Trip/Event Location: Wilmot, NHUS
Trip Leader(s): Gandalf , JDNnh
Max # People: 10
Trip Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money
Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
This is a hike up to Mount Kearsarge with outstanding 360-degree views from its bare summit! Our second of four GetFit Hikes! We will be hiking Mt. Kearsarge [2,937 feet] up the Winslow and down
At exit 10 of Interstate 89, northbound travelers turn right at the end of the exit ramp. About 80 yards northeast from the highway turn right at a T intersection onto North Road. Proceed .04 mile to a sweeping left turn onto Kearsarge Valley Road, which intersects with Kearsarge Mountain Road after another 3 miles. The right turn onto Kearsarge Mountain Road is marked by a "Winslow State Park" sign adjacent to a field with full views of Kearsarge Mountain. The tollbooth and parking area are about 2 miles up the road.
Winter wonderland! The park was actually opened so we were able to drive right up to the trailhead. A beautiful silhouette of powdered trees amidst a carpet of soft snow made our hike up pleasurable. At the start, we were under heavy fire of snow bombs. Snow became sticky with slushy patches and ledges being exposed by the melting snow.
The summit was surreal with swirling clouds but after having lunch at the picnic tables, the ceiling started to lift and we could see down to the valley floor picking out a couple of ski areas: Pat’s Peak and Mt. Sunapee! We ran into this impressive mid 20’s women hiking up solo carrying her 2-year old daughter and her dog, Barley. It was only her second hike!!!
We descended down the Barlow Trail into steep granite ledges with dramatic windows down in the valley. Further down, we entered into a magical deep green forest canopy of spruces slathered in white velvety snow.
It was a pleasure to meet fellow GO member Jonny who drove up from Boston and caught up to us on our descent. As we were neared the end of our hike, the earlier heavy fire of snow bombs were exchanged snow grenades! Yikes!!!
Back at our cars, Mike began chatting with a couple of handsome college aged guys in the car next to us and discovered after looking closely at their t-shirts, that they were part of his SNHU fraternity, Kappa Delta Phi! Mike did the secret handshake to confirm…wink…wink. Fantastic day in nature to recharge the batteries!
Outdoor Fitness Level: Very Strenuous
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate
Outdoor Fitness Level: Strenuous
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate to Strenuous
