Summits: Mount Whiteface (4,020'), Mount Passaconaway (4,043')
Trail route: Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail
Trail conditions: Solid, frozen trail with frozen footprints after last weekend's slush along with some icy sections
Weather: Cold, no wind but an occasional slight breeze, sunshine and blue sky
Total miles: 11.9
Total time: 7:40
Temperature this morning was five below zero when I started my drive to the trailhead, five above zero when I arrived at Ferncroft parking area and I was the first one there. Cold temps, clear skies and sunshine were in the forecast for today. Seemed like a good day for a hike to Mount Whiteface and Mount Passaconaway.
Put the microspikes on at the car and they wouldn't come off until I returned. The road walk to the trailhead was icy. The slush from last Sunday had frozen and the trail was a solid white sidewalk. The air was cold but there was no wind and the sun felt good through the trees.
Arrived at the ledges and it was a bit more challenging in a few spots than it normally is. There was ice covering some critical areas that are usually handholds but not today. At one point I jumped up, grabbed a tree and was able to pull myself over the ice. One hiker passed me here. It got a little easier after that.
Reached the top of the ledges and continued on to the summit. There's not much remaining of the summit cairn on Mount Whiteface but because there's very little snow it was easy to find. From there it was a nice walk across the Rollins Trail with a few icy drops that the traction handled well.
At the Dicey's Mill Trail I turned left and headed up to the summit of Mount Passaconaway. It was the same solid trail with a few sections of ice that I had been hiking on all day. Met three hikers coming down on my way up. I passed over one final icy ledge and was soon on the summit. It will not be much longer before the trees hide the views on the outlook below the summit.
I met one more hiker at the Rollins Trail junction for a total of five hikers that I saw today. I took a short break here and that was the last one until I got back to the Ferncroft parking area. It was a good trip down. The one water crossing was low. I tried the log crossing and almost made it all the way across until I lost my balance and jumped off onto a dry spot keeping my feet dry.
I enjoyed the solid trails today after the slushfest of last Sunday. Once again the snowshoes stayed behind and were definitely not needed. It would be nice if these conditions continued but a snowstorm is in the forecast for the end of the week which could make the trails a bit more challenging.
Enjoy the photos and videos!
Ferncroft parking lot was empty when I arrived
Sun rising as my hike starts
Mount Whiteface can be seen in the distance
Icy road walk on the way to the trailhead
The sunshine felt good on this cold morning
Deep blue cloud-free sky
Ferncroft far below where I started the hike
First significant trail ice that I had to get up and over
My microspikes got me up this ice
A view from the start of the ledge scrambling
The ledge fun starts here
View from a ledge
Pulled myself up this icy ledge with the help from a "friendly" tree
Passing by this ice on the way to another ledge scramble
More ledge fun
Chocorua and the Sisters
Mount Passaconaway
Mount Washington
Another view from a ledge
Southern view
Top o' the ledges
On the summit of Mount Whiteface
Another icy spot on the trail
More ice
A view of Mount Whiteface from the Rollins Trail
Ice
Arriving at Dicey's Mill Trail
Ice on the way up to Mount Passaconaway
Frozen slush
One last ice patch to the summit
View from Mount Passaconaway
Waterville Valley
Large snow-capped boulder
Ice formations on a water crossing
Road walk back to Ferncroft
A look back
Arriving at the parking lot after almost 12 miles
Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!
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