Osceola Advice Please

[Amy]

In a couple weeks, I plan to camp in the Waterville Valley and get Mt. and East Osceola's. Not being a big fan of out-and-back hikes, I was looking at making a loop out of it with the Mt. Osceola Trail, Greeley Ponds Trail, and Tripoli Road. My questions for you are:

1) Am I crazy? is it worth the extra miles? I'm not afraid of the mileage, but sometimes my quest to do loop hikes leave me regretting it, and I'm thinking the trek on Tripoli Road will not be fun.
2) Which direction? I think the ascent is steeper from the north, but if I camp at Osceola Vista and start/end there, a counter-clockwise route will leave Tripoli Road for the end of the day. Ugh.
3) Is Greeley Ponds Trail open? I know parts of it were closed last year.
4) Preferred bar in Waterville Valley to reward myself with afterwards?

As always, thank you all for your great insight and advice.

 

[Mike P.]

You're not crazy and the Greeley Ponds is nice too. (I might opt for working a bike ride into the Tripoli road walk if you like to ride your bike)

Direction depends on you. People with good lungs and bad knees would likely prefer to go up East 1st, my knees are good & could be more fit so I have done it the other way. That does leave a long relatively viewless (some from the Slide on East & from the Ponds) walk at the end. A bike on the Tripoli Road section does not disqualify your trip for the 4K's. (using on Greeley Ponds or Livermore would & I don't think they are allowed on Greeley. Between trailheads are ok, using them on the trail beyond a lot is not allowed)

Can't help with Waterville watering holes but a couple look interesting from the outside.

Is it worth it? eh, you have to go between Greeley & East in the winter (done 2x) and an out and back gets you across the Osceola summit and the chimney 2x. I've also done the loop before (with Tecumseh too) so I would rather do the out and back as a view junkie & having done the loop again. I'm in no hurry to even do East again, maybe with my son and his friend who would love the Chimney.

Either way you go, enjoy

 

[Jay H]

I agree with Mike that if you have an old MTB to lock up at the end, you can bike back to your start on tripoli road.

Jay

 

[Stan]

Your direction depends on your preference, or indifference, to going up or down steep. Otherwise, I don't think it makes much difference as both Tripoli Road and Greely Ponds Trail are easy grades, the latter probably a bit more interesting with the Mad River providing a bit of a scenic diversion.

Coyote Grill is our favorite restaurant in the Valley, which isn't saying much. It has a nice bar, a decent menu and food and live music on Fri. and Sat. nights. There are some nice hikes in the area but sometimes the "entertainment" activities at Town Square can echo an unpleasant diversion from our preferred hiking experience. My son's fiance calls the place, "Disneyland for adults."

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I did the loop once, using a bicycle to go from Tripoli to Livermore Depot Camp.

Tim

 

[Amy]

Thank you all for advice. I don't own a bike so that's not an option, but at least I feel better about my plan to walk Tripoli Road. I hadn't considered including Tecumseh as part of the loop. That may be beyond my comfort limit, although I am planning on Tecumseh the day before...

"Disneyland for adults"? Oh boy...... Maybe I'll stay at the campsite and cook for myself.