Kath
New member
Today's hike was a short, sweet walk in the woods to a spot with a killer vista. It was a classic textbook hike up to Lowe's Bald Spot, taken straight from “Snowshoe Hikes in the White Mountains” by Steven Smith.
Hikers: Old Lurp & myself
Trails: Old Jackson Road from Pinkham Notch to Mt. Washington Auto Road: 1.9 mi.
Madison Gulf Trail from Auto Road to Lowe's Bald Spot side trail: 0.2 mi.
Lowe's Bald Spot side trail: 0.1 mi.
Starting Elevation: 2032'
Highest Elevation: 2875'
Time to summit: 1.5 hr.
Began hike at Pinkham Notch on Old Jackson Road. Trail is in great shape. Snow hard packed. We wore snowshoes, but it could be easily bare booted. There are several brook crossings, all of which are still frozen at this time, and not a problem at all..Trail is flat for the first half mile. Cross a wooden bridge and the OJR steepens for a short while. Trail is easy to follow, well signed, and white blazed. (it coincides with the AT). There is one sharp left turn up a steep section that is well marked. The OJR ends as it emerges onto the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Cross the road and enter the woods on the other side, onto the Madison Gulf Trail. Very shortly you reach the signed side trail on the right to Lowe's Bald Spot. It's a very short steep scramble to the bald top with super views to in nearly every direction. Other than a few clouds clinging to the summit of Mt. Adams, the visibility was superb. I give it an A+.
Pics here: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/579979951ABIlVF?vhost=outdoors
-Kath
"Over every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley".-----my last fortune cookie
Hikers: Old Lurp & myself
Trails: Old Jackson Road from Pinkham Notch to Mt. Washington Auto Road: 1.9 mi.
Madison Gulf Trail from Auto Road to Lowe's Bald Spot side trail: 0.2 mi.
Lowe's Bald Spot side trail: 0.1 mi.
Starting Elevation: 2032'
Highest Elevation: 2875'
Time to summit: 1.5 hr.
Began hike at Pinkham Notch on Old Jackson Road. Trail is in great shape. Snow hard packed. We wore snowshoes, but it could be easily bare booted. There are several brook crossings, all of which are still frozen at this time, and not a problem at all..Trail is flat for the first half mile. Cross a wooden bridge and the OJR steepens for a short while. Trail is easy to follow, well signed, and white blazed. (it coincides with the AT). There is one sharp left turn up a steep section that is well marked. The OJR ends as it emerges onto the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Cross the road and enter the woods on the other side, onto the Madison Gulf Trail. Very shortly you reach the signed side trail on the right to Lowe's Bald Spot. It's a very short steep scramble to the bald top with super views to in nearly every direction. Other than a few clouds clinging to the summit of Mt. Adams, the visibility was superb. I give it an A+.
Pics here: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/579979951ABIlVF?vhost=outdoors
-Kath
"Over every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley".-----my last fortune cookie
