Trip report
Hedgehog Mountain Winter Hike
Hiking/Walk DATE: 03/02/2019 - 03/02/2019
Trip/Event Location: Lincoln/North Conway, NH
US
Trip Leader(s): Gandalf , JDNnh
Max # People: 15
Trip Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Views/lunch from East Ledges, main summit, Allen's Ledge and deep snow covered spruce forests in between!
Hoping this will a butt surfing hike - pray for some snow! The hike is moderate but the
...From the east, turn off NH 16 in Conway onto the Kancamagus Highway [NH 112] and drive about 14.3 miles. From the west on I-93, take Exit 32 in Lincoln and drive about 21.8 miles on the Kancamagus.
You'll see a sign for the turn to the trailheads on the south side of the highway: the Downes Brook, UNH, and Mount Potash trails. Turn here and drive in to the large parking area. We'll be driving a blue Toyota Tacoma truck.
Trip Report/Photos
Hedgehog Mountain (2,532 ft)
Elevation Gain: 1,400 ft
Trails: UNH
Distance: 4.7 miles roundtrip
Duration: 4 hours (includes stops for breaks along the trail, at the east ledge and at the summit)
Difficulty: Moderate
Another “NH 52 with a View”! And views gay-lore! Such a beautiful trail with a moderate ascent and stunning views that rewarded us today! Phil and Kevin met us at the parking lot. The skies were mostly cloudy with a high ceiling, but the sun did occasionally make an appearance.
After everyone arrived we started around 10:45AM. The trail was broken but soft so Jon, Phil and I used snowshoes. Kevin opted for MicroSpikes and was fine overall; but he did posthole a few times.
We hiked this loop trail clockwise. The trail grade was fairly gradual and constant for the first 2 miles, then it narrowed and emerged onto the east ledges. We stopped for a lunch here for about 20 minutes enjoying the stunning views south and east, with an impressive view of nearby Mt. Passaconaway! Phil’s quads were bothering him all day and knowing there was still a bit more to climb, he decided it was best for him to turn around. After our ledge lunch we started up to the summit.
I am always impressed with the many ledges as we approached the summit. Nearby ledges on the summit provided views in most directions. After the summit, we took a short spur trail on the left to an outlook with views to the west. Right before we descended, we saw an awesome view of snow-capped Mt. Washington!
On the descent, there were a couple of steep pitches where we enjoyed a bit of butt sliding.
Jon and I were eager to go on this hike since the last hike we planned I had to cancel because I came down with the flu. It felt great to get out and hike with Phil and Kevin as well. It felt great to be outdoors, hiking in snow, and surrounded by good company and the beautiful New Hampshire White Mountains!
Mike and Jon
There are 67 photos in Album (Note: Move mouse pointer over larger pic and click on NEXT for better viewing)
What Members Are Saying About This Trip/Event
- All the smiles on your faces are evidence this classic White Mountain day hike is a pleaser even in winter! - phoenix
- It was great seeing you and hiking together again. Hedgehog was one of the first mountains in the Whites I hiked with you guys about 10 years ago so I had good flashbacks :-). What a nice view we had!! Nobody was around so we talked loud and our smiles and laughs were brighter than the day. Thank you Mike and Jon for leading another good hike and see you all soon in any occasion. Hugs! Kevin - liketodo
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