Trip report
FULL MEMBERS ONLY: Hedgehog Mt. Loop
Hiking/Walk DATE: 01/27/2018 - 01/27/2018
Trip/Event Location: Lincoln, 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
Get to know our fellow sustaining members! Dinner afterwards at Mad River Lodge...lodging available.
We will take the UNH loop to Hedgehog Mtn. [2,532'] which offers fine views from
...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 (2,532ft)
Elevation Gain: 1,500ft
Trails: UNH
Distance: 4.7 miles roundtrip
Duration: 4 hr (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 ga-lore! Such a beautiful trail with a moderate ascent and stunning views that rewarded us today! Jon and I met with friends Luciano and Lee at the Post Office in Campton, NH. From there we carpooled with them up to the UNH trailhead on the Kancamagus Highway via routes I-93 and 112. On the ride up we couldn't believe our luck, the sun out and it was getting warm.
We arrived at the trailhead parking lot, met Dave and got started on the trail right away. Conditions- hard crust on top of solid base of snow. Break through crust slightly but just 1-2 inches. Top was actually softer snow than lower down. Only MicroSpikes were needed. The trail was like a sidewalk, amazing!
We hiked this looped trail clockwise. The trail grade was fairly gradual and constant for the first 2 miles, then it narrowed and emerged onto the east ledge. We stopped for lunch here, enjoying the warm sun and the stunning views. I picked a natural rock bench for us to lunch on, with an impressive view of Mt. Passaconaway. We spent about 15 minutes here having our lunch and taking more photos. After our ledge lunch break we started up to the summit.
I was impressed with the many ledges as we approached the summit. There was nobody at the summit. The folks we crossed paths on the trail were hiking the opposite direction and in total, probably saw about a dozen…and a cute dog.
As we started to descend we saw a fantastic view of snow covered Mt. Washington! On the descent we stopped at Allen's Ledge checking out the upper ledge and resting a bit to admire views from the lower ledge.
The friends who joined us were eager to go on this hike to get out of the house in winter. It felt great to get out and hike with everyone. We covered a variety of topics including caring for elderly parent, retirement planning and Donald Trump. We all got a good laugh at the woodpecker holes in the tree and shared, shall I say, fantasies? After the hike, Luciano and Lee spent the night at house enjoying a delicious dinner prepared by Jon. It felt great to be outdoors, hiking in snow, and surrounded by good company and the beautiful New Hampshire White Mountains!
Trip Report: Mike Boisvert
Photos: Jon Normand
There are 61 photos in Album (Note: Move mouse pointer over larger pic and click on NEXT for better viewing)
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