1HappyHiker
Well-known member
Perhaps I’m speaking only for myself, but when planning a hike, the Ossipee Mountains don’t jump to the forefront of my mind! The vast majority of my hiking is done “above the notch”. However, after hiking Mt. Roberts this past weekend with Hiker Cheri, I have a new attitude about hiking in a different latitude.
This little 2500 foot mountain exceeded my expectations BIG TIME! The trek to Mt. Roberts provides stunning views of Lake Winnipesaukee as your traverse over the many ledges on the way to the summit.
And once you arrive at the summit, there are nice views of many of the high peaks to the north, including the Presidentials & Mt. Chocorua, which are quite prominent, plus many others. And, these summit views are more than just squiggly lines on the horizon; they are closer than I had imagined they would be.
Our entire trek was on the Mount Roberts Trail, which we accessed by parking at a lot on Ossipee Park Road just outside the west gate of the Castle in the Clouds property. The trail begins just beyond a stable on the west side of Shannon Pond. It winds around the back of a pasture and then begins its gentle 2.5 mile ascent. There are a few moderately steeped pitches, but they are short-lived. The trail is orange-blazed, and once on the ledges there is a combination of cairns and blazes to guide you.
One of the really nice features of this particular hike is that you would not even have to go all the way to the summit. You could opt to call it a day at any point along the way, and then just hang out and soak up some rays on any of the several broad south-facing ledges. Each of these ledges offers a slightly different view of an expansive Lake Winnipesaukee vista.
Now, here’s a geology lesson (but mercifully brief!). Bear with me, there is a point to it! Apparently, the Ossipees are considered by many geologists to be the best example in the world of a ring dike formation. A what?! Well, as I understand it, these structures form when an underground bubble of magma collapses, leaving a circular crack on the Earth’s surface. Then, when magma erupts through these cracks, it creates a ring-shaped mountain range like the Ossipees.
OK, my point to the above geology lesson is that if you want to do other hikes in a unique circular mountain chain, there are many other worthy destinations besides Mt. Roberts. Perhaps the foremost one is Mt. Shaw, and it’s now on my very short list!! Also, after talking with the very knowledgeable Steve Smith, there are many other spots in this range that I’ll now be eager to explore, such as Mt. Flagg, Black Snout, Turtleback Mountain, Faraway Mountain, Bald Knob, and others.
Bottom Line to All This: The hike to Mt. Roberts exceeded my expectations and has whet my appetite to do some other hikes “below the notch” in the Ossipees. Oh! And, how do the lyrics to that old Jimmy Buffett song go? Something like: “With these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, nothing remains quite the same”.
1HappyHiker
This little 2500 foot mountain exceeded my expectations BIG TIME! The trek to Mt. Roberts provides stunning views of Lake Winnipesaukee as your traverse over the many ledges on the way to the summit.
And once you arrive at the summit, there are nice views of many of the high peaks to the north, including the Presidentials & Mt. Chocorua, which are quite prominent, plus many others. And, these summit views are more than just squiggly lines on the horizon; they are closer than I had imagined they would be.
Our entire trek was on the Mount Roberts Trail, which we accessed by parking at a lot on Ossipee Park Road just outside the west gate of the Castle in the Clouds property. The trail begins just beyond a stable on the west side of Shannon Pond. It winds around the back of a pasture and then begins its gentle 2.5 mile ascent. There are a few moderately steeped pitches, but they are short-lived. The trail is orange-blazed, and once on the ledges there is a combination of cairns and blazes to guide you.
One of the really nice features of this particular hike is that you would not even have to go all the way to the summit. You could opt to call it a day at any point along the way, and then just hang out and soak up some rays on any of the several broad south-facing ledges. Each of these ledges offers a slightly different view of an expansive Lake Winnipesaukee vista.
Now, here’s a geology lesson (but mercifully brief!). Bear with me, there is a point to it! Apparently, the Ossipees are considered by many geologists to be the best example in the world of a ring dike formation. A what?! Well, as I understand it, these structures form when an underground bubble of magma collapses, leaving a circular crack on the Earth’s surface. Then, when magma erupts through these cracks, it creates a ring-shaped mountain range like the Ossipees.
OK, my point to the above geology lesson is that if you want to do other hikes in a unique circular mountain chain, there are many other worthy destinations besides Mt. Roberts. Perhaps the foremost one is Mt. Shaw, and it’s now on my very short list!! Also, after talking with the very knowledgeable Steve Smith, there are many other spots in this range that I’ll now be eager to explore, such as Mt. Flagg, Black Snout, Turtleback Mountain, Faraway Mountain, Bald Knob, and others.
Bottom Line to All This: The hike to Mt. Roberts exceeded my expectations and has whet my appetite to do some other hikes “below the notch” in the Ossipees. Oh! And, how do the lyrics to that old Jimmy Buffett song go? Something like: “With these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, nothing remains quite the same”.
1HappyHiker
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