Mount Moosilauke 2/11/06
Winter trip to Mount Moosilaukee 4802’
7.4 miles Elevation gain 2450’
Kevin Judy and Emma
The Gorge Brook Trail is the only trail I have ever taken to the summit of Moosilaukee so I can’t really say that this is the easiest route to the summit, but it seems to be to me. The road in from Rte. 118 to the Dartmouth Outing Club’s Moosilaukee Ravine Lodge was gated for the winter so, like many winter hikes, we had to hike the additional milage, both in to reach our trail, and then back out. On winter trips to the summit this adds 1.6 miles in each direction, making it about a 10.6 mile hike.
We quickly put this part of the trip behind us, passing the lodge and crossing the bridge over the Baker River at the start of the Gorge Brook Trail. The upper part of this trail was different than our first climb, having been rerouted over open ledges and providing excellent views to the north and east. There had been recent snow and the lower branches of the trees along the trail were covered in an elegant lace, though the warm suns rays had removed it on the upper limbs. We had a beautiful day and better weather on a high pressure, mid-winter day than trips we had made in the generally milder months of October and November. For the first time there was very little wind on the summit and we were able to sit and eat and take in the outstanding winter scenery, something we had not been able to do on previous trips due to clouds and high winds.
Trees near the barren summit were caked in snow and rime ice, reminiscent of the Terra-cotta Army, the suns warming rays made no difference here. The wind had scoured the summit rocks of snow and ice, revealing a plaque honoring Dick Sanders, former president of the Dartmouth Outing Club, among other things. To our northeast outstanding views of Franconia Ridge and beyond to Mount Washington, to the east the Hancocks, the Osceolas, Tecumseh, the Tripyramids all are visible. To our south our eyes follow the ridge down from the summit until it rises again to become South Peak. To our west lie Mount Clough and the smaller peaks of the Benton Range. Directly north are the lesser humps of Moosilaukee that are known as Mount Blue and Mount Jim.
The sun is warm and the wind is well behaved. The trees are beautiful and the views are outstanding. It is very hard to begin the trip down out of this magical place. I try to take in as much as I can, greedily trying to fill up my soul with all I can take in, trying to store away all I can to call on these reserves in the moments of darkness I would surely face when I returned to the world from which I came. We didn’t go to this mountain in search of treasure, but we had found it on this perfect winter day.
Read More7.4 miles Elevation gain 2450’
Kevin Judy and Emma
The Gorge Brook Trail is the only trail I have ever taken to the summit of Moosilaukee so I can’t really say that this is the easiest route to the summit, but it seems to be to me. The road in from Rte. 118 to the Dartmouth Outing Club’s Moosilaukee Ravine Lodge was gated for the winter so, like many winter hikes, we had to hike the additional milage, both in to reach our trail, and then back out. On winter trips to the summit this adds 1.6 miles in each direction, making it about a 10.6 mile hike.
We quickly put this part of the trip behind us, passing the lodge and crossing the bridge over the Baker River at the start of the Gorge Brook Trail. The upper part of this trail was different than our first climb, having been rerouted over open ledges and providing excellent views to the north and east. There had been recent snow and the lower branches of the trees along the trail were covered in an elegant lace, though the warm suns rays had removed it on the upper limbs. We had a beautiful day and better weather on a high pressure, mid-winter day than trips we had made in the generally milder months of October and November. For the first time there was very little wind on the summit and we were able to sit and eat and take in the outstanding winter scenery, something we had not been able to do on previous trips due to clouds and high winds.
Trees near the barren summit were caked in snow and rime ice, reminiscent of the Terra-cotta Army, the suns warming rays made no difference here. The wind had scoured the summit rocks of snow and ice, revealing a plaque honoring Dick Sanders, former president of the Dartmouth Outing Club, among other things. To our northeast outstanding views of Franconia Ridge and beyond to Mount Washington, to the east the Hancocks, the Osceolas, Tecumseh, the Tripyramids all are visible. To our south our eyes follow the ridge down from the summit until it rises again to become South Peak. To our west lie Mount Clough and the smaller peaks of the Benton Range. Directly north are the lesser humps of Moosilaukee that are known as Mount Blue and Mount Jim.
The sun is warm and the wind is well behaved. The trees are beautiful and the views are outstanding. It is very hard to begin the trip down out of this magical place. I try to take in as much as I can, greedily trying to fill up my soul with all I can take in, trying to store away all I can to call on these reserves in the moments of darkness I would surely face when I returned to the world from which I came. We didn’t go to this mountain in search of treasure, but we had found it on this perfect winter day.
Ice crystals on a roadside brook.
