Willey Range Hike

[Karl Hungus]

I plan on hiking the Willey Range soon. Can anyone recommend which way to ascend/descend? We will have two cars so no need to back track. Should we head up the Kendron/Ethan Pond trail and head north? Or ascend the Avalon/A-Z and go south? I'd much rather climb the steeper ascent.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

I started at Kedron Flume and headed north. The ascent up Willey is indeed quite steep. The ability to spot a car is a plus; I had to hitch a ride back to Willey House. As I recall, the Kedron Flume trailhead is several hundred feet lower than that of Avalon, so you get more elevation gain that way, but what the hell.

 

[MrAmeche]

I second Bob's post about the steepness of the Ethan Pond Trail - I would definitely rather ascend that side of Willey than descend it. I remember there being quite a few ladders scattered along the way.

Looking forward to reading a trip report!

 

[slowandsteady]

Another vote for ascending Willey first. If there are views that day IMO the best are from Tom. Visit the side trail to the cascades off the Avalon Trail.

 

[DougG]

On a recent jaunt to Ethan Pond, I purposely descended the Ethan Pond Tr to the old Willey House Station site and walked back on the railroad bed to the lower part of Kedron Flume Tr. Tedious, longer, and unauthorized it was, but a heluva lot safer. (especially if wet)

I did this to avoid descending the upper Kedron Flume Tr. from Ethan Pond Tr to the RR bed. Grotesque roots and rolling gravel. Short response - Go up Kedron, not down.

Fact: my list of 'do not descend' trails grows longer as every year passes.

 

[DougPaul]

Consider routing yourself up or down via Mt Avalon. The views are very nice--perhaps better than those from the peaks above.

I did the hike as a loop from Crawford Notch: up to Tom, along the ridge to Willey, back to Field, and down via Avalon.

Doug

 

[HockeyPuck]

You may want to consider Parking at Willey House and ascending the Ethan Pond trail over willey, Field and Tom then descending the backside of the A-Z trail into Zealand and following the AT back to your car at Willey House.

It's about 16 miles round trip but the last 3-4 miles on the AT are easy.

You also would not need a car-spot at Crawford Depot.

 

[grouseking]

You may want to consider Parking at Willey House and ascending the Ethan Pond trail over willey, Field and Tom then descending the backside of the A-Z trail into Zealand and following the AT back to your car at Willey House.

It's about 16 miles round trip but the last 3-4 miles on the AT are easy.

You also would not need a car-spot at Crawford Depot.

I did this two weeks ago and it was easily the best trip of the year!

grouseking

 

[sapblatt]

I out and backed from Crawford...Avalon is not to be missed...a very cool peak and trail. But with two cars all I have ever heard is that you are better off starting at Ethan/Kedron...tough ascent, would be a lot tougher coming down.
Good luck!

 

[Karl Hungus]

Thanks everybody. Up Kendron/Ethan it is.

 

[Homer]

I did this hike earlier this summer and got a ride down 302 early in the morning from the Hightland Center. I started at the AT and headed up Ethan Pond Trail. And yes, towards the top of Willey it is steep, but some really hard working people put some nice stairs there for us. I'm glad I wasn't going down that way. After that it's not a bad hike across the ridge across Field and over to Tom. Then down A-Z trail to the Avalon Trail, and back to truck at Highland Center. 8.5 miles, 4 hours. Have a nice hike which ever way you choose to go.