Roughest and Wildest trails in the White's?

[Mattl]

Along with the previous thread about blazes removed in the pemi, what about the wildest areas right now and places where one can have trouble finding the trail. I vote for two hands down, Shoal Pond trail and Hanock Notch trail. Shoal pond trail has places where you feel like your not even in NH its so wild and beautiful. Hancock notch is almost not even a trail, it goes over ledges and streams through tangled conifers. There are others and possibly these places are advocates of maybe letting blazes fade completely and little to no maintaining. What do you think? What others? -Matt L

 

[kltilton]

I agree with the Hancock Notch Trail. I have tried to run it from both ends and never made it to the other before having to turn back. it is a nice trail on the Sawyer River Trail side though until you start climbing up the brook bed. Another wild trail would be the upper part of the Weeks Brook Trail on the north side of Mt. Kearsarge North. There are blazes but they are hard to follow.

 

[post'r boy]

walked through hancock notch in the dark, didn't find it to be a problem at all!

 

[sierra]

postrboy,
From what Ive read of your exploits, your part bloodhound maybe your not a good measuring stick for staying found.
By the way, I hiked the Shoal pond trail 15 yrs ago ok maybe 20 and it was a piece of cake and I wasnt even straight

 

[grouseking]

postrboy,
From what Ive read of your exploits, your part bloodhound maybe your not a good measuring stick for staying found.
By the way, I hiked the Shoal pond trail 15 yrs ago ok maybe 20 and it was a piece of cake and I wasnt even straight

It obviously depends on the time of year that you hike a trail. Like this past weekend, lots of trails that are normally easy to follow might have been nearly impossible because of the 3-4 feet of snow up high, not to mention the downed trees. When I hiked the Hancock Notch trail, it was raining at over a half inch per hour...so the trail was really a streambed up past the height of land. We had no idea where we were going, but thankfully one of us was good at route finding and we eventually figured out the correct route. In better conditions I could see that trail being a little kinder.

I've never hiked the lower section of Shoal Pond trail, but I hear there are many old logging roads that intersect. Plus areas are boggy, so I can see it being difficult, especially if you are hiking solo, or its your first backpacking trip. And with all that precipitation that region recieves, combined with the wetland habitat would prob make for a tough section of trail here and there. Hell, its prob impassible now thanks to all that rain!

It all depends on conditions. Obviously some trails are more wild and difficult than others, but it really depends on mother nature.

Just another one of my pointless rambles.


grouseking

 

[grouseking]

Addition

Despite Hancock Notch Trail being a real difficult hike and me swearing for about 40 min because I had no idea where I was....the area was truly one of the more beautiful and wild notches in the White Mtns....without roads. For me, it ranks up there with Carrigain Notch and Zealand Notch, although Zealands trail is wide enuff to almost look like a road .

grouseking


P.S. ANyone been to Livermore Pass?? I'd like to visit that, but am weary of my trail finding skills.

 

[sapblatt]

Rainbow Trail

The Rainbow Trail off of Carter Dome and into the Wild River area is hardly marked and is real tough to follow, especially in the autumn. It was great, I did not get lost, but I spent a lot of time wondering if I was going the right way...

 

[Dalraida]

Indistinct

Black Angel trail out of Wild River, NH is awfully hard to follow late in the summer after everything grows up. One interesting note. That trail still has baked enamel mile markers high up in the trees left over from the 30s and 40s. I was the adopter in the mid-eightys and always had a difficult time with the sheer length of the trail due to its remote terminus on Carter Dome. Working from Wild River Campground it was a haul trying to brush it out. It just occurred to me that I have 57 years of hiking memories of the Whites.

 

[ADK_jc]

Hey - speaking of Wild River, is the CG still open? that is another place i was thinking of base-campin' this weekend, then hitting a 4ker or two.

 

[patrickbrusil]

Great Gully trail

tough to follow/easy to loose
very steep/scary

 

[Hillwalker]

CG Open?

TO: ADK jc

"Hey - speaking of Wild River, is the CG still open? that is another place i was thinking of base-campin' this weekend, then hitting a 4ker or two."

Here is the phone number of the USFS Station that has jurisdiction of that CG (207)824-2134

If you go there check out Moriah Gorge. Pretty awesome.

 

[Mattl]

The lincoln Brook trail upper at least is pretty wild as well. The section of Shoal Pond trail I got lost on was one of the crossings of Shoal Pond brook where side paths went off to nothing. It is the most beautiful trail in my opinion in the white mountains. Especially that bog section a little less then a mile from the pond. Nothing comes close. -Matt

 

[Mr. X]

Kings Ravine?

 

[dms]

Ted O'Brien Trail

The Attitash Trail is at times virtually a bushwack, especially the section that climbs out of the valley of Lucy Brook up to the summit of Big Attitash, and from Big Attitash to Table Mountain. But that said, there are some very nice views going up the Lucy Brook valley, and from the cliffs on Table Mountain. In the spring, or other high water times there are spectacular cascades on Lucy Brook. A few years ago, a Boston tv personality got lost in that area for 3 days. No crowds for sure!

 

[forestgnome]

I love this thread, but I admit reluctance to share such 'secrets'.

I'll just agree with Attitash Trail and Black Angel Trail. Bunnell Notch was once a sacred favorite, but I haven't been there since before it became a short route to a list peak(Mt. Cabot) due to the closure of another trail.

Happy Trails! It's prime time!

 

[MarkJ]

Shoal Pond Tr

Shoal Pond trail is pretty basic,choosing where to head up to Shoal Pond Unnamed Pk is the fun part of that trail.........Missin Link

 

[audrey]

I agree with the Attitash Trail: in the fall it pretty much disappears in places, especially the section after you've descended from Table Mt towards Attitash. I think of it as Ted's Folly - remember that one?

But, I'm not in favor of abandoning existing trails. Do you really think there are too many? I go bushwhacking when I want a route-finding challenge.

 

[Mattl]

The middle part of Shoal pond trail near some of the crossings was very rough and difficult. That trail can be one of the wettest around. The trails should be like that anyway -Matt L

 

[bryan]

for "wild" trails i find the wild river valley to be the place. as some have already said the black angel and rainbow trails are wonderful, but so are the the wildcat river trail and the wild river trail towards carter notch and down through perkins notch. a very wilderness feel in a non-designated area. watching the wild river evolve while hiking the wild river trail is worth the trip in itself. moria brook trail too. the wild flowers are amazing in the valley in the spring as well.
i would also like to toss in a vote for the zeacliff trail.

bryan

 

[ytmountains]

Isolation Trail West section, as I recall, seemed like a pretty less traveled path .... very interesting walk.