Icy Hike to Mount Moosilauke

Summit: Mount Moosilauke (4,802')

Trail route: Ravine Lodge Road, Gorge Brook Trail

Trail conditions: Icy road walk, icy to hard pack snow on the trail

Weather: Cool, partly cloudy to sunny, cool breeze on the summit

Total miles: 8.5

Total time: 4:39

With good weather in the forecast I decided to hike Mount Moosilauke today. This would be my 10th time to this summit. The next decision was what trail to take, it would be the Gorge Brook Trail. This is a quick and easy trail to the summit.

I arrived at the Ravine Lodge Road and found the first gate to be open, the only problem was that the entire road had a thick coating of smooth ice on it. I slowly and cautiously drove to the hiker parking area about a mile up the road without incident and was the first one there today.

I put my microspikes on right at the car and they would stay on until I returned. The gate was closed here and it was a road walk to the trailhead. What I didn't know at the time is that there is a new trail cut through the woods here that parallels the road. It was an icy road walk to the trail and the ice just continued on the trail.

It wasn't until further up the trail that there was hard packed snow to walk on. Off the side of the trail there was about one foot of crusty snow. Above treeline there was an icy trail to the top with bare ground everywhere else.

Up on the summit there was a gentle breeze blowing. I had the top to myself and saw no one else coming from any direction. The views were spectacular! I stayed long enough to get some photos and a video then started my descent.

It wasn't long before I started meeting hikers on their way up as I was going down. Toward the bottom of the trail I met a familiar face, it was Steve Smith owner of the Mountain Wanderer in Lincoln, NH and editor of the AMC White Mountain Guide. He was on his way to an off trail adventure to explore the slides on Mount Moosilauke. Steve told me about the new trail from the parking area.

I arrived back at the parking area to find several other cars that had made the drive up the icy Ravine Lodge Road. The road is mostly downhill on the way out so it was a more cautious drive to Route 118 than the drive in.

With favorable weather, no crowd and reasonable trail conditions it was a great day for a hike to Mount Moosilauke!

Enjoy the photos and video!

First one up the icy Ravine Lodge Road to the parking area

An icy road walk ahead of me

Glad I have the microspikes on

When you see a fork in the road...take it

Fresh blowdown after recent winds

Passing by Ravine Lodge

First bridge

Asquamchumauke River

Another bridge crossing

Ice flow

Nice to see the sun coming up through the trees

Lots of unique ice formations in the flowing water

Hard pack snow made a nice hiking surface

View from the trail

Mount Washington in the distance

Sun and clouds make a unique sky

Ravine Lodge far below

Treeline is just ahead

The summit is in sight

Standing at the summit sign

A view of South Peak

Icy trail to South Peak

North view

Lafayette and Lincoln

Descending

Down into the krummholz

Frozen bear footprint

Steve Smith on the way to an off-trail adventure as I was heading down

Final bridge crossing

Back at the parking area

Extreme ice on the drive out

Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!