Owls Head Mountain is a 4000-footer positioned deep within the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Whilst you can hike out and again to it in an extended 16-18 mile day, I had a hankering to show it into an off-the-cuff backpacking journey for an opportunity to sleep outdoors at the least another time earlier than the onset of winter, which may arrive any day now. Whereas I do plan to do some above-treeline backpacking this winter within the Presidentials, that may be a fully completely different expertise from sleeping down low within the bosom of the Pemi.
Now that we’re previous Columbus Day (October 10), the White Mountain Nationwide Forest takes on a really completely different look. Issues that had been hidden from sight by leaves and understory vegetation are instantly revealed, giving the forest a totally completely different look; a renewal of kinds, earlier than the lengthy winter units in.
Individuals who hike the 4000-footers all 12 months spherical will let you know that it’s enjoyable to expertise the identical trails in several seasons since you see various things. Whereas I’ve discounted that considerably in my very own expertise, and I attempt to differ the paths I observe to the excessive peaks, this autumn has been completely different. I actually am noticing and discovering new elements of the forest that I haven’t ever skilled.
Route
There’s a fairly normal route that the majority hikers take out to Owls Head nowadays, though there are a number of methods to achieve the height. For this hike, I adopted the most well-liked route:
- Lincoln Woods Path – 2.6 miles
- Black Pond Path – 0.8 miles
- Black Pond Bushwhack – 1.0 miles
- Lincoln Brook Traill – 2 miles
- Brutus Bushwhack – 0.6 miles (up)
- Owls Head Path – 0.6 miles (up)
- Owls Head Path – 0.6 miles (down)
- Brutus Bushwhack – 0.6 miles (down)
- Lincoln Brook Path – 2 miles
- Black Pond Bushwhack – 1.0 miles
- Black Pond Path – 0.8 miles
- Lincoln Woods Path – 2.6 miles
These bushwhacks, listed above, allow you to keep away from a number of stream crossings and an avalanche slide which could be problematic when the climate will get colder. There’s been loads of controversy lately about these “bushwhacks” which are actually fairly properly outlined, however nonetheless unofficial trails. I’d estimate that 90% of the a whole bunch of hikers going out to Owls Head observe them and there’s little level in banning their use since everybody makes use of GPS apps, like GaiaGPS and AllTrails, to observe them.
It was completely different when just a few guides knew the routes and the extent of visitors was far decrease. However there isn’t any level in making an attempt to ban their use at this level. Sadly, GPS apps and social media have made our world a a lot smaller place. The cat is out of the bag and it’s unattainable to place it again in.
Journey
I headed up the Lincoln Woods path which was very fairly with the autumn coloration and turned onto the Black Pond Path. From there it’s about 0.8 miles to the beginning of the unofficial Black Pond Bushwhack, which avoids the 2 main water crossings required to achieve the Lincoln Brook Path, which runs to the bottom of Owls Head. This was the fifth time I’ve hiked out to Owls Head this 12 months, so I’ve a good concept of what to anticipate.
There are two extra water crossings you might want to deal with proper earlier than the climb up Owls Head. In hotter climate, I don’t care about getting my sneakers moist in any of those crossings, however when nighttime temperatures drop beneath freezing, as they’ve for a number of weeks now, I keep away from getting my path runners moist. So for these 2 crossings, I carried a pair of Wiggy’s Waders to maintain my ft dry, though I didn’t find yourself needing them as a result of each had been low sufficient to rock hop.
Whereas the Black Pond Bushwhack is an unofficial herd path at this level, the route it takes via the forest does fluctuate a bit, significantly in winter it follows the route that the final particular person to interrupt it out (compress the snow with snowshoes) took. The primary half of the route was completely different than the final time I hiked it in June, though the second half coincided completely. The route was additionally closely obscured by leaf litter, however I’m excellent at following badly outlined trails so I didn’t have any issues determining the present “route.” I used to be nonetheless outfitted with a compass, map, and GaiaGPS although.
The bushwhack comes out on the Lincoln Brook Path, simply after the second river crossing, which it bypasses. From there I hiked up the very moist LBT, making an attempt to maintain my mesh path runners dry. The mesh path runners I exploit, Saucony Peregrine 11’s (final 12 months’s mannequin) have a sock liner inside which I discover wards off moist ft to a sure extent. In fact, it does nothing for the sturdiness of the exterior mesh which will get destroyed after about 200 miles of White Mountain mountaineering. I’m significantly contemplating transferring to a extra sturdy mountaineering shoe as a result of I’m sick of changing mesh path runners at $150-$200 a pop. There must be a greater method.
The Lincoln Brook Path is at all times moist, at the least when it’s not coated in ice. Regardless of this I made good time, hopping skipping, and leaping to keep away from the mud pits and puddles alongside the best way. The path runs alongside Lincoln Brook which remains to be working very low due to the summer time drought, regardless that we’ve had loads of rain prior to now month.
Since I had a full pack, I discovered a hidden campsite to stash my heaviest gear whereas I climbed the height. Some individuals depart their packs on the base of the Owls Head climb and climb with out one, however I want carrying a minimal of security gear with me after I climb summits. You simply by no means know once you’ll want it.
I climbed Owl Head utilizing the Brutus bushwhack, as an alternative of going up the avalanche slide which is one other route. That route, which once more is now a well-established herd path, is called after Brutus, a Bernese Mountain Canine who couldn’t stand up the avalanche slide, which is principally a rocky shute that climbs about 1000 ft. That’s one other 600 ft of elevation acquire above that, nevertheless it’s at the least a path. This bushwhack route was created so Brutus may get to the summit. He’s now not with us however his herd path lives on.
Up I went, following the summit ridge to the mountain highpoint, marked by a small cairn. I took just a few photographs, rotated, and reversed my route, mountaineering again to my gear stashed within the woods.
It was nonetheless mid-afternoon, so I made a decision to hike again out partway and discover a stealthy campsite for the night time as an alternative of staying on the one I’d discovered nearer to the height. This proved tougher than I anticipated as a result of there isn’t loads of stage floor between the top of the Black Pond bushwhack and the Owls Head Path. However I discovered a pleasant web site finally, pre-existing on this case – and arrange camp, made dinner, hung my Ursack, acquired into my sleeping bag, and fell asleep for the following 14 hours. I like sleeping outdoors. I may have made it again to the beginning of the hike earlier than sunset, however one in every of my chief targets for this hike was to camp out.
I made tea the following morning, however the ProBar I’d packed for breakfast was frozen, so I needed to defrost it by dipping it the recent water. Then I packed up and hiked out.
This was the final 4000-footer I wanted to climb in October for the 4000 Footer Grid (12 x 48), bringing my whole to 478 summits. With 98 peaks left, there’s nonetheless loads of journey left.
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