slower than expected so the summit is usually busy into the afternoon.

These days there are a lot of sunrise hikers, I see them coming down as I am heading up.

 

[Grey J]

I was treated to a pretty dramatic sunset on an overnight last summer. No one else on the mountain.

Those are pretty special photos J&B. Just spectacular. Wow.

 

[NH2112]

I was treated to a pretty dramatic sunset on an overnight last summer. No one else on the mountain.

Great pics! Clouds in the mountains always make for dramatic pics, even (especially?) if they’re the scary kind. My favorite one I have is from the summit of Coburn Mtn ME, looking toward Jackman.

 

[peakbagger]

Get the raingear out

 

[Shoe]

A sunrise hike up Chocorua was my introduction to hiking...needless to say I was hooked from the start.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Chocorua has the closest trailheads to me on the North Shore. It makes for a good quick and dirty Friday afterwork trip destination. Carter Ledge provides a great spot to catch the morning sun lighting up the mountain and you probably won't have any company.