BIGEarl
Well-known member
March 6, 2010: Tecumseh, Waumbek, and Cannon (Triple Hit & Run)
Trails:
Tecumseh: Mount Tecumseh Trail
Waumbek: Starr King Trail
Cannon: Kinsman Ridge Trail, Lonesome Lake Trail
Summits: Tecumseh, Starr King, Waumbek, Cannon
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) and me
Sue and I have been talking about a Triple Hit & Run for nearly a year. In October we attempted one but had to bail late on the third mountain due to deteriorating weather conditions. Over the past several days while planning our hike for this weekend I made the comment about a possible Triple Hit & Run – and that’s all it took. We started the day making a stop at MadRiver’s (Rick) house to pick up a pair of snowshoes he was loaning to Sue while hers were away for repair. As quietly as we could with a diesel, we pulled into the yard, Sue jumped out to get the snowshoes, and we were off. I hope we didn’t wake anybody. The original hiking order was Waumbek, Cannon, and finishing on Tecumseh. Since Tecumseh is just down the road from MadRiver’s house we shuffled the hiking order and went there first.
Tecumseh Sunrise
After a quick stop at the Livermore Trailhead we went to the Waterville Valley Ski Area and the Mount Tecumseh Trail. When we arrived the music was blasting and the place was all lit up. Evidently, working the night shift at Waterville Valley is a fun time. We quickly grabbed our things and took off. The objective was to enjoy a sunrise on Tecumseh.
Overall, the trail is in great shape. At lower elevations there is some evidence of bare booters and the postholes they leave but not as bad as I expected. The trail is very well packed and a nice snowshoe track to the summit. There is no ice all of the way up and we went trailhead-to-trailhead on snowshoes. Roughly half way between the viewpoint spur (ski trail) and the summit we switched off the headlights. Slowly the daylight arrived with a beautiful red sunrise over the Tripyramids. We were between the Sosman Trail junction and the summit when the sun actually started to hit the summit area. A few minutes later we were on the summit enjoying a great start to the day. We were there long enough to get a few summit pictures, enjoy the sunrise, and then it was back to the trailhead for our next target.
The hike back down was a quick one. The traction was great and we were able to move at a fast pace without worrying about a slip or fall. Soon we were arriving back to the ski area parking and it was really loading up fast. The day had started. Along with a great number of skiers pulling there were a number of hikers preparing for their assault on Tecumseh. We quickly packed and took off for Jefferson (via Livermore of course).
Midday on Waumbek
The drive to Jefferson is a little longer at this time of year since Tripoli Road is a ski trail in the winter. The traffic was flying and we made pretty good time even with a quick stop at Beaver Brook on the way through. We decided to park in the Snowmobile/Hiker lot across the road from the end of Starr King Road. There were only two other vehicles there, both pickups with snowmobile trailers, and the lot was still solid (not yet turned to mud). We grabbed our things and were off.
We waited until reaching the summer trailhead lot before putting on our snowshoes. From there we did another trailhead-to-trailhead hike on snowshoes. The Starr King Trail is also in great shape. There is evidence of bare booters but overall the trail is a nice snowshoe track. This trail is one of my favorites. There is a great amount of evidence of deer in the area (they must yard-up nearby in winter), and we have enjoyed seeing some on occasion. And, the hike to 3500 feet is through a terrific open hardwood forest. There were no clouds and the sun was flooding the area making for a warm climb. We were both de-layered to enjoy the conditions.
Slowly we made our way past the old well foundation, the sharp right, the turn into the spruce at the start of the traverse, and finally to the area of the spring on the traverse when we finally met others on the trail. They were a couple guys on their hike out having already hiked to the summit. We all stopped to visit for a while and were soon on our way – we still had a full day planned. As we climbed to the summit of Starr King the day was warming and the snow was getting softer. Bare booters on the trail would certainly cause damage today. We reached the summit area and were treated to some great views that aren’t normally available but right now we have six+ feet of snow to stand on. We were able to get some great views to the west into Vermont and south to the Presidentials, Franconia Ridge, and everything in between.
We continued our hike to Waumbek. It’s an easy one mile that is a little easier than usual right now. The trail to Waumbek was broken out to generally stay on the ridge all of the way across. In other words, the PUDs have been eliminated, at least for a while. We made the trek and arrived at the summit area. At least we arrived at the place where I was sure we were on the summit. Usually there is a summit cairn and a trail sign mounted on a tree next to the trail. The summit cairn was completely buried and there was no visible sign. I was sure of the tree where the sign was mounted and started to dig. Sure enough, a short distance down was the sign and our confirmation of the Waumbek summit. With very little in the way of views, Waumbek’s summit is probably best as a u-turn location for peakbaggers. We made the u-turn and set off for our hike back out. We first needed to hike back over Starr King and when we reached the summit area found two additional hikers had arrived and were taking a lunch break in the warm sun.
The descent was a fast one but a little less comfortable. The snow had become sticky and was loading up on the bottoms of our snowshoes. Occasionally, the snowshoes got pretty heavy and their traction went away until we cleared the balled-up snow. After reaching the open hardwoods at 3500 feet the trail was much harder and the snow problems seemed to go away. I guess the changing snow conditions never really registered with Sue until I pointed out we had ideal snowman snow. Suddenly she had a smile on her face, the pack came off, and a snowman was created. I guess the day wouldn’t be complete without at least one snowman.
Back to the summer trailhead and we removed the snowshoes for our walk to the waiting truck. The warm conditions was softening the parking area and it will soon be a mud pit. A couple more trucks with snowmobile trailers had arrived in the course of the day but no other vehicles. We packed and took off for our next objective.
Cannon Sunset
On the drive from Waumbek Sue asked if I still wanted to hike Cannon. We were both a little tired. I had already started my attack on the feed bag. A quart of Gatorade, a sixteen ounce Monster Drink, some cheese crackers, a Zone Bar, all topped off with some Girl Scout Cookies. I finally answered her question when we were coming into Twin Mountain. Sue smiled and said “I want to climb it too”. Another quick stop at Beaver Brook and we made the final drive to the Tramway parking area and the Kinsman Ridge Trail.
Our original plan was to hike from Lafayette Place but decided a different approach would be a nice change. We didn’t know if the trail had been broken out and decided if the trail was not broken out we could return to the truck and head to Lafayette Place as a back-up plan. We grabbed our things and set off. As we approached the small opening where the trailhead is located we could see tracks, lots of tracks. We put on the snowshoes and set off for the summit of Cannon. The trail had seen a lot of traffic and was in terrific shape. The steepness and hardness of the trail requires good traction and we had our MSRs. They did the job. Starting to hike Cannon via the Kinsman Ridge Trail around 4:00pm at this time of year is probably not something many would consider doing but we were after a Cannon sunset; Hit & Run target number 3, and were completely comfortable hiking with headlights. Slowly we made the climb.
Unlike the previous two hikes, I was in the lead for most of the climb. The early part of the climb is through open hardwoods with constant views to the north and northeast. With these views we were constantly reminded of our progress and motivated by it. The higher we climbed the more the views opened. Snow-capped Franconia Ridge was all lit up in the afternoon sun. What a sight! The televators were raised at the trailhead and stayed up for the full climb. Roughly half way up we came to the Kinsman Glade (I think) and the hiking trail followed this ski trail. Slowly we climbed this extremely steep section. Roughly half-way through this section we met another couple on their descent. They didn’t seem to be completely enjoying the experience. To safely climb we made several crossings from one side to the other and eventually reached the place where the hiking trail left and headed for Cannon Cliffs. Finally, we were back on friendly terrain.
We made our way to Cannon Cliffs and just kept working our way to the summit. By the time we left the area of the cliffs the sun had set – but we enjoyed it while it lasted. The area between the cliffs and the summit has been heavily tracked in all directions by hikers and skiers. Once leaving the scrub there was no definite trail to follow. Our primary guide was the tower and its light. We made our way toward the summit. The wind had come up and we stopped to pull out an additional layer, and our headlights. Soon we were hiking with headlights for the final short climb to the summit tower. We actually arrived to the top of the tram and picked up the trail to the tower from there.
Continued....
Trails:
Tecumseh: Mount Tecumseh Trail
Waumbek: Starr King Trail
Cannon: Kinsman Ridge Trail, Lonesome Lake Trail
Summits: Tecumseh, Starr King, Waumbek, Cannon
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) and me
Sue and I have been talking about a Triple Hit & Run for nearly a year. In October we attempted one but had to bail late on the third mountain due to deteriorating weather conditions. Over the past several days while planning our hike for this weekend I made the comment about a possible Triple Hit & Run – and that’s all it took. We started the day making a stop at MadRiver’s (Rick) house to pick up a pair of snowshoes he was loaning to Sue while hers were away for repair. As quietly as we could with a diesel, we pulled into the yard, Sue jumped out to get the snowshoes, and we were off. I hope we didn’t wake anybody. The original hiking order was Waumbek, Cannon, and finishing on Tecumseh. Since Tecumseh is just down the road from MadRiver’s house we shuffled the hiking order and went there first.
Tecumseh Sunrise
After a quick stop at the Livermore Trailhead we went to the Waterville Valley Ski Area and the Mount Tecumseh Trail. When we arrived the music was blasting and the place was all lit up. Evidently, working the night shift at Waterville Valley is a fun time. We quickly grabbed our things and took off. The objective was to enjoy a sunrise on Tecumseh.
Overall, the trail is in great shape. At lower elevations there is some evidence of bare booters and the postholes they leave but not as bad as I expected. The trail is very well packed and a nice snowshoe track to the summit. There is no ice all of the way up and we went trailhead-to-trailhead on snowshoes. Roughly half way between the viewpoint spur (ski trail) and the summit we switched off the headlights. Slowly the daylight arrived with a beautiful red sunrise over the Tripyramids. We were between the Sosman Trail junction and the summit when the sun actually started to hit the summit area. A few minutes later we were on the summit enjoying a great start to the day. We were there long enough to get a few summit pictures, enjoy the sunrise, and then it was back to the trailhead for our next target.
The hike back down was a quick one. The traction was great and we were able to move at a fast pace without worrying about a slip or fall. Soon we were arriving back to the ski area parking and it was really loading up fast. The day had started. Along with a great number of skiers pulling there were a number of hikers preparing for their assault on Tecumseh. We quickly packed and took off for Jefferson (via Livermore of course).
Midday on Waumbek
The drive to Jefferson is a little longer at this time of year since Tripoli Road is a ski trail in the winter. The traffic was flying and we made pretty good time even with a quick stop at Beaver Brook on the way through. We decided to park in the Snowmobile/Hiker lot across the road from the end of Starr King Road. There were only two other vehicles there, both pickups with snowmobile trailers, and the lot was still solid (not yet turned to mud). We grabbed our things and were off.
We waited until reaching the summer trailhead lot before putting on our snowshoes. From there we did another trailhead-to-trailhead hike on snowshoes. The Starr King Trail is also in great shape. There is evidence of bare booters but overall the trail is a nice snowshoe track. This trail is one of my favorites. There is a great amount of evidence of deer in the area (they must yard-up nearby in winter), and we have enjoyed seeing some on occasion. And, the hike to 3500 feet is through a terrific open hardwood forest. There were no clouds and the sun was flooding the area making for a warm climb. We were both de-layered to enjoy the conditions.
Slowly we made our way past the old well foundation, the sharp right, the turn into the spruce at the start of the traverse, and finally to the area of the spring on the traverse when we finally met others on the trail. They were a couple guys on their hike out having already hiked to the summit. We all stopped to visit for a while and were soon on our way – we still had a full day planned. As we climbed to the summit of Starr King the day was warming and the snow was getting softer. Bare booters on the trail would certainly cause damage today. We reached the summit area and were treated to some great views that aren’t normally available but right now we have six+ feet of snow to stand on. We were able to get some great views to the west into Vermont and south to the Presidentials, Franconia Ridge, and everything in between.
We continued our hike to Waumbek. It’s an easy one mile that is a little easier than usual right now. The trail to Waumbek was broken out to generally stay on the ridge all of the way across. In other words, the PUDs have been eliminated, at least for a while. We made the trek and arrived at the summit area. At least we arrived at the place where I was sure we were on the summit. Usually there is a summit cairn and a trail sign mounted on a tree next to the trail. The summit cairn was completely buried and there was no visible sign. I was sure of the tree where the sign was mounted and started to dig. Sure enough, a short distance down was the sign and our confirmation of the Waumbek summit. With very little in the way of views, Waumbek’s summit is probably best as a u-turn location for peakbaggers. We made the u-turn and set off for our hike back out. We first needed to hike back over Starr King and when we reached the summit area found two additional hikers had arrived and were taking a lunch break in the warm sun.
The descent was a fast one but a little less comfortable. The snow had become sticky and was loading up on the bottoms of our snowshoes. Occasionally, the snowshoes got pretty heavy and their traction went away until we cleared the balled-up snow. After reaching the open hardwoods at 3500 feet the trail was much harder and the snow problems seemed to go away. I guess the changing snow conditions never really registered with Sue until I pointed out we had ideal snowman snow. Suddenly she had a smile on her face, the pack came off, and a snowman was created. I guess the day wouldn’t be complete without at least one snowman.
Back to the summer trailhead and we removed the snowshoes for our walk to the waiting truck. The warm conditions was softening the parking area and it will soon be a mud pit. A couple more trucks with snowmobile trailers had arrived in the course of the day but no other vehicles. We packed and took off for our next objective.
Cannon Sunset
On the drive from Waumbek Sue asked if I still wanted to hike Cannon. We were both a little tired. I had already started my attack on the feed bag. A quart of Gatorade, a sixteen ounce Monster Drink, some cheese crackers, a Zone Bar, all topped off with some Girl Scout Cookies. I finally answered her question when we were coming into Twin Mountain. Sue smiled and said “I want to climb it too”. Another quick stop at Beaver Brook and we made the final drive to the Tramway parking area and the Kinsman Ridge Trail.
Our original plan was to hike from Lafayette Place but decided a different approach would be a nice change. We didn’t know if the trail had been broken out and decided if the trail was not broken out we could return to the truck and head to Lafayette Place as a back-up plan. We grabbed our things and set off. As we approached the small opening where the trailhead is located we could see tracks, lots of tracks. We put on the snowshoes and set off for the summit of Cannon. The trail had seen a lot of traffic and was in terrific shape. The steepness and hardness of the trail requires good traction and we had our MSRs. They did the job. Starting to hike Cannon via the Kinsman Ridge Trail around 4:00pm at this time of year is probably not something many would consider doing but we were after a Cannon sunset; Hit & Run target number 3, and were completely comfortable hiking with headlights. Slowly we made the climb.
Unlike the previous two hikes, I was in the lead for most of the climb. The early part of the climb is through open hardwoods with constant views to the north and northeast. With these views we were constantly reminded of our progress and motivated by it. The higher we climbed the more the views opened. Snow-capped Franconia Ridge was all lit up in the afternoon sun. What a sight! The televators were raised at the trailhead and stayed up for the full climb. Roughly half way up we came to the Kinsman Glade (I think) and the hiking trail followed this ski trail. Slowly we climbed this extremely steep section. Roughly half-way through this section we met another couple on their descent. They didn’t seem to be completely enjoying the experience. To safely climb we made several crossings from one side to the other and eventually reached the place where the hiking trail left and headed for Cannon Cliffs. Finally, we were back on friendly terrain.
We made our way to Cannon Cliffs and just kept working our way to the summit. By the time we left the area of the cliffs the sun had set – but we enjoyed it while it lasted. The area between the cliffs and the summit has been heavily tracked in all directions by hikers and skiers. Once leaving the scrub there was no definite trail to follow. Our primary guide was the tower and its light. We made our way toward the summit. The wind had come up and we stopped to pull out an additional layer, and our headlights. Soon we were hiking with headlights for the final short climb to the summit tower. We actually arrived to the top of the tram and picked up the trail to the tower from there.
Continued....
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