Cannon (NH) via Mittersill on a cold afternoon, 01/15/09

[rocket21]

I was getting sick of staring at laptops all day long, so I decided to take a few hours off from work and head north in some beautiful, warm winter weather.

Slowed by a back injury during the previous winter that still haunts me, one of my most memorable hikes was heading up Mittersill to Cannon Mountain. Since a few people were interested in it and later enjoyed the snowshoe, I figured I'd post a trip report here for others to see.

Indexed with the banks driving up, the temperature as I arrived at the bottom of the old Mittersill double chairlift was a balmy 0 degrees, just after 2 PM.

Being that we had some recent powder, I figured Mittersill would be ripped up and packed down a bit, as it had been when I ascended it a year earlier. Not quite the case:

Since my best chances of finding a packed trail would be to hug the ski area boundary, I decided to go to the left and head up the Taft Cut Off and Taft Trail.


The last time this old Hall Double Chairlift operated was when Three's Company was a popular show, though post Somers:

I soon heard some military jets ripping around. Looking up, I was a bit surprised to see what looked to be mock-bombs being dropped. I didn't get my camera out in time to capture the flames, but there were a bunch of smoke trails in the sky soon thereafter, like these:

Perhaps they shut down Sputnik.


Just around the corner from the top of the Tuckerbrook Quad, the Taft Trail suddenly went from nice to not so nice:

While most of the other main trails I've hiked or snowshoed around Mittersill are generally well brushed, this one had a lot of small spruce growth sprouting up.

Soon, I was in sight of the top of the old double chairlift. For those of you wondering how structurally sound the top ramp is, the sun was shining through it in this photo:

Another view of the top of the old double chairlift, last used when Dexys Midnight Runners had a hit song:

Soon, I was nearing the top of the Mittersill peak, via the Taft Trail (which, above the double chairlift, is in pretty good shape):

 

[rocket21]

The top of Mittersill is a quasi-alpine zone with stunted growth and great views. On a weekend, you may have to dodge skiers on this stretch of trail. On a weekday, you and your imaginary friend may have the trail to yourselves:

Above the Cannonball Express Quad chairlift, which is 'express' in name only, the spur trail to the summit of Cannon Mountain hadn't been used in quite some time:

Once at the base of the tower, it was time to switch base layers, get winter gear on, climb the stairs, and do the first ever Cannon-winter-Cosby-dance:

The views up there were pretty good, too:

Back on Mittersill, the sun was starting to get close to setting:

Northeast Cannonball and the Kinsmans were looking pretty neat:

Back at the base, there were nice colors beyond the double chairlift:

At this point, my bank-indexed vehicular thermometer plotted the temperature at an estival -7 degrees.

 

[1HappyHiker]

Jeremy . . . what a spectacular trip report . . . and so refreshingly different!!
I love it!

I’ve done that trek in summer, but duh! I never thought to do it in winter!

Kudos to you, Mr. Rocket-man!

 

[Silverfox]

Great report there Rocket


way to get out there on this sunshiney day....

Last year I did this hike up from Mittersill..liked it alot

a different and perhaps the best way up Cannon.....

 

[Fisher Cat]

That picture actually looks like a fighter was just throwing some chaff.

 

[DougPaul]

I soon heard some military jets ripping around. Looking up, I was a bit surprised to see what looked to be mock-bombs being dropped. I didn't get my camera out in time to capture the flames, but there were a bunch of smoke trails in the sky soon thereafter

Those were flares (not chaff).

Flares are used to distract heat seeking missiles. (Presumably only being used for practice here.)

Chaff is metallic strips or wires to create false radar echoes.

Doug

 

[rocket21]

Those were flares (not chaff).

Flares are used to distract heat seeking missiles. (Presumably only being used for practice here.)

Chaff is metallic strips or wires to create false radar echoes.

Doug

Good to know, I had a feeling they were flares. Perhaps Sputnik is still in orbit.

There were at least two jets up there doing those exercises. I really wish I had my camera out in time to capture the flames from the flares.

 

[una_dogger]

Awesome guide report for that route, which I've never done.

Great picture leading toward the summit!

 

[Jason Berard]

Last year I did this hike up from Mittersill..liked it alot

a different and perhaps the best way up Cannon.....

I did it last year as well....I agree! It is the nicest way up Cannon.

 

[skiguy]

Kool trip report. Don't forget your skis next time

 

[rocket21]

Don't forget your skis next time

I wouldn't subject my skis to those conditions (rock skis are down south right now). There was some bare ground/blue ice just below the quad, and some random objects sticking up on the Taft Trail below the old double chair. Below the Tuckerbrook Quad, it looks like there's as little as a foot of base (watch out for the waterbars if you're ripping through there anytime soon!)

 

[wardsgirl]

Beautiful pix! What kind of camera did you use? Did you use lithium batteries? My camera (Canon Powershot) absolutely dies at subfreezing temps.

 

[LRiz]

My camera (Canon Powershot) absolutely dies at subfreezing temps.

I have a Powershot as well. The best way to remedy this problem is to keep the camera warm and close to your body... Of course, in my case this usually means that I just stick it right down my shirt.

I've used my camera in some very, very cold conditions with great success. Hope this helps!

 

[rocket21]

I generally use a Sony Cybershot for winter hiking. I've been above treeline with them in bitter cold weather and (crossing fingers) they've always worked. I keep them in my pants pocket. They have lithium batteries, which I always charge before doing winter hikes.

I also have a Cannon Powershot, which is my skiing and bad weather camera. While it has never died on me, I have had low battery warnings with it on colder days. It also has a lithium battery.

 

[DougPaul]

I have a Powershot as well. The best way to remedy this problem is to keep the camera warm and close to your body... Of course, in my case this usually means that I just stick it right down my shirt.

If you do this, it is a good idea to stick the camera in a ziplock bag. Otherwise, moisture from your skin can condense on or in the cold camera and freeze. A cold camera is much easier to deal with than a frozen camera...

Lithium primary (non-rechargable, usually in AA or AAA size) batteries do better in the cold than lithium rechargeable (lithium ion, Lion) batteries. You can also carry a spare battery in a warm pocket* and switch batteries whenever the batteries in the camera get too cold.

* Don't carry a battery in your pocket with metal items--people have gotten burned when the battery was shorted out.

Doug

 

[Fisher Cat]

Those were flares (not chaff).

Flares are used to distract heat seeking missiles. (Presumably only being used for practice here.)

Chaff is metallic strips or wires to create false radar echoes.

Doug

You are correct. I know what I was thinking, but its not what I typed. I wonder if they still even use chaff anymore, I know it was used a lot in WW2.

 

[skypix]

Nice TR ,Rocket

Too bad you children either have to pay or struggle.
We NH resident Geezers ride up Cannon in air conditioned comfort at taxpayer's expense.

 

[DougPaul]

You are correct. I know what I was thinking, but its not what I typed. I wonder if they still even use chaff anymore, I know it was used a lot in WW2.

It isn't as effective as it used to be--modern pulse-doppler radars (which measure location and radial velocity) can separate chaff from aircraft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-doppler_radar

IIRC, WW2 radars could measure location only and thus would have difficulty separating the two.

Doug

 

[MichaelJ]

Don't mean to hijack, but I've had great success recently by putting two hand warmers in a thin bandanna at the bottom of my camera case, which is larger than my camera and has the room for them, and which is padded which acts as a bit of insulation. The bandanna makes sure no dust from the warmers can get on the camera.

 

[rocket21]

This was originally intended for the initial trip report, but someone it got left on the cutting room floor. Top of the vintage Hall Double Chairlift, last used when Archie Bunker owned a bar, just before sunset:

I thought it was a neat time to be at the top of it, as the late day sunrays made the towers appear to still have fresh paint on them.