MikeB
Member
I thought by waiting until Monday I might shake the weekend rain curse, but no such luck!
Got to the Ferncroft Rd trailhead at 7am. One other truck in the lot. No rain yet, just a cool, heavy mist. Based on the guide book I decided going up Blueberry Ledge Tr might be easier than going down - the book makes it sound downright treacherous when wet or icy, and it was certainly going to be wet! In retrospect it would have been fine either way. The ledges have good open southern exposure so no hint of ice, and the granite provides good traction even when wet.
Crossed Squirrel Bridge and headed up Blueberry Ledge Tr. Very well marked and easy to follow. Lots of Trillium in bloom - both the shy burgundy red ones with their heads drooped down and the proud showy white ones with pink and purple centers. While watching my footing on a steep pitch, I came around a corner and almost ran into the south end of a north bound porcupine! Big sucker moseying up the trail, not a care in the world. I followed until he finally ambled off the trail. A little later I flushed a grouse off her gound-level nest in the bole of a dead tree. Seven perfect yellow eggs. I hurried off hoping she would return soon to protect her brood.
The ledges didn't prove to be a problem for scrambling up. At one point it wasn't quite obvious which way to go, until I noticed the old bolt holes from the old wooden steps. The rock is also really scratched up from crampons.
Turned right onto Rollins Tr and then on to the summit of Whiteface around 8:30. Continuing east on Rollins Tr there was still a fair amount snow on the trail in the shelter of the trees. Not bad hiking, though. I was carrying an old collapsable ski pole which proved pretty useful for balance, but you wouldn't need anything beyond that.
I can imaging that the views from the ridge along the Rollins Tr are pretty spectacular, but the fog was so heavy it was like walking along the edge of an abyss. The fog didn't even have any texture - just a complete empty void, like the edge of the universe. Kind of spooky. Maybe that was good, no distractions from my footing in the snow!
The Kate Sleeper Tr looked like a good out-and-back option if you wanted to add the Tripyramids to the trip, but I think I'll wait for better weather.
At the end of Rollins turned left onto Dicey's Mill Tr. There are a couple of steep snowy pitches near the top, but lots of trees to hold onto so a pretty easy climb. Took the short sidepath to the summit of Passaconaway at 10:10. Pretty anticlimactic, the trail just ends in the middle of the trees when it can't go any higher.
Followed my footsteps back down Dicey's Mill Tr. Very slow going at the top, picking my way down the snow, slippery rocks and slimey roots. Got back to the junction of Rollins Tr and the rain really started in earnest. Pulled on a shell and cruised on down Dicey's Mill Tr back towards the trailhead. The only good thing about the rain is taht it cleared out the fog a bit and I was actually able to see across the valley. At the crossing of Wonalancet River there are some big slippery logs across the river which are easy to traverse if you have good balance. Farther down I checked out the river crossing to the Blueberry Ledge Cutoff Tr. The water was really roaring and I wouldn't recommend it. Got to the car a little before noon.
All in all a really nice hike. One advantage of the continued cool wet weather was no bugs yet! The trails are all really well marked and maintained by the Wonalancet Out Door Club. I look forward to doing this again when I can actually see the view!
Got to the Ferncroft Rd trailhead at 7am. One other truck in the lot. No rain yet, just a cool, heavy mist. Based on the guide book I decided going up Blueberry Ledge Tr might be easier than going down - the book makes it sound downright treacherous when wet or icy, and it was certainly going to be wet! In retrospect it would have been fine either way. The ledges have good open southern exposure so no hint of ice, and the granite provides good traction even when wet.
Crossed Squirrel Bridge and headed up Blueberry Ledge Tr. Very well marked and easy to follow. Lots of Trillium in bloom - both the shy burgundy red ones with their heads drooped down and the proud showy white ones with pink and purple centers. While watching my footing on a steep pitch, I came around a corner and almost ran into the south end of a north bound porcupine! Big sucker moseying up the trail, not a care in the world. I followed until he finally ambled off the trail. A little later I flushed a grouse off her gound-level nest in the bole of a dead tree. Seven perfect yellow eggs. I hurried off hoping she would return soon to protect her brood.
The ledges didn't prove to be a problem for scrambling up. At one point it wasn't quite obvious which way to go, until I noticed the old bolt holes from the old wooden steps. The rock is also really scratched up from crampons.
Turned right onto Rollins Tr and then on to the summit of Whiteface around 8:30. Continuing east on Rollins Tr there was still a fair amount snow on the trail in the shelter of the trees. Not bad hiking, though. I was carrying an old collapsable ski pole which proved pretty useful for balance, but you wouldn't need anything beyond that.
I can imaging that the views from the ridge along the Rollins Tr are pretty spectacular, but the fog was so heavy it was like walking along the edge of an abyss. The fog didn't even have any texture - just a complete empty void, like the edge of the universe. Kind of spooky. Maybe that was good, no distractions from my footing in the snow!
The Kate Sleeper Tr looked like a good out-and-back option if you wanted to add the Tripyramids to the trip, but I think I'll wait for better weather.
At the end of Rollins turned left onto Dicey's Mill Tr. There are a couple of steep snowy pitches near the top, but lots of trees to hold onto so a pretty easy climb. Took the short sidepath to the summit of Passaconaway at 10:10. Pretty anticlimactic, the trail just ends in the middle of the trees when it can't go any higher.
Followed my footsteps back down Dicey's Mill Tr. Very slow going at the top, picking my way down the snow, slippery rocks and slimey roots. Got back to the junction of Rollins Tr and the rain really started in earnest. Pulled on a shell and cruised on down Dicey's Mill Tr back towards the trailhead. The only good thing about the rain is taht it cleared out the fog a bit and I was actually able to see across the valley. At the crossing of Wonalancet River there are some big slippery logs across the river which are easy to traverse if you have good balance. Farther down I checked out the river crossing to the Blueberry Ledge Cutoff Tr. The water was really roaring and I wouldn't recommend it. Got to the car a little before noon.
All in all a really nice hike. One advantage of the continued cool wet weather was no bugs yet! The trails are all really well marked and maintained by the Wonalancet Out Door Club. I look forward to doing this again when I can actually see the view!
