Middle Sugarloaf (2539 Ft), North Sugarloaf (2310 Ft)

North Sugarloaf from Middle

STATE: New Hampshire
TOWN: Twin Mountain
DESTINATION: Middle Sugarloaf, North Sugarloaf
ELEVATION: 2539 Ft., 2310 Ft.
Middle Sugarloaf SUMMIT COORDINATES: 44 15.089, W71 31.036
North Sugarloaf SUMMIT COORDINATES: 44 15.509, W71 31.105
TRAIL: Mt. Sugarloaf Trail, Middle Sugarloaf spur, North Sugarloaf spur
DISTANCE: 3.2 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 820 Ft
HIKING TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes
SEASON: Summer
DATE: August 27, 2016
WEATHER: Sunny, clear, 85 degrees

PARKING:

From route 302 in Twin Mountain look for Zealand campground. Follow Zealand road 1 mile to a parking area on the right. The trailhead is just across the wooden bridge. The Sugarloaf's are a popular hike and the lot fills up quickly. Overflow roadside parking is available on Zealand road. A $3.00 self service parking fee applies.

Drive time from Manchester is approximately 90 minutes.

USGS QUAD: USGS Twin Mountain Quad

MAP: (Middle Sugarloaf), (North Sugarloaf)

DESCRIPTION:

The Mt. Sugarloaf trail enters the woods after crossing the wooden bridge over the Zealand river. The Mt. Sugarloaf trail and Tressle trail parallel the Zealand River for a few hundred yards to a trail junction where the Tressle trail continues straight and the Mt. Sugarloaf trail bears to the left. The well trodden trail is extremely easy to follow as it passes several large glacial erratic boulders. The incline steepens over rocky steps for 0.9 mile to a T junction in the col between the two peaks. Middle Sugarloaf is 0.4 to the left (south) and North Sugarloaf is 0.3 to the right (north). The 0.4 miles to Middle Sugarloaf begins softly following a zigzag pattern before becoming very steep. A wooden staircase leads you up the final pitch to the open faced granite summit of Middle Sugarloaf which offers panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. South Sugarloaf and Hale are directly to the south. Mt Washington and the Southern Presidential range are directly to the east and North Sugarloaf can be seen to the north.

After absorbing the views return the way you came 0.4 miles to the T junction. North Sugarloaf is a gradual climb 0.3 miles to it's granite summit. North sugarloaf has great directional views that seem weak in comparison to Middle Sugarloaf. Return the way you came.

TRAIL DISTANCES:

HIKING DISTANCES
DESTINATION	DISTANCE	TOTAL DIST.
Mt. Sugarloaf Trail - T junction	0.9 miles	0.9 miles
T junction - Middle Sugarloaf	0.4 miles	1.3 miles
Middle Sugarloaf- T junction	0.4 miles	1.7 miles
T junction - North Sugarloaf	0.3 miles	2.0 miles
North Sugarloaf- T junction	0.3 miles	2.3 miles
T junction - Parking	0.9 miles	3.2 miles

HIKING TIMES:

HIKING TIMES
DESTINATION	TIME	TOTAL TIME
Mt. Sugarloaf Trail - T junction	30 minutes	30 minutes
T junction - Middle Sugarloaf	15 minutes	45 minutes
Middle Sugarloaf- T junction	10 minutes	55 minutes
T junction - North Sugarloaf	10 minutes	1 hour 5 minutes
North Sugarloaf- T junction	7 minutes	1 hour 12 minutes
T junction - Parking	18 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes

NOTES / COMMENTS:

At 2359 feet, Middle Sugarloaf isn't tall enough to be on any elevation lists and the 1.3 mile journey to it's peak isn't long enough to consider this a solo hike. The open granite slabs on the summit make the views one of the best in the white mountains and Middle Sugarloaf has been placed at #51 on the New Hampshire 52 with a View list. North Sugarloaf is a short and rewarding side trip allowing for two mountain checks on a single hike. I wasn't able to find a distinct bump or any markings defining the North Sugarloaf summit. I suspect the high point is the bump the trail passes just beyond the open ledges and lunch table sized boulder.

Trail junction and spur paths

Stairs leading to Middle Sugarloaf

South Sugarloaf and Mt. Hale

The Rosebrook Range (Bretton Woods)

Mt. Martha (3554 Ft) and Owl's Head (Cherry Mtn)

Mt. Martha from Owl's Head

STATE: New Hampshire
TOWN: Carroll
DESTINATION: Owl's Head, Mt. Martha
ELEVATION: 3554 Ft.
SUMMIT COORDINATES: N44 19.842, W71 29.963
TRAIL: Owl's Head Trail, Martha's Mile
DISTANCE: 6.4 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 2300 Feet
HIKING TIME: 2.5 Hours
SEASON: Summer
DATE: August 27, 2016
WEATHER: Sunny, clear, 80 degrees

PARKING: 

Mt. Martha can be accessed from the south via the Cherry Mountain trail or the north via the Owl's Head trail. Parking for the Owl's Head trail is available on US-115 at the Stanley Slide historical marker. The lot will fit 15-20 cars.

Drive time is approximately 2 hours from Manchester.

USGS QUAD:  USGS Mt. Dartmouth Quad

MAP: (Mt. Martha)

DESCRIPTION:

Owl's Head, Mt. Martha and Cherry Mountain are referenced in many resources and variety of top maps available.  The entire mountain mass is considered Cherry Mountain and the two main summits are considered Mt. Martha and Owl's Head. The Owl's Head Trail departs the northern side of the parking lot under a pair of apple trees crosses Stanley Slide Brook then merges with a woods road. The trail takes a sharp left (straight leads to private property) passes a dilapidated camper and heads into the woods in a northerly direction to skirt private property.  The damp, moss covered and rocky terrain offers a gentile grade for approximately one mile to a crossing of Stanley Slide brook.  The trail inclines steeply to a former logging road crossing a grassy road shown as John Walker Rd on Google Earth and begins a seemingly relentless steep climb leaving you breathless and drenched in sweat. At 2450 ft you'll reach a USFS boundary marker where you'll enter the White Mountain National Forest. This is also the town boundary leaving the town of Jefferson entering Carroll giving a small bit of excitement and the knowledge that 0.3 miles of brutally steep ascent remains.

Owl's Head offers amazing views of the Northern Presidential range.  Martha's Mile is a 0.8 mile trail linking Owl's Head to Mt. Martha and drops steeply. The start of this trail is the most technically difficult aspect of the journey. Continue north on the a moderate incline through fern filled woods. A steep final pitch leads to the summit of Mt. Martha. The summit is relatively open with a grassy area and fire ring. Exploring the several spur paths lead to outlooks in various directions.  Four cement blocks are all that remains of an old fire tower that once stood.

TRAIL DISTANCES:

HIKING DISTANCES
DESTINATION	DISTANCE	TOTAL DIST.
Parking - Owl's Head summit	2.4 miles	2.4 miles
Owl's Head summit - Mt. Martha	0.8 miles	3.2 miles

HIKING TIMES:

HIKING TIMES
DESTINATION	TIME	TOTAL TIME
Parking - Stanley Slide Brook Crossing	20 minutes	20 minutes
Stanley Slide Brook Crossing - Carroll Town boundary	35 minutes	55 minutes
Carroll Town boundary - Owl's Head summit	15 minutes	1 hour 10 minutes
Owl's Head summit - Mt. Martha	20 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes
Mt. Martha - Owl's Head	20 minutes	1 hour 50 minutes
Owl's Head summit - parking	45 minutes	2 hour 35 minutes

NOTES / COMMENTS:

"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." - Martha Washington

I've been list obsessed with summit fever causing a lack of motivation or desire to enjoy what brings me back to the mountains. Today's hike was about the journey, not the destination and kindling the desire to be one with nature. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure from start to finish.

Mt. Martha is on several lists including the NH hundred highest, ranked #22 on the NH most prominent peaks and is a former fire tower site.  Owl's Head Mountain is on the NH 52 With a View list.  Neither summit has any markings however both are obvious once you arrive. Both summits contain extraordinary views.

Mt. Madison, Jefferson and Washington from Cherry Mtn.

The Mt. Martha summit

Remains of the former fire tower

Directional views from an outlook on Mt. Martha

Britton Hill - 345 Ft. Florida High Point

STATE: Florida
TOWN: Lakewood
DESTINATION: Britton Hill
ELEVATION: 345 Ft
SUMMIT COORDINATES: N30 59.172, W86 16.892
DISTANCE: 1.0 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 10 feet
HIKING TIME: 5 minutes
SEASON: Summer
DATE: August 9, 2016
WEATHER: Hot and humid



PARKING:

Britton Hill is located in Lakewood Park off County Highway 285. There is a pavilion with several picnic tables and a restroom facility within the park along with the granite highpoint marker and some short hiking trails.


USGS QUAD: USGS Paxton Quad

MAP: (Britton Hill)

DESCRIPTION:

At 345 Feet Britton Hill is the highest point in the state of Florida. It is located on the Florida panhandle near the Alabama border. It is the lowest high point of all fifty US states. The high point monument is 50 feet from the parking lot however there are three hiking trails behind the monument. a blue 0.45 mile loop, a yellow 0.52 mile loop and a red 0.71 mile loop. Following the trail behind the marker for approximately 0.25 to 0.3 miles will lead you to a bench sponsored by highpointers.org. Note that there are a couple benches at the trail junctions however the highpointer sponsored bench should be considered the benchmark. There isn't a definitive peak here and the purist in me wandered the woods like a drunk bee searching for a distinct point. There are locations that are definitely higher than the monument and some that appear higher than the bench but nothing I could truly define as the HP. Lots of big ol' spiders. There is a log mounted on the restroom kiosk to the left of the men's door.


NOTES / COMMENTS:

We were on a family vacation in Destin and I took a break from the beaches and excursions to make the hour drive to the HP for my 9th U.S. highpoint. The first (and probably only) high point I'll visit in flip flops.

Lakewood Park sign

Granite Monument

View from high point marker

Mt. Garfield (4500), Garfield Ridge West (3667), Garfield Ridge East (3590)

Mt. Garfield Summit

STATE: New Hampshire
TOWN: Franconia
DESTINATION: Mt. Garfield, Garfield Ridge West, Garfield Ridge East
ELEVATION: 4500 Ft, 3667 Ft, 3590 Ft.
West Garfield SUMMIT COORDINATES: N44 11.396, W71 35.716
East Garfield SUMMIT COORDINATES: N44 11.575, W71 34.916
TRAIL: Garfield Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail (AT), Bushwhack, Garfield Ridge Trail, Herd Path, Garfield Ridge Trail, Gale River Trail, Road walk.
DISTANCE: 13 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 3500 Feet
HIKING TIME: 5 Hours 35 minutes
SEASON: Summer
DATE: July 30, 2016
WEATHER: 60 Degrees, clear skies.  70-80 miles visibility

PARKING: From US 3 Turn right at Five Corners onto Fire Road #92.  Continue 1.2 miles to the Garfield trail parking area. There is room for 10 cars in the lot plus plenty of overflow onto the road.  The parking area is marked with a large kiosk and The Garfield trail is marked with a sign.

Approximately 90 minutes drive time from Manchester

USGS QUAD: USGS Franconia Quad

MAP: (Garfield), (Garfield West), (Garfield East)

DESCRIPTION: 

The Garfield Trail begins on the right side of the parking lot adjacent to the trail map kiosk.  It is well trodden and easy to follow the blue blazes through old woods as you follow the left bank high above Thompson Brook. The trail soon turns left and widens as it reaches the old fire warden road. It crosses then recrosses a small tributary to Thompson Brook then begins a modest incline over rocky terrain that never really became steep, difficult or eventful. After 4.5 miles you'll reach the junction with the Garfield Ridge Trail (Appalachian Trail).  Mt. Garfield is a steep 0.2 miles to the north and has you'll discover a 10 foot square cement wall which are the only remains of a fire tower which once stood here. The spectacular 360 degree views are awe inspiring looking deep into the Pemigewasset Wilderness and surrounding peaks of Franconia Notch, Owl's Head, the Hancocks and Carrigan, the Bonds, the Twins and Galehead. Among the plethora of 4k's you'll be able to see Mt. Kearsarge in Warner and the Uncanoonuc Mountains in Manchester on a blue bird day.

Owl's head (foreground) and the Uncanoonuc Mountains 80 miles south

Marred trees marking the bushwhack route

Return the way you came.  Energetic peakbaggers may want to continue three miles east along the Garfield Ridge Trail (Appalachian Trail) to Galehead hut for the opportunity to hike two New Hampshire hundred highest peaks (short bushwhacks) and Galehead mountain. This side trip adds approximately 5 miles to the overall distance. The Garfield Ridge Trail descends very steeply following the AT white blazes passing Garfield tent site continuing it's steep drop to the junction of the Franconia Brook Trail.  It begins to incline as it ascends the West Peak of Garfield Ridge. Reaching the height of land bushwhack 0.15 miles directly south through moss covered semi-thick but not impenetrable woods. I found a faint herd path and noticed a series of ax marred trees leading the way to the high point.  There is a glass (pickle) jar hanging from a tree at the viewless summit.  With the closeness to the AT, I expected this bushwhack to be trivial. The journey was a tad more arduous with less of a trail and thicker woods than I expected however the short and straight bushwhack was uneventful and would be a great peak for a beginner bushwhacker to hone their skills.

PVC canister at the Garfield Ridge East outlook

Continue east on the Garfield Ridge trail over several ups and downs to Garfield Ridge East. The summit is 100 feet off the trail and follows a well used (unmarked) herd path from the height of land.  This is an obvious trail and easy to follow to the overlook staring directly towards Galehead and Galehead hut. There is a small PVC register at the outlook.  Purists may want to circle the woods as I believe the high point is on or near a large boulder 20-30 feet away.


Continue to the junction of the Gale River trail. Galehead Hut is 0.6 miles away and Galehead mountain is an additional 0.5 miles. I felt hot spots on my feet and chose to descend the Gale River trail 4.0 miles to the parking area.  The 1.5 mile road walk was an uphill and arduous eventually reaching the Garfield Trail head and my car.




TRAIL DISTANCES:

HIKING DISTANCES
DESTINATION	DISTANCE	TOTAL DIST.
Garfield Trail - Garfield Ridge Trail	4.8 miles	4.8 miles
Garfield Ridge Trail - Garfield Summit	0.2 miles	5.0 miles
Garfield Summit - Garfield Ridge Trail	0.2 miles	5.2 miles
Garfield Ridge Trail - Garfield tentsite	0.2 miles	5.4 miles
Garfield Tentsite - Franconia Brook Trail Jct	0.5 miles	5.9 miles
Franconia Brook trail Jct - Garfield Ridge Height of land	0.3 miles	6.2 miles
Garfield Ridge (west) Height of Land - Garfield Ridge West Peak	0.15 miles	6.35 miles
Garfield Ridge West Peak - Garfield Ridge Trail	0.15 miles	6.5 miles
Garfield Ridge Trail - Garfield Ridge (east) herd path	0.6 miles	7.1 miles
Garfield Ridge (east) herd path - Garfield Ridge East peak	100 feet	7.1 miles
Garfield Ridge Trail - Gale River Trail	0.4 miles	7.5 miles
Gale River Trail - Gale River parking	4.0 miles	11.5 miles
Gale River Trail parking - Garfield Trail parking	1.5 miles	13 miles

HIKING TIMES:

HIKING TIMES
DESTINATION	TIME	TOTAL TIME
Garfield Trail - Garfield Ridge Trail	1 hour 52 min	1 hour 52 min
Garfield Ridge Trail - Garfield Summit	8 min	2 hours
Garfield Summit - Garfield Ridge Trail	8 min	2 hours 8 min
Garfield Ridge Trail - Garfield tentsite	5 min	2 hours 13 min
Garfield Tentsite - Franconia Brook Trail Jct	17 min	2 hours 30 min
Franconia Brook trail Jct - Garfield Ridge Height of land	5 min	2 hours 35 min
Garfield Ridge (west) Height of Land - Garfield Ridge West Peak	15 min	2 hours 50 min
Garfield Ridge West Peak - Garfield Ridge Trail	10 min	3 hours
Garfield Ridge Trail - Garfield Ridge (east) herd path	23 min	3 hours 23 min
Garfield Ridge (east) herd path - Garfield Ridge East peak	12 min	3 hours 35 min
Garfield Ridge Trail - Gale River Trail	10 min	3 hours 45 min
Gale River Trail - Gale River parking	1 hour 25 min	5 hours 10 min
Gale River Trail parking - Garfield Trail parking	25 min	5 hours 35 min

NOTES / COMMENTS:

Mt. Garfield (4500 Ft) is worth the hike alone. The panoramic views are one of the best in all the white mountains and a place I could sit in awe in wonderment for hours.  Today's goal was the 3000 foot West and East peaks along the ridge.

Mt. Lafayette and Franconia Ridge

Galehead Mountain, South Twin and the Bonds

Owl's head and the view south

Garfield Ridge East Peak, Galehead Mountain and the Twins

South Twin and Galehead Mountain

Mt. Clough, 3561 Ft.

Tunnel Brook Trailhead

STATE: New Hampshire
TOWN: Benton
DESTINATION: Mt. Clough
ELEVATION: 3561 feet
SUMMIT COORDINATES: N44 01.768, W71 52.322
TRAIL: Tunnel Brook Trail, Bushwhack
DISTANCE: 6 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 2168 Feet
HIKING TIME: 3 hours 5 minutes
SEASON: Late Spring
DATE: June 18, 2016
WEATHER: 75 degrees, blue skies

PARKING: Follow route 25 (93 North Exit 26) approximately 20 miles to the small town of Glencliff.  Turn right on High Street towards the Glencliff house and follow it exactly 1 mile to FR 19 on the left.  This is a dirt road with a Smokey Bear sign guarding the entrance. After 0.3 miles the Tunnel Brook Trail sign is on the right.  There is roadside parking for 2-3 cars.

USGS QUAD: Mount Moosilauke Quad

MAP: (Mt. Clough)

Tunnel Brook trail and bushwhack to Mt. Clough

DESCRIPTION: 

The Tunnel Brook trail follows a woods road 0.2 miles then crossed Jeffers Brook at the junction with Slide Brook.  Here the trail becomes single track through a mix of hardwood, conifer and ferns.  The trail then makes a double crossing of a tributary entering Slide Brook and Slide Brook itself.  You'll reach a third and final crossing of Slide Brook and at 1.1 miles you'll encounter a small reservoir used as the water supply for the NH Home for the elderly in Glencliff.  The area was under construction as I arrived and bordered with plastic red fencing. The trail continues along the left side of Slide Brook.  At 1.8 miles (2300 ft elevation) I started the bushwhack (N44 00.940, W71 51.850).  In hindsight, I should have continued another 500 feet along the trail as my entry point was a bit premature.  The woods were open and easy to navigate. My goal was to hit the curved ridge-line along the eastern flank of Mt. Clough and follow it to the summit.  The terrain was steep and once I reached the ridge-line was able to follow a mild herd path. The herd path disappeared more than it appeared however the ridge was distinct and easy to follow in an upwards path.  At 2800 feet the herd-path became much more distinct, well trodden and easy to follow that would appear, disappear at a downed tree then reappear a few dozen feet later. I encountered a thick band of conifers at 3300 feet that can be avoided by skirting the easterly perimeter.  The summit is marked with the standard PVC canister.  There is no signage.

I traced my steps most of the way down.  Once I descended to 2400 feet I changed bearing to a more easterly direction and encountered the Tunnel Brook Trail .13 miles north of my original entrance point.

Views towards Mt. Moosilauke

Herd path along the ridge-line

TRAIL DISTANCES:

HIKING DISTANCES
DESTINATION	DISTANCE	TOTAL DIST.
Tunnel Brook trail - start of bushwhack	1.8 miles	1.8 miles
Bushwhack - Mt. Clough Summit	1.2 miles	3 miles
Mt. Clough Summit - end of bushwhack	1.2 miles	4.2 miles
Tunnel Brook trail - Parking	1.8 miles	6 miles

HIKING TIMES:

HIKING TIMES
DESTINATION	TIME	TOTAL TIME
Tunnel Brook trail - start of bushwhack	40 minutes	40 minutes
Bushwhack - Mt. Clough Summit	1 hour	1 hour 40 minutes
Mt. Clough Summit - end of bushwhack	45 minutes	2 hours 25 minutes
Tunnel Brook trail - Parking	40 minutes	3 hours 5 minutes

NOTES / COMMENTS:

Mt. Clough is ranked the 94th highest mountain in New Hampshire. It has 1261 feet prominence making it the 47th most prominent peak in New Hampshire.  There are no views from the summit however there are good views of Mt. Moosilauke from an open area along the climb.

Mt. Clough Summit canister

Mt. West Field (3691 Ft) and Mt Tom (4051 Ft)

West Field (small bump left center) from Mt. Tom

STATE: New Hampshire
TOWN: Bethlehem
DESTINATION: West Field, Mt. Tom
ELEVATION: 3691 Ft, 4051 Ft
SUMMIT COORDINATES: N44 11.364, W71 26.826
TRAIL: Avalon Trail, A-Z trail, Bushwhack
DISTANCE: 9.2 Miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 3390 Ft
HIKING TIME: 5 Hours 15 Min
SEASON: Early Spring
DATE: March 26, 2016
WEATHER: 40-45 degrees with clear skies, some under-cast clouds.

PARKING: Parking can be found at The AMC Highland Center and Crawford Depot on route 302. Drive time from Manchester is approximately 2 hours.

USGS QUAD: USGS Crawford Notch Quad

MAP: (West Field)

DESCRIPTION:

The Avalon trail enters the woods behind the Crawford Depot train station soon reaching a empty trail kiosk.  The trails were well used this winter and due to the early spring, a sheet of ice.  Micro-spikes or instep crampons are mandatory for anyone attempting this ascent before the spring melt. The Avalon trail ascends gradually paralleling and crossing an unnamed brook. A spur trail makes a exciting loop to Berlin and Fletcher Cascades returning a short distance further along the trail. the Avalon trail makes a second crossing of the unnamed stream and at 1.3 miles meets the junction with the A-Z trail.  The A-Z trail ascends to a stream crossing then climbs steeply to a 4th and final stream crossing at approximately 3450 feet elevation marks a short reprise from the brutally steep elevation gain before the trail reaches the col and the Mt. Tom spur trail.  In 200 Ft the Willey Range trail departs to the left (South) and A-Z trail descends westerly towards Zealand Notch.

To hike West Field Descend the A-Z trail 0.4 miles to approximately 3050 feet elevation where the A-Z trail crosses an unmarked old cross country ski trial (GPS coordinates N44 12.072, W71 27.134).  Cross a small stream to a small open field.  Here the cross country ski trail bears left and follows the stream a short distance before petering out after 0.15 miles.  Penetrate the spruce to a relatively open woods bushwhack to the West Field summit.  The bushwhack never got too steep and encountered a moderate band of trees 0.2 from the summit but it was short lived with minimal resistance. The woods opened up to the 3691 foot West Field summit.

Follow your foot steps the way you came. After returning to the A-Z trail and col I would recommend the 0.6 mile side trip to Mount Tom. The Summit is marked with a small cairn and a nearby outlook offers phenomenal views into Zealand notch including West Field which can be seen to the South.

Zealand Notch from Mt. Tom

TRAIL DISTANCES:

HIKING DISTANCES
DESTINATION	DISTANCE	TOTAL DIST.
Avalon Trail - A-Z trail	1.7 mi	1.7 mi
A-Z trail - Mt. Tom Spur	1.0 mi	2.7 mi
A-Z trail - XC ski trail	0.4 mi	3.1 mi
Bushwhack to W. Field	0.9 mi	4.0 mi
Bushwhack to A-Z Trail	0.9 mi	4.9 mi
A-Z trail - Mt. Tom Spur	0.4 mi	5.3 mi
Mt. Tom Spur - Mt. Tom	0.6 mi	5.9 mi
Mt. Tom Summit - A-Z trail jct	0.6 mi	6.5 mi
A-Z trail - Crawford Depot	2.7 mi	9.2 mi

HIKING TIMES:

HIKING TIMES
DESTINATION	TIME	TOTAL TIME
Avalon Trail - A-Z trail	45 min	45 min
A-Z trail - Mt. Tom Spur	30 min	1 hr 15 min
A-Z trail - XC ski trail	15 min	1 hr 30 min
Bushwhack to W. Field	50 min	2 hr 20 min
Bushwhack to A-Z Trail	50 min	3 hr 10 min
A-Z trail - Mt. Tom Spur	30 min	3 hr 40 min
Mt. Tom Spur - Mt. Tom	20 min	4 hr
Mt. Tom Summit - A-Z trail jct	20 min	4 hr 20 min
A-Z trail - Crawford Depot	50 min	5 hr 10 min

NOTES / COMMENTS:

West Field was the goal of this trip.  It is #70 on the list of New Hampshire 100 highest and Mt. Tom was a short 0.6 mile side trip. I was glad to have the company of Wemedge along for this hike as the Avalon and A-Z trails were much steeper than I remembered and I needed the company as my lungs burned and heart pounded in my chest. Traction was essential for this ascent, Wemedge and I put on micro-spikes and in-step cramp-on's respectively shortly after we commenced the hike.  We used snowshoes once we began the bushwhack. There is a PVC canister on the West Field summit there are no other markings or views.

A nice alternative route would be to include 4000 footer Mt. Field which is a 0.9 mile side trip along the Willey Ridge trail.  Descend via the steep Avalon trail to the junction with the A-Z trail.

The XC Ski trail crossing the A-Z

3691 Foot - West Field Summit

Kiss the Canister (tm) Summit pose

HockeyPuck feeding a Gray Jay

Rattlesnake Hill (Raymond) - 485 Feet

STATE: New Hampshire

Rattlesnake Hill - Raymond

TOWN: Raymond
DESTINATION: Rattlesnake Hill
ELEVATION: 485 Feet
SUMMIT COORDINATES: N43 01.556, W71 12.904
TRAIL: Access road
DISTANCE: 1.0 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 190 feet
HIKING TIME: 30 minutes
SEASON: Winter
DATE: March 18, 2016
WEATHER: Partly cloudy, 55 degrees

PARKING: Don't ask, won't tell - drive time is approximately 15 minutes from Manchester. Take route 101 east to exit 4.

USGS QUAD:  Mount Pawtuckaway Quad

MAP: (Rattlesnake Hill) 

DESCRIPTION: 

Dirt access road

I intended to park at the end of Gile Road and quickly learned that access to this peak wouldn't be as straight-forward as I anticipated.  The access road is gated and posted No Trespassing.  I explored nearby Scribner Road and Gordon Roads for a trail or public access and didn't encounter anything promising.  I determined the best approach was to park on highway 101 and bushwhack 100 feet to the access road.  I pulled off on the westbound lanes just past a guardrail where I could pull well off the highway.

the bushwhack was short however required a chicken wire fence hop at a point where a fallen tree had bent a suitable location to hop over.  The access road was paved asphalt which transitioned to gravel then dirt still wide enough for a vehicle to reach the summit. The summit cone has been excavated and looks more like a crater than a summit.  The left (eastern) bump appeared to be the higher location.  The summit is a obvious prominent point with no views or markings.


TRAIL DISTANCES:

HIKING DISTANCES
DESTINATION	DISTANCE	TOTAL DIST.
Parking - summit	0.5 miles	0.5 miles

HIKING TIMES:

HIKING TIMES
DESTINATION	TIME	TOTAL TIME
parking - summit	15 minutes	15 minutes

NOTES / COMMENTS:

Rattlesnake Hill summit

This is one of many mountains, hills, bumps, ponds or islands with the Rattlesnake moniker.  Legend has it Timber Rattlesnakes populated many of these locations before hunters, collectors or people intimidated by snakes nearly wiped the timber rattlesnake population to extinction.  According to Google there is still one active den containing 15 - 20 Timber Rattlesnakes in NH.  The location of this den is kept under lock and key by the state Fish and Game department for the safety of the Rattlesnake.  As I researched the Timber Rattlesnake population in NH I learned of their sad history and demise and I don't blame the state for attempting to keep the location of the few remaining active snakes hidden. Most Timber Rattlers like south facing rock outcroppings and Rattlesnake Hill contains several potential locations.  According to this WMUR news story in 2012 a Timber Rattlesnake was found in the garage of a Raymond home about 1/2 a mile from this location.  I didn't expect to see any basking in the sun during mid-march but Rattlesnake Hill has potential to be the habitat of the last known population of Timber Rattlers in NH.  I'll start the conspiracy theory by stating maybe a snake population is the reason for the locked gate on the access road.   The location would be worth a return visit in warmer weather (if you dare!).