Pine Mtn Hike (Presidentials)

[Waumbek]

Pine Mtn Hike (Presidentials) 23 Nov 04

Pine Mtn, the northernmost Presidential, is a small mountain (2400'), actually a northern foothill of Madison, with a big 270* view. There's a lot of history on this little mountain. It has such a good vantage point down the Pinkham Notch/Peabody Valley that there were more trails up it in 1915 (two from Randolph, for instance) than there are today. Here are four pics from today. This may be the last day this year that it's so balmy up there with the weather coming in tomorrow. Pinkham B road was ice- and snow-free today (Tuesday). Just the usual potholes.

 

[cooperhill]

Album locked?

I can't seem to access the pictures. Do you know the name of the trails from Randolph (I'm assuming they are now abandoned)? I'll try and look it up in one of my old WM Guides at home.

 

[Waumbek]

Try this

I redid the link. Try this. It's working OK for me on preview. I'll look up the old trail names. I believe they came down from a railroad station somewhere around Rt 2 in Randolph.

 

[cooperhill]

It worked. Very nice pictures. Thanks for sharing. I will have to put this on my to-do list

 

[cooperhill]

Trail Names

Someone else on this site posted a link to old USGS maps and I found this:

Gorham Quad Southwest corner

According to that map the old trails are named:

RMC Brook Path
RMC Straight Path

 

[Waumbek]

Interesting map, thanks. I'll check it against my source. I would NOT use any trail other than the Horton Center Rd from Pinkham B before December 5, the end of NH rifle deer seaon, and I would especially avoid the whole area this holiday weekend. There are ATV trails in this locale and ACTIVE hunting using ATVs.

Early on, Pine Mtn was an embarassment, it seems. In 1915 a guide writer ponders whether it really should be included as a "northern peak" (i.e., a Presidential) because of its "insignificant" height and decides it's better classified as part of the "North Country because there's no better place for it." The writer concedes, however, that the view of the "Great Range" from the summit is "very interesting," but declines to elaborate. There are at least several paths to the top, three I think, logging roads. In 1916, Pine Mtn's stock went way up. It's now firmly in the Presidential canon as the "most northerly peak of the Mount Washington Range" (essentially the way it's described today) and affords not merely an "interesting" but a "remarkable view." That view is then described in detail and it's noted that because of its "commanding position," Pine Mtn has "been chosen for a fire lookout station." In other words, it doesn't matter how lowly its height, Pine Mtn has proved its mettle through its utility in fire detection. Again several trails are mentioned but I haven't found maps yet to compare to the early USGS.

 

[Ledgehiker]

My first trip to the Whites was while I was in high school in 1955. I was part of a church group from Connecticut who went up to Gorham and spent two weeks working on the Horton Center on Pine Mountain. The center was in it's very early stages and our group of 16 boys and girls spent the first week hauling railroad ties that were given to the Center as a result of a derailment on the railway down the hill. We had a local man named Abel Marten who had a truck to haul them but we were responsible for loading them on the truck and then placing them in a muddy section of the road that leads from the Dolly Copp Rd. The second week we spent mixing concrete by hand for the colums that support the building. We usually would work till early afternoon, then have lunch with a short devotional service at the rock pulpit, then have the afternoon free to do some short hikes.
We all stayed down in Gorham, the boys in the upper floor of the Town Hall and the girls in the rectory of the local church. We had two ministers as our leaders and their wives were the cooks.
We had two days off during our time up there and climbed Washington one day and went up to Madison the other. For most of us it was the first time up there and I don't know if anyone else in the group continued with hiking but I joined the AMC on 1963 as a result that trip.
A couple of years ago I was biking along Dolly Copp Rd. and rode into to see the Center for the first time in 40+ years. I introduced myself to the director and when he found out that I had had some small part in building the place I was given the royal treatment.

 

[Tuggy]

I've hiked this trail twice. Both times in August. Great views from the ledges. I bet it would be awesome in the fall. Nice pics, thanks.

 

[SherpaKroto]

Waumbek, How is this trip for a XC ski later in the season?

 

[Waumbek]

SK, I think it would be very feasible to ski in the unplowed Pinkham B Road (shorter from Dolly Copp, I believe, than from Rt. 2) and then up the unplowed Horton Center Road. When you see the Horton Center (large building) on your left with a nice overhanging porch to get out of wind or weather if need be, to the right will be a short trail out to the old firetower. There are three views on the way out to the firetower; they're labeled but the signs might not show up in deep snow. The first viewpoint (with a shelter not for overnight use) is to Chapel Rock, then there's the Goham viewpoint, then the Firetower viewpoint, which is actually a little beyond the concrete pilings. You might have to walk this last part from the Horton Center but maybe you can ski all the way out. By the way, there's lots of trails up on the double summit of Pine Mtn so it's a good idea to keep track of where you are. I never did get it entirely clear in my mind after one trip.
We came up another approach, the newish trail extension from Pine Mtn summit to Gorham; actually, it recreates a former trail. That's the one where we ran into so many hunters that I didn't want to publicize it much before December 5. I think you could probably ski that as well but there are some narrow sections. It's a bit tricky to find your way in the beginning, however, and more so with snow cover, I'd imagine. You will be on an ATV and probably snowmobile trail for the first part. Scout it out first on snowshoes. I can try to recall more exact directions if you want to try.

 

[SherpaKroto]

Waumbek,
Thanks - I've been up Pine many, many times but it's been a long time since the last one so the details are a bit sketchy. I do remember that long ago there were 2 trails off the Horton Road (I actually think it was called Pinkham "C" back then), one out toward the Legdes, the other directly to the firetower (now gone).

 

[Waumbek]

Yes, the ledge trail leaves the Horton Ctr Rd first, the fire tower trail later at the top where the Horton Center building is. Beyond the actual Horton Center building is a trail leading to Chapel Rock, the second "summit" of Pine Mtn. Beyond Chapel Rock is the "new" trail to Gorham. Between the two summits, Chapel Rock and the old firetower peak, are connecting trails that I did not get the gist of yet.

 

[frytz]

Yes, the ledge trail leaves the Horton Ctr Rd first, the fire tower trail later at the top where the Horton Center building is. Beyond the actual Horton Center building is a trail leading to Chapel Rock, the second "summit" of Pine Mtn. Beyond Chapel Rock is the "new" trail to Gorham. Between the two summits, Chapel Rock and the old firetower peak, are connecting trails that I did not get the gist of yet.

The Ledge Trail can be very slippery when wet! I learned the hard way - often - luckily with padding, this past summer!

Fred