Owl's Head (4025 ft) - July 3, 2010

Weather: Warm, sunny and clear.

Trail: Liberty Woods Trail, Franconia Brook Trail, Liberty Brook Trail.

Trail Conditions: First eight miles in conditions are good. Two stream crossings require getting your feet wet. The slide trail is challenging.

Views: No view from the summit. Continuing a few hundred feet down Franconia Ridge Trail from where you are supposed to turn onto Liberty Brook Trail you get a view of South Twin and Bond ridges. From the Owl’s Head slide trail you have views of Franconia Ridge including Mt. Flume, Mt. Liberty, Mt Lincoln and Mt. Lafayette.

Group: Mike, Brian and Anai

Slog. This is the most appropriate word I have heard used to describing this 18 mile hike. It is also exactly how you feel during several portions including much of the slide trail and the last 3 miles of this hike that just doesn’t seem to end. I guess I had my hopes up that a 9-mile trek deep into one of the most remote areas of New Hampshire would be a little more interesting but it didn’t turn out that way.

The hike starts at the Lincoln Woods Visitors Center and Ranger Station 5 miles up Rt 112 from Lincoln. Cross the footbridge, bear right and then walk… and keep walking. The Lincoln Woods Trail is on an old RR bed which makes it about as straight and level as a trail can be. This goes on for over 3 miles. It is the closest thing to walking on a treadmill that I have found while hiking in the whites. Not so bad on the way in when you have a chance to walk effortlessly and chat up people you meet who are also covering this mandatory ground, like John from Toronto who was headed for the Bonds. But on the way out you just want it to be over and the three miles never seems to end. It took us just under an hour to cover this distance on the way in, about 50 minutes on the way out. You cross another footbridge that brings you to the junction of the Franconia Brook Trail off to the left. This trail is also along an old RR bed in many sections but it is a bit more overgrown and deteriorated than the Lincoln Woods Trail RR bed. When we set out on this hike one of the things that interested me the most is that we would be headed deep into the Pemigewasset Wilderness, a very remote place. But it is tough to feel like you are in the “wilderness” when you are walking a RR bed. By the time we reached the Owl’s Head Slide we were 8 miles from the nearest roadway but it just didn’t feel that way.

There is a slight detour around a Beaver Pond toward the last section of the Franconia Brook Trail. Just after the detour we picked up the Liberty Brook Trail on the left, but before we did we walked up the Franconia Brook Trail about 200 feet to see another pond with views of part of Bondcliff reflected in its pool.

The Liberty Brook Trail was a bit more “wilderness” like. This trail follows the Liberty Brook in the valley formed by Franconia Ridge to the west and Owl’s Head to the east. There are four brook crossings on this trail. The first two require getting your feet wet. We all made a shoe change at the first crossing into some aqua socks or similar (Anai had Keen water sandals). We left them on to traverse the 0.2 miles to the next crossing, then changed back into boots. The cold water felt great on the feet.

Eight miles in and we were at the base of the slide trail, marked by a cairn, that would take us 1800 feet to the summit over just 1 mile. After eating a quick lunch we set out over the toughest section of these 18 miles. The slide trail is not fun. Brian referred to it as soul sucking. The trial, I mean trail, winds up a very steep section of loose rock. The rocks can easily be kicked loose by climbers higher up. The slide eventually gives way to an equally steep path, but not before playing some tricks on you. At one point, about halfway up the slide, you come to a place where the slide trail (if you can call it a trail) appears to diverge in two directions. I took the right; Brian and Anai took the left. The right side entered some trees and brush and got narrower and narrower to what is described as a herd path. It was very tight and impossible to traverse without coming out with some scrapes, although the scrawny twenty-something that that I let go by me was having an easier time with it. At times it appeared the path was coming to a dead end but eventually I would find where it continued. Brian and Anai described the left side as a tortuous slog up fist sized rock that easily gave way underfoot, all while being exposed to the grueling sun. I was able to move quicker with somewhat better footing and shade. When we met back up again Brian insisted we take my path on the way out.

The only redeeming factor of the slide trail is the view. From the trail you can see the summits of Flume, Liberty, Lafayette, and Lincoln. They were very impressive.

The slide with loose rock underneath eventually improves but the slope remained very steep with wet soil underfoot. When the top comes, it comes fairly quickly. By the time you start to

notice that the pitch is relenting you come to the top and a small clearing with room for a few people to rest. This is not the summit (new or old). From here we turned to the left and followed a narrow path a few hundred yards to the (old) summit marked by a small verticalsign nailed to a tree. Evidently a few years back some do-goodercouldn’t leave well enough alone and made the determination that there was a slightly higher spot a few hundred yards to the north. The AMC’s 4000 footer club still recognizes the old summit but us being the type of people who want to be true to the task, we continued on to the north in search of the “new” summit. The path is narrow but passable. I have seen some message boards state that you can easily lose the trail but I didn’t find that to be the case. The new summit is marked by cairn with a gnarly root coming out of its base.

After having another bite to eat we set out for the descent of the slide path. This might actually be less fun than the climb up. I fell three times on the loose wet soil on the same path that I had taken up when we split on the ascent, causing my frustration level to get the highest its been so far on the trail. I just wanted to be off that slide. I got easier on the exposed slide where it was dry and I was able to get better footing despite the fact that you would often slide with the rocks. Reaching the bottom, I had never been happier to be off a section of trail and have it behind me.

The brook crossings felt even better on the way out, although I nearly snapped my ankle on the last one. While in the water my foot slipped down between two rocks and my other leg came down on top of it. I was able to wrangle myself loose after dropping my poles.

The last three miles consists of extremely straight flat RR bed that goes on and on and on. It is not physically challenging. It is just a very boring walk after already traversing 15 miles that day. There was a constant sense of Déjà vu as we could see same scenery in front of us for a few hundred yards that remained constant no matter how fast we walked or tried to put distance behind us. It gives the feeling that while you might be walking you’re just not getting anywhere. The long flat walk at the beginning of our Zealand hike from Zealand Rd is much more interesting and scenic.

Making a departure from the usual post hike meal plan, we tied on the feedbag at the Woodstock Inn for a Prime Rib dinner. It had to be done.

I’ve heard that a large portion of those seeking the 48 peaks leave Owl’s Head for last due to the distance, the uninviting slide trail and the lack of a view. Seems anti-climatic to me. I have not yet figured out which one I will save until last but I hope to make it a pleasurable hike with a satisfying view. I am glad to have Owl’s Head in the bag.