Whiteface and Passaconaway for #11

Summits: Mount Whiteface (4,020'), Mount Passaconaway (4,043')

Trail route: Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail

Trail conditions: A variety of Spring conditions including dry trail, hard-packed snow, ice, wet, mud

Weather: Warm, sunshine and blue sky

Total miles: 11.9

Total time:  7:12

Once again after several days of strong winds the forecast had light winds, sunshine and warm temps for today. I needed Whiteface and Passaconaway to start off the month of May and would be joining Scott and Lisa for this hike. Even after reading trail reports you can never be sure what the conditions will be like especially during the Spring months which can be particularly difficult.

It was a nice, bright sunny morning as we departed Ferncroft parking lot headed for the Blueberry Ledge Trail. As we started up the trail it was clear and dry with no snow or ice down low. Further up in elevation at about 3,000' there was a frozen monorail. We managed to continue on without traction and being careful. 

We arrived at the always interesting ledges. While the granite face that we had to scramble up was bare there was some icy areas in between some of the shaded areas and it was very tricky. We managed to get to the top of the ledges without any mishaps. The microspikes went on here since there were no signs of bare trail remaining. The Rollins Trail was hard-packed snow with sections of ice flows. We stopped briefly at the viewless summit of Mount Whiteface for a quick pic and then kept going.

We arrived at the trail junction of Dicey's Mill Trail and continued up to the summit of Mount Passaconaway with the same trail conditions. There was nothing worse than what we had already seen. We arrived at the viewless summit of Mount Passaconaway and took a few pics. We also found a summit stick that I had never seen before. Hikers were arriving as we left the summit, it was all downhill from here. 

Had one little mishap on the way down when I relied too much on my traction when stepping on some hard ice with water flowing over it, down I went and started sliding before being caught by root frozen in the ice. My right elbow and hand took the brunt of the fall but nothing serious. That's what happens when one becomes lackadaisical and putting too much faith in the traction without holding onto a nearby tree. Another lesson reinforced.   

Down past the Rollins Trail junction we removed our microspikes as the last of the monorail disappeared. The temp was getting very warm and I put on a short sleeve shirt for the first time this year. In just over seven hours we arrived back at the Ferncroft parking lot.

This was my 11th time hiking to these summits. I need to hike them one more time in December to grid them out, meaning hike them in every month of the year. It was a beautiful Spring day and temps were up in the 60's this afternoon. I was glad to have the company of Scott and Lisa on this long hike today. I now have three more hikes to grid out May. Grid count is 538/576!

Enjoy the photos and video!

Early morning moose encounter but we safely went our separate ways

Mount Whiteface and Mount Passaconaway reflection on Chocorua Lake

Mount Chocorua reflection on Chocorua Lake

A view of Mount Whiteface in the distance at the start of the hike

Warm sunshine at the Blueberry Cutoff junction

Enjoying the dry trail

A view of Ferncroft parking lot far below

Skirting alongside a frozen monorail

Small ledge to practice for the ledges up ahead

The ledge scrambling is about to start

Straight up we go

Climbing up to the blue sky

A very tricky stretch of ice to get up

More ledge scrambling

Mount Passaconaway

Mount Washington

Mount Chocorua and the Sisters

At the top of the ledges

Spectacular views

On the summit of Mount Whiteface

Ice on the Rollins Trail

Ice bulge beside the trail

Mount Passaconaway

More ice

Mount Whiteface

Ice on the way up to Mount Passaconaway

More ice

Lincoln and Lafayette

Passaconaway summit stick

Waterville Valley ski slopes

The microspikes come off here

Log crossing

Back at Ferncroft

Having Fun in the Great Outdoors!