View Full Version : How much further north of 25 in New Hampshire does it get hilly?
Hi all,
I've done some hiking on the AT where you drive west on 25 near Plymouth, NH and park at the parking lot on the side of the road. Going North on the AT, you cross a small stream (no bridge) and then I've hiked 5-10 miles North of that. I'd like to know how long it would take if I were to start a hike there to actually get into the White Mountains. What's the easiest way to find that out?
Thanks,
-pt
ChuckBrown
05-08-2013, 14:03
The AT crosses 25 several times. 25A in wentworth five miles later 25c in warren, then five miles later in glencliff, then you are in the white mts when you hit moosilauke, four or five miles later.
The AT crosses 25 several times. 25A in wentworth five miles later 25c in warren, then five miles later in glencliff, then you are in the white mts when you hit moosilauke, four or five miles later.
I'm talking about when it crosses it west of Plymouth... I think it's Glencliff. I have to check. There's a parking lot along the side of the highway and the trail Northbound crosses a brook as soon as you leave the road. There's no bridge and it can be challenging to get across if it isn't daylight, etc.
Kerosene
05-08-2013, 14:34
I believe that that is the Glencliff trailhead. About 2 miles in, after passing the Jeffers Brook Shelter, you come to another paved road. The AT follws that road for a quarter-mile or so and heads into a field, soon after which you start the ascent of Mt. Moosilauke, which is the westernmost of the White Mountains I believe.
I believe that that is the Glencliff trailhead. About 2 miles in, after passing the Jeffers Brook Shelter, you come to another paved road. The AT follws that road for a quarter-mile or so and heads into a field, soon after which you start the ascent of Mt. Moosilauke, which is the westernmost of the White Mountains I believe.
That's it! I definitely stayed at Jeffers Brook Shelter. I didn't realize the ascent of Moosilauke is just after that. Is Moosilauke a good hike? How far does it take to get to Washington?
peakbagger
05-08-2013, 17:47
Buy a white mountain guide and all questions will be answered. Many thruhikers start out with optimistic miles and have to cut them substantially once they go over Moosilaukee and realizes they are only half way to where they planned to stay.
Gets mountainous right after Glencliff. You have about 6 days before hitting Mt. Washington if you start at NH 25 and walk moderate miles each day.
Chaco Taco
05-08-2013, 18:09
yea the White Mountain Guide is the way to go. I have the Nat Geo map also and notes all over. That's pretty much my road map as well.
Kerosene
05-09-2013, 09:09
Is Moosilauke a good hike? How far does it take to get to Washington?Ascending Moosilauke from the south is a great hike on a reasonable trail. I vaguely recall that it was something like 2 miles from that local road to the summit. Descending to Kinsman Notch is another matter -- very, very steep for 1-2 miles. I think that that was the section that weakened my hamstrings at the start of a section hike and ultimately contributed to my knee problems.
I went from Glencliff to Pinkham Notch (a half-day after the summit of Mt. Washington) in 7 hiking days as a section hike, averaging about 12 miles per day to cover the 78.7 miles in lovely weather in mid-September 2006. The Whites are so rocky, rooty and steep that you should anticipate your typical hourly pace to drop by about 1 mile per hour (mine went from 2.4 or so to 1.5 through the Whites, and it would have been even slower if it had been really wet). Fantastic section!
MamaBear
05-09-2013, 10:00
According to the White Mountain Guide, the summit of Moosilauke from the parking area on High St. in Glencliff via Glencliff Trail and Moosilauke Carriage Road is 3.9 miles. Nice hike, done it several times in various seasons. Definitely "the start of the Whites", as the descent down Beaver Brook Trail on the other side is quite steep as the previous poster noted. Beaver Brook was a fun challenge with a daypack, but descending with a long distance pack I'm sure is a different story!
Buy a white mountain guide and all questions will be answered. Many thruhikers start out with optimistic miles and have to cut them substantially once they go over Moosilaukee and realizes they are only half way to where they planned to stay.
For additional detail and fun about the 4000-footers, The 4000-Footers of the White Mountains by Steve Smith and Mike Dickerman is a treasure trove of info on the highest peaks in the Whites, their trails, history, summit views, geology, etc. Steve Smith, one of the authors, is the editor of the AMC White Mountain Guide, so there is overlapping information, but the 4000-Footer book has a lot more information. You need both for a more complete set of information - the WMG has write-ups on pretty well all trails in the Whites, where the other book focuses only on the high peaks.
And yes, in short, Moosilauke is an awesome hike, especially on a nice day. The views from its summit are outstanding, even among the Whites.
Thanks folks! Really appreciate this feedback. Didn't realize Moosilauke was so close to Jeffers Brook Shelter. I'm looking forward to the hike this Summer!