Mt Roberts via Mt Roberts Trail

[RoySwkr]

This trail is not marked on some of the Preserve maps but it has signs and new blazes, it starts to the R of the stables and follows the obvious ridge to the summit, both ends are carriage roads but the middle is over open ledges with great views. About 2.5 miles from Stables or 4 miles from hikers parking on Rte.171, alternate return via carriage roads longer.

Also went to "Sunset Hill" 1223 but didn't find carriage roads and had to bushwhack. Great W-facing ledge that would be a 1-pitch rockclimb from the bottom. It will not however become popular until a trail is built.

 

[arghman]

Cool, I've only been to the Ossipees twice but have enjoyed hiking there greatly. (too bad the lake & nearby tourist towns are in the way, otherwise I'd go there more often)

 

[carole]

Mt. Roberts trail is a very fine trail indeed. I was there again on Monday and enjoyed the grand view from the summit (nicely labeled in a photo at the top). The open woods and ledges, and recently cleared spur to Sunset Hill outlook, make for a very enjoyable hike. We talked to the trail adopter - he is 82 years old!! More trail adopters for the area would be highly welcome.

Mt. Roberts trail is on the official Trust map and can be ordered from the LRCT at PO Box 1097, Meredith, NH 03235 for $2.50

 

[arghman]

Mt. Roberts trail is on the official Trust map and can be ordered from the LRCT at PO Box 1097, Meredith, NH 03235 for $2.50

Side note: I just got two copies of the map. They did respond very quickly (within a day or two!) of when I sent them a check. I am a little disappointed though. The map is basically a glossy-paper printout of the USGS topo map with trails added onto it, and a few other annotations. There's at least one well-blazed trail that is not on the map. There is no map scale. I don't think it's waterproof. (although what do you expect for $2.50? )

 

[carole]

The map was made by an individual (quite a bit of work on his part!!) and he made it available for the Trust to use. Trails in the area that are not on the official map are trails that are not on Trust property and they do not have the landowners permission to publish them. The trail information on the back of the map give some distances so it is pretty easy to figure the scale.

I use a clear Krylon spray paint to treat maps that aren’t waterproof.

 

[arghman]

the krylon idea is a good one. I guess I should be more reasonable, $2.50 for a map is a good value. I have high standards from the Map Adventures and AMC maps as well as others like the CTA map of Evans Notch and the WODC map of the Sandwich Range.

Roy / carole: any comments as to differences between the mountains in the Ossipees? (how would you pick one to visit over another?) I've been to Bayle on a SPNHF trip, also Bald Knob and some bushwhacking up the Mt Shaw Ridge. In general it seems like a neat area of dry rocky hardwood forests w/ some open ledges.

 

[RoySwkr]

Mt. Roberts trail is on the official Trust map and can be ordered from the LRCT at PO Box 1097, Meredith, NH 03235 for $2.50

As I said, it is not on some versions of the map, including those posted at Rte.171 and the pond trailhead.

recently cleared spur to Sunset Hill outlook,

I went to that one too, but there is a better outlook labelled as Sunset Hill on yet other versions of the preserve map
See
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=4845901&e=311676&size=s&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
There didn't seem to be a carriage road there and probably few will bother to bushwhack there.

In the Ossipees (and elsewhere), I often prefer the hikes on trails as they often go over ledges that the old carriage roads circle around. Trail runners may disagree.

Gene Daniell has called Mt Shaw the most underclimbed peak in NH, it is certainly the least visited of the P2K.