Pine Link and Howker Ridge Trails to Mt. Madison

[B the Hiker]

I have searched the threads to see if there is an existing one, but they all seem tangential.

Some friends and I are hoping to do Mt. Madison next weekend as a loop via Pine Link and Howker Ridge Trails.

Is there any reason to go up one and down the other? I am recovering from a little injury. If one trail is more bouldery/bangy/big steppy, I would prefer that for the ascent.

Thanks!

Brian

 

[DayTrip]

I've done a similar loop coming up from the Randolph East TH. I've never come up Pine Link the entire length from the TH. From the split at least of these two trails I'd go up the Howker Ridge Trail and down Pine Link. Howker Ridge as you probably already know is pretty rough and rugged in the upper parts and with the possibility of slick conditions I'd rather be climbing it. Pine Link is very much like the upper parts of the Watson Path, with more reasonable grades, less boulder fields and grasses. I remember enjoying that section quite a bit actually. It has a steady grade in the trees and is usually super wet but I remember it being more comfortable than Howker.

 

[B the Hiker]

I've done a similar loop coming up from the Randolph East TH. I've never come up Pink Link the entire length from the TH. From the split at least of these two trails I'd go up the Howker Ridge Trail and down Pine Link. Howker Ridge as you probably already know is pretty rough and rugged in the upper parts and with the possibility of slick conditions I'd rather be climbing it. Pine Link is very much like the upper parts of the Watson Path, with more reasonable grades, less boulder fields and grasses. I remember enjoying that section quite a bit actually. It has a steady grade in the trees and is usually super wet but I remember it being more comfortable than Howker.

Thank you for this! It rained Thursday morning, and we are heading up Saturday. Hopefully things dry out Thursday afternoon and we will have dry rocks and trails.

Brian

 

[B the Hiker]

We went up on November 9, 2024. It had snowed the previous night / that morning lightly up high. There was an SUV at Pine Link when we arrived, and then a young woman already wearing a backpack pulled in. When I asked why she was already wearing her backpack, she said she drove to the wrong trailhead up the road. Although much younger, she never caught up to us. Her bag was frightfully small for the conditions, and I hope she turned around.

We met three high school kids coming down around 9:30am. One backpack between the three of them. Casual street clothes. They said they summited, but their tracks ended at the first Howk.

At the intersection, as DayTrip suggested, we moved from Pine Link to Howker Ridge Trail. There was just enough snow to make footing comfortable, but not enough for it to be obnoxious. We barebooted the entire trip. Very stiff winds, and we put on full weather gear at the first Howk, which for me that day was leather LL Bean Crestas, old rain pants that were now just wind pants, a heavy parka, and thick gloves. My buddy used Japanese fisherman's gloves and also had a balaclava.

The Howks were next level, as there was a small amount of snow on them. and they requires scrambling at times, which was challenging with the full gloves, but we got up without incident. Windy, but tolerable. 28 degrees at the summit. Magnificent views!

We went down to Madison Spring hut and back across via the Pine Link Connector, which made for very slow going, given the snow--although the wind there was negligible.

Down first via Pine Link, which at several locations was grown in almost fully, then out on the bottom portion via Howker Ridge Trail.

Big epic day with strong winds and fairly cold temps.

We met three twenty-somethings on Madison around 1:15 who told us there was doing a Presi Traverse. They couldn't tell us the name of the trail they came up (Pine Link), nor where the intended to stay the night. We explained they couldn't sleep above treeline due to the lack of snow. One announced they would "just duck below treeline at night." We reminded them of what they just came up and how they wouldn't be able to find room to set up a tent. They then asked if the huts were still open. We said no. They indicated they hoped to get water there, and said they would "just melt snow." We point out there wasn't enough snow to do that, there being about an inch on the ground. We suggested they turn around. One did. We then pointed the other two to Gray Knob, at which point one pulled out his phone (they clearly lacked a map).

 

[DayTrip]

It's amazing there aren't multiple rescues every day in the Presidentials in the shoulder seasons. It's absolutely stunning how many people hike these peaks equipped the way they are.