best mousilauke hike

[Dingus Khan]

I'm interested in doing a day hike to hit mt. mousilauke, just wondering what you guys and gals thought would be the best loop. I'd love to follow the AT but it isn't necessary... thanks

[_terrapin_]

Just know that the Beaver Brook trail, at least the lower 2/3 of it, is steep as get-out. I'm not aware of any loops, unfortunately.

[Roland]

Park at the DOC Ravine Lodge. Go up via Gorge Brook Trail. Return via the Carriage Road. Loop back to your car on the Snapper Trail, or Hurricane Trail.

[celt]

Hiking Moosilauke via the loop Roland described, Gorge Brook-Carriage Rd. & Snapper, is a White Mountain Classic. A Hurricane Trail variation would be more challenging because it'd be longer but I don't think it would improve the hike any other way.

Its too bad the Beaver Brook Trail (A.T.) can't be used in a true loop because although it is very steep in part it is also beautiful to hike along the cascades on the brook. The lower cascades are close enough (<0.25) to the trailhead in Kinsman Notch it would be easy to check them out without much effort. Perhaps after completing the Gorge-Carriage-Snapper loop (7.2 miles).

[_terrapin_]

Apropos Celt's comment -- by noting that Beaver Brook was quite steep, I didn't mean to suggest it wasn't an awesome, spectacular trail.

[Dingus Khan]

i love steep, just not going down....

[Dingus Khan]

great looking loop, consider it done. looks like a double ridge-walk.. nice!!
now i just have to worry about driving up there from hartford and back in one day!! :eek:

4am leave house, get there at 7:30, hit trail latest by 8.
hike till whenever.
drive home.
sounds perfect:D

[Prickly Bear]

Nother couple of loops:

ONE: From Ravine Lodge go up Gorge Brook to summit - then follow the AT North until you hit Asquam Ridge trail back to Ravine Lodge. That takes you right by two more 4Ks, Mt Blue and Mt Jim just off the trail if you are a ^bagger.

TWO: Park at Glencliff Sanitorium AT trailhead and go up Glencliff trail (AT) - Tag the South Summit (10 minutes on spur) - Follow AT over main summit and down to the Benton Trail (another nice old bridle path) - at end of Benton turn left on logging road and follow to Tunnel Brook Trail which will lead you back to Glencliff. Actually I do this one in the reverse.

Both two nice relatively long loops. The Tunnel Brook Trail is a real gem as you walk through the deep notch between the Moose Hillock and Mt Clough. The Benton trail follows a very nice sheer ravine right on the edge.


Grrr

[Roland]

~ That takes you right by two more 4Ks, Mt Blue and Mt Jim just off the trail if you are a ^bagger.~

On which 4K list do Blue and Jim appear? :-?

[Blissful]

We did it north to south on the AT and glad we did. You can see the falls better that way also.

[Tin Man]

Beaver Brook Falls is especially awesome in May when there is still snow on the trail and it is raining and going northbound down the Trail. Not only did we stop often to enjoy the view, but the roar was tremendous.:sun

[Jack Tarlin]

The tops of Blue and Jim are indeed over 4,000 feet, but because they are considered sub-peaks of Moosilauke, the anal people that compile and actually care about peak-bagger lists don't include them.

[Tin Man]

Hmm, this begs the question, do peak baggers bag their own peaks (HYOH) or do they only follow some pre-determined list (white blazing only)? Never mind, I am sure it is more the latter. :)

[Old Hillwalker]

Both Jim and Blue have summit registers that some people like to visit and make their "mark". I believe that they are on two of those silly lists, TrailWrights 77 is one and the other is YMCA Alpine Club. The "baggers" over on www.rocksontop.com (http://www.viewsfromthetop.com) can probably illuminate this.

[TJ aka Teej]

:banana