hikersinger
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Photo Gallery: on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/erikbertrand/media_set?set=a.10153965764829567.1073741889.570654566&type=3
Strava GPS track (seemed to get "normalized" by Strava, so distance and other metrics are shorter as a result): https://www.strava.com/activities/1041828950
I'm in the final few months of my journey to hike the 100 highest Peaks in new England. Grouping them together where I could, I found I should be able to hit two particularly interesting peaks near enough to each other: Nancy and Vose Spur. Both are bushwhacks, and I jumped at the chance to at least sweep the south-eastern corner of the Pemigewasset Wildnerness.
My friend Mike, who I met on a joint expedition up to the Brothers in Baxter State Park this past Winter, and is working to complete his NE 100 as well, joined up to taken on this 17-mile almost-loop.
We spotted a car at the Signal Ridge trailhead off Sawyer River Road, then headed to the Nancy Pond trailhead on Route 302. The Nancy Pond trail would take us to the steep herd path that heads straight up Mt. Nancy, then we'd continue to its junction with the Carrigain Notch Trail, off which the Vose Spur bushwhack takes you very steeply up to the top of Vose Spur.
The day started overcast, but with pleasant temperatures it was a nice hike. Mosquitos were out in force, but we came prepared with a new repellent I've found works very well against bugs, even better than deet does: White Mountain Insect Repellent, sold by a local company in southern NH.
We made quick work of the easy to moderate grades up the first section of Nancy Pond trail to the Nancy Cascades: a stunning, 300-foot tall cascade unlike most anything in the Whites. Even just a simple hike to this point would be well worth the effort. The pool at the bottom of the main cascade was very inviting but we had lots of mileage ahead of us...
We continued up along the cascade, and eventually evened out to come upon the first of two beautiful ponds: first Nancy Pond, then Norcross Pond. The overcast skies began to yield to sun, but with fog still hanging in the air, the ponds were mystical to behold. Mosquitos swarmed especially hard in this area, but repeated application of the White Mountain repellent kept them well at bay.
We traveled along the northern edge of both ponds, and at the far end of Norcross Pond came upon the junction with the herd path that heads up to Nancy summit. The Nancy Pond trail turns left at this point, while the herd path starts off on the right. Taking that right turn, within about 200 feet you come to a fork, at which you head left to pick up the herd path in earnest. The path all the way to the top is pretty well-defined and easy to follow, if very steep in places. At only 0.6 miles, we reached the top pretty quick.
We'd thought the summit might be in the clouds, but skies cleared really nicely by this point, and we were rewarded with incredible views out to southern Presidentials, including Mount Washington. Stunning undercast skies were in play, too -- a not-too-common occurrence I felt very lucky to behold. We were really stoked to see that skies were clearing up; something that would be awesome for our second bushwhack of the day. We made really good time, too: just about two hours and almost five miles to this point.
... continued below ...
- Nancy Pond Trail from Route 302, to junction with Mt. Nancy herd path, at Norcross Pond outlet (4.3mi, 2200ft gain)
- Herd path up to Mt. Nancy summit (0.6mi, 750ft gain)
- Herd path back down to Norcross Pond outlet (0.6mi -750ft)
- Nancy Pond Trail to Carrigain Notch Trail junction (2.8mi, -1000ft)
- Carrigain Notch Trail to common Vose Spur bushwhack start (2.3mi, about flat)
- Vose Spur bushwhack (0.8mi, 1650ft gain) - 0.6mi to slide
- Bushwhack back down (0.8mi, -1650ft)
- Carrigain Notch Trail to Signal Ridge Trail junction (4.6mi, -500ft)
- Signal Ridge Trail to spotted car (1.7mi, -500ft)
- Totals: 17 miles, 5140' elevation gain, 9h10m elapsed time (roughly 8hr hiking time)
Photo Gallery: on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/erikbertrand/media_set?set=a.10153965764829567.1073741889.570654566&type=3
Strava GPS track (seemed to get "normalized" by Strava, so distance and other metrics are shorter as a result): https://www.strava.com/activities/1041828950
I'm in the final few months of my journey to hike the 100 highest Peaks in new England. Grouping them together where I could, I found I should be able to hit two particularly interesting peaks near enough to each other: Nancy and Vose Spur. Both are bushwhacks, and I jumped at the chance to at least sweep the south-eastern corner of the Pemigewasset Wildnerness.
My friend Mike, who I met on a joint expedition up to the Brothers in Baxter State Park this past Winter, and is working to complete his NE 100 as well, joined up to taken on this 17-mile almost-loop.
We spotted a car at the Signal Ridge trailhead off Sawyer River Road, then headed to the Nancy Pond trailhead on Route 302. The Nancy Pond trail would take us to the steep herd path that heads straight up Mt. Nancy, then we'd continue to its junction with the Carrigain Notch Trail, off which the Vose Spur bushwhack takes you very steeply up to the top of Vose Spur.
The day started overcast, but with pleasant temperatures it was a nice hike. Mosquitos were out in force, but we came prepared with a new repellent I've found works very well against bugs, even better than deet does: White Mountain Insect Repellent, sold by a local company in southern NH.
We made quick work of the easy to moderate grades up the first section of Nancy Pond trail to the Nancy Cascades: a stunning, 300-foot tall cascade unlike most anything in the Whites. Even just a simple hike to this point would be well worth the effort. The pool at the bottom of the main cascade was very inviting but we had lots of mileage ahead of us...
We continued up along the cascade, and eventually evened out to come upon the first of two beautiful ponds: first Nancy Pond, then Norcross Pond. The overcast skies began to yield to sun, but with fog still hanging in the air, the ponds were mystical to behold. Mosquitos swarmed especially hard in this area, but repeated application of the White Mountain repellent kept them well at bay.
We traveled along the northern edge of both ponds, and at the far end of Norcross Pond came upon the junction with the herd path that heads up to Nancy summit. The Nancy Pond trail turns left at this point, while the herd path starts off on the right. Taking that right turn, within about 200 feet you come to a fork, at which you head left to pick up the herd path in earnest. The path all the way to the top is pretty well-defined and easy to follow, if very steep in places. At only 0.6 miles, we reached the top pretty quick.
We'd thought the summit might be in the clouds, but skies cleared really nicely by this point, and we were rewarded with incredible views out to southern Presidentials, including Mount Washington. Stunning undercast skies were in play, too -- a not-too-common occurrence I felt very lucky to behold. We were really stoked to see that skies were clearing up; something that would be awesome for our second bushwhack of the day. We made really good time, too: just about two hours and almost five miles to this point.
... continued below ...
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