Hiking to a Snowy Owl's Head

Summit: Owl's Head (4,025')

Trail route: Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, Black Pond Bushwhack, Lincoln Brook Trail, Brutus Bushwhack

Trail conditions: Icy start to a thin cover of snow to several inches of snow on the way out

Weather: Cloudy, cold and snowy

Total miles: 16

Total time:  9:30

I was planning on another long hike today although not as long as the 24 mile Zealand/Bonds traverse last Sunday. This would be a 16 mile long hike to the remote summit of Owl's Head. I was not sure what the trail conditions would be with recent rain so it was going to be interesting.

Right from the start there was a sheet of ice at the suspension bridge over the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River. The microspikes went on here. Once across the bridge the ice continued and it was a noisy crunchy walk.

Turned onto the Black Pond Trail leaving the ice behind. There was a thin coating of snow with a short section of totally bare ground. Snow started falling along the Black Pond bushwhack. This bushwhack bypasses a couple of water crossings and makes the hike shorter.

Further up the trail the hike got interesting with two difficult water crossings. The first one I managed to get across without incident but the second one was a little more challenging. I put on trail crampons but still managed to submerge one boot in the icy water. I have good boots and my foot stayed dry.

The most difficult section of the hike was right beyond the last water crossing and this is known as the Brutus bushwhack. It is very steep and today had some slippery snow on it. Even with crampons I used the trees to pull me up along the way. Turning onto the Owl's Head path it was more vertical up to the ridgeline. There was several inches of snow up here and more was falling.

It had gotten quite cold and there are no views up here so there would be no lingering time on the summit. Another hiker came along and said he had found a better way to cross the water. I would be watching for his footprints. It was a quick descent and at the bottom of the bushwhack I started looking for the footprints and found them. The water crossing was a little easier but required walking across a small slide. The feet were still dry. I swapped back to my microspikes.

There was a steady moderate snowfall on the return to the trailhead. Three inches had fallen and the ice on Lincoln Woods Trail was covered making it a less slippery hike out. Once again it was good to see the suspension bridge that marked the end of the hike.

I was sure glad to get this long hike done for December. I now have three more months to hike Owl's Head, January, February and April. This is one summit that I will be very glad to grid out!

Enjoy the photos!

Icy start

East Branch of the Pemigewasset River

The ice continues on the Lincoln Woods Trail

A section of bare ground

An icy log that needed to be crossed

Arriving at Black Pond

An icy Black Pond

On the Black Pond bushwhack

Bypassed this water crossing by taking the Black Pond bushwhack

Snowing along Lincoln Brook

First tricky water crossing

This water crossing was very difficult to get across without getting wet

Boulder at the junction where the Brutus bushwhack meets the Owl's Head path to the summit

On the Owl's Head ridge

Found the Owl's Head summit stick

Descending the Brutus bushwhack

Water crossing again

A snow covered Black Pond

Snowfall gathering on me

Snowy bog

Crossing a snowy bridge

Tree limbs heavy with new snow

Trail ice is covered with a layer of snow

The bridge marks the end of this 16 mile hike

Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!