Mt Tecumseh foliage hike

This is really a plug for a hike few people do, not really a trip report so posted here.

Every fall I go up Mount Tecumseh by trail from the ski area, then take the Sossman Trail to the top of the slopes, and descend by the ski slopes.

The views of the foliage on the way down are unequaled (OK, I have not hiked down any other ski trails). On either side of the ski slope you see the individual trees, while across the valley you get the palette of colors, from the dark green conifers to the various hues of yellow and red.

There is a short section (from 2,800 to say 2,400 feet) where the ski slope is wet and, in places, rocky. Watch your footing, not the foliage, in that section! But the rest of the way you can put yourself on cruise control and enjoy the color.

Life is good

Another great ski slope/foliage hike would be Mt Sunapee. The trail starts off behind the lodge (back right), winds it's way around the mountain away from the slopes, summits, heads down the slopes a bit with views of the lake before the detour to the Lake Solitude overlook (very nice) and then back through the woods to finish coming down the slopes. Not as steep and a bit longer of a hike than Tecumseh.

Great point, Mohamed! I did a partial hike up the ski trails (to the viewpoint, then the balance up the Tecumseh Trail) and really enjoyed the foliage, both on trail and also in the distance - the lower half of Mt. Tripyramid was a nice red.

I have hiked up the ski trail and other times up the hiking trail and then down the ski trail. Waterville Valley doesn't mind people doing this but I heard that Cannon Mt could fine you a few hundred dollars for hiking their trails. I think they are worried about the fragile plants?? Not sure if this is true, but would be good to know.

skibones said:

I have hiked up the ski trail and other times up the hiking trail and then down the ski trail. Waterville Valley doesn't mind people doing this but I heard that Cannon Mt could fine you a few hundred dollars for hiking their trails. I think they are worried about the fragile plants?? Not sure if this is true, but would be good to know.

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Outside of poaching (which it looks like Booth Creek still practices the 'talk but carry no stick' approach to saying no, whereas other nearby areas have actually told people to leave), WV seems to have no problem with hikers on their trails. State-taxpayer-owned Cannon lands, however, are off-limits to hikers (though they seem to allow pre-season poaches once there's snow on the ground). I haven't heard of anyone getting fined, though. I suspect if you were to follow the route I took in February (up Mittersill, then up a short-ish section of Cannon's ski trails), you'd be okay.