Talk to me about Scar Ridge

[Motabobo]

Considered by many to be the ultimate NE100 bushwhack, I know there is no easy way up Scar Ridge. I'd still like to know however what is considered to be the easiest route up there. Some say by Little East Pond, some say from the highway on the other side (and even there, there is many starting points). Which way would you recommend and why ? Please take note that we are going to include New Hampshire 100 Highest summits that are on this ridge as well (there are 3 if I'm not mistaken). I'm listening….

Thanks

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Considered by many to be the ultimate NE100 bushwhack, I know there is no easy way up Scar Ridge. I'd still like to know however what is considered to be the easiest route up there. Some say by Little East Pond, some say from the highway on the other side (and even there, there is many starting points). Which way would you recommend and why ? Please take note that we are going to include New Hampshire 100 Highest summits that are on this ridge as well (there are 3 if I'm not mistaken). I'm listening….

Thanks

Not even close - easier way is via the Kanc highway, starting just west of the camp ground. Otherwise, even if you're an experienced 'whacker', the brush is exceptionally thick and you'll have deep scratches even if you wear your winter gaitors. The other down side of East Pond is - if you miss the hiking trail on the way back, you may end up whacking all the way out to the Tripoli Road then having to walk back uphill, etc. The prospect of that keeps you focused on your compass.

Anyway, do it from the other side of the mountain - from the Kanc.

 

[Papa Bear]

Agree with Kevin.

Onestep and I did it from Big Rock campground last July (report) and followed the ridge up with numerous herd paths practically to the canister. We then went over to the true peak which was I think about another hour round trip. Going down we slid off the ridge towards the left (west) which was not so good but we recovered with some effort.

Pick a nice cool day and you may even enjoy it.

 

[skiguy]

Disagree

Little East Pond is Highly or Lowly "RATED OR UNDERATED".
The Wack from the Pond is shorter and alot less steep.
Not to mention you don't have to do any River Crossings.
To miss the hiking trail on the way down would be difficult as the pond comes into sight much of the time on the way down. From the pond on the way up your objective is also quite straight forward. I hardly had to use my compass and map when I climbed this one from the pond. From the Kanc plan on using all tools.Just my opinion....but I certainly would not rate this one as the ultimate NE100. I've done both and I vote for Little East Pond.

 

[Toe Cozy]

Pick a nice cool day and you may even enjoy it.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! (evil devil laugh)

This was the first (and so far only) bushwack I've ever done. Spongebob was our fearless "leader" and he did an excellent job. Scar ridge is an appropriate name...I was bruised for weeks, messed my knee up a bit, my pack is still covered with scars as is the shirt I wore that day. I have never smelled so bad from a day out in the woods in my life....my husband was properly stunned and horrified at the mess of my clothing when I got home!

All in all, it was pretty awesome

We went up from the Kanc as mentioned above. There's some important info about heading for a particular ridge on the way up I think..I can't elaborate, but someone else can chime in if that's important info. Lots of herd paths can be found and lost.

We didn't hit any other peaks from the canister, it was too thick for us that day.

Pick a nice cool day, indeed! Ours was humid, just finished raining and the sun started to warm things up. I was drenched.

 

[bobandgeri]

We've done it from both sides and also would vote for the Kanc side (from Big Rock Campground) being considerably easier, although longer. The biggest issue was crossing the river (Dec 4th)

We have trip reports from both on our web site:

Kanc Side

Little East Pond Side

 

[Kevin Rooney]

To miss the hiking trail on the way down would be difficult as the pond comes into sight much of the time on the way down.

There's the rub - what happens IF you can't see the pond? You're in deep do-do if you're doing this peak as a visual. The only and only time I've done it from East Pond (I'm slow, not stupid) we figured it would be easy - just come down off the ridge and stay to the right of pond. Well - a bad t-storm moved in, the clouds lowered well below the ridge, and so much for visual bearings. Out came the map and compass. Even so, while we did a reasonably good navigational job, we were about 100' too far to the right, causing us to overshoot the pond a bit. We backtracked, fanned out and soon regained the trail.

Anyway - I still wouldn't do it again on a bet. Why have deep scrapes that take 6 weeks to heal!?

 

[Michelle]

Post'r Boy has bushwhacked that ridge from East to West twice, once solo from East Scar to West Scar, and once with a bunch of his friends from East Scar to Loon. He said it wasn't all that bad. Good luck!

 

[Barbarossa]

If you want to cover all the NH highest hundred you could start at the East Pond Trail on the Kanc with a car spot at Loon. That way you can bag 4 NH3Ks in a day! No worries about missing the pond, either.

 

[Papa Bear]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! (evil devil laugh)

This was the first (and so far only) bushwack I've ever done. Spongebob was our fearless "leader" and he did an excellent job. Scar ridge is an appropriate name...I was bruised for weeks, messed my knee up a bit, my pack is still covered with scars as is the shirt I wore that day. I have never smelled so bad from a day out in the woods in my life....my husband was properly stunned and horrified at the mess of my clothing when I got home!

All in all, it was pretty awesome

We went up from the Kanc as mentioned above. There's some important info about heading for a particular ridge on the way up I think..I can't elaborate, but someone else can chime in if that's important info. Lots of herd paths can be found and lost.

We didn't hit any other peaks from the canister, it was too thick for us that day.

Pick a nice cool day, indeed! Ours was humid, just finished raining and the sun started to warm things up. I was drenched.

ToeCozy

Does this look familiar:



Onestep and I did it the day after you guys! When you were on Scar Ridge, we were on PatN! Another enjoyable peak for a cool day!

 

[skiguy]

There's the rub - what happens IF you can't see the pond? You're in deep do-do if you're doing this peak as a visual. The only and only time I've done it from East Pond (I'm slow, not stupid) we figured it would be easy - just come down off the ridge and stay to the right of pond. Well - a bad t-storm moved in, the clouds lowered well below the ridge, and so much for visual bearings. Out came the map and compass. Even so, while we did a reasonably good navigational job, we were about 100' too far to the right, causing us to overshoot the pond a bit. We backtracked, fanned out and soon regained the trail.

Anyway - I still wouldn't do it again on a bet. Why have deep scrapes that take 6 weeks to heal!?

Your problem was that you decided to stay to the right of the Pond on your way down. Wether it be Compass (no visual) or No Compass (visual) you should have shot for overbearing to the left. The Pond is a major feature from this side of Scar ridge; therefore being a major landmark to shoot for. Hard to miss if you had gone Left instead of right. Still a half day wack from this side IMO.

 

[Raymond]

I will probably be heading back up there next week. I'm pretty sure I found the high point (or high plateau) last year, but I didn't locate the canister, so I want to go back and make sure before I call my hundred-highest completed. (Down to my final four, otherwise.)

I think I may be trying it from the south this time.

Thanks for the umpteenth time to Bob and Geri for the map.

 

[Motabobo]

Thanks all for your input. It seems the Kanc approach is more popular. We are going there mid-october with an early start, that would be cool enough I guess !

Does anyone has experience on the other sections leading towards the NHHH peaks ??? What approach would you choose knowing we want to bag them all ? Anymore infos ?

Thanks

 

[bobandgeri]

We have trip reports for most of the NEHH on our web page:

http://rbhayes.net/hike.htm

If you have any specific questions on certain peaks pleae feel free to contact us.

 

[Motabobo]

I am talking about the New Hampshire 100 highest on that ridge.

 

[Papa Bear]

I am talking about the New Hampshire 100 highest on that ridge.

Michelle, in one of the posts above, mentioned that Post'r Boy has done the ridge twice which includes two more peaks, (besides the main one) which are on the NHHH list.

Post'r Boy has bushwhacked that ridge from East to West twice, once solo from East Scar to West Scar, and once with a bunch of his friends from East Scar to Loon. He said it wasn't all that bad. Good luck!

She may be able to put you in touch with him for the details.

I believe Roy has done the ridge as well and perhaps he will chime in.

 

[Motabobo]

Hope so, it's already hard to bag just Scar Ridge so we are trying to bag all 4 and make it as much enjoyable as it could possibly gets by getting opinions/advices.

Thanks

 

[HAMTERO]

Post'r boy

Post'r/Neighbor makes it look easy. The guy is magic and a hoot to hike with.

 

[Snowflea]

We DID have fun that day, didn't we?! I still laugh when I think about Cruddytoes deciding to visit--REALLY visit--a hidden moose bog on the way to Loon. OMG, the smell!

Back on topic, I've done variations of Scar Ridge three times from both the Kanc. and East Pond and have never found them to be that thick or nasty. My definition of nasty is having to crawl on my belly.

Re the photographs above, I guess we need to be careful about what we write in registers now, eh?

 

[Raymond]

I hit the East Peak of Scar Ridge in May 2005. Some time later I read that there are two canisters* up there, so I don't know if I hit the correct one or not. It was pretty thick, I thought; didn't want to try to continue on to Middle Peak.

I went up the East Pond Trail from the north to the height of land then went up the ridge. Had to work my way around to the right/north to get up to the top. It was easier going down, as I just angled my way in the general direction following the path of least resistance, knowing I would hit the trail eventually.

* A translucent gray water bottle with a blue cap is the one I found. Way down toward the bottom of the page.