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I hike hard all winter, and at my age (65 in 2004, when I started this page) I feel the need to take a "spring break" at its end before getting ready for the summer hiking season. Alas, that spring break, essential as it is, leads to a loss of fitness and the need to get back in shape gradually. Complicating things is the fact that I loath hiking in the northern New England "mud season", when the lower parts of trails are wet and the upper parts are covered with rotting snow (postholing) and ice (slipping).

I spend a fair amount of time in the Boston area, and when I am there I can hike in the Blue Hills, getting some fitness away from the mud and rotting snow. Unfortunately there is a huge difference between climbing 1,500 feet spread over six hills (Blue Hills) and climbing them in one continuous stretch (White Mountains). So I try to do as much hiking as I can in New Hampshire, selecting hikes that I expect to be relatively snow free.

There are two features that increase the chance of a snow free hike: a low elevation and a southern exposure. Mountains in the central or southern part of the state are also a possibility, though for me they involve a longer drive.

Here is a list of what I consider suitable Mud Season hikes, with brief comments. I have done most, but not all, of them in the spring of 2003. Note that the distances are one way in all cases.

Trips I did in 2003

This section lists trips that I did in the spring of 2003, so I can report what the conditions were on actual dates.

Coppermine Trail to Bridal Veil Falls

This is a 2.5 mile hike with about 1,100 feet of elevation gain, starting at an elevation of 1,000 feet and ending at 2,100 feet. Due to the low elevation it was snow-free almost all the way to the falls, which were flowing very nicely, on April 23rd.

Mount Morgan

This is a 2.1 mile hike with 1,450 feet of elevation gain, starting at 800 feet and ending at 2,220 feet. It faces due south so it gets a lot of sunlight, and since the lower parts are through open hardwoods the snow melts early low down. Higher up the trees get denser, and there were patches of snow high up, plus lots of water everywhere, on April 27th. Most people do the Percival-Morgan loop, I did Mount Morgan only because the ridge still had snow on it.

Mount Pemigewasset by Indian Head Trail

This is the trail that starts on Rt 3 near the resort, and climbs up on the southern side of the mountain. It is 1.9 miles long, with 1,550 feet of elevation gain, starting at 1,000 feet and ending at 2,557 feet. Very much like the Mt. Morgan trail, the lower part is in wide open hardwoods getting lots of sun, some spruce higher up protecting the snow. When I did it (April 28th) there were a few patches of snow just below the point where it exits the woods for the summit ledges. The upper part of the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail (coming up the north side from the Flume Visitor Center) was covered with snow, I had been thinking of going down that trail to make a loop but ended up returning the way I had come up.

Mount Chocorua by the Liberty Trail

This is a longer hike, 3.9 miles with 2,600 feet of elevation gain, starting at 900 feet and ending at 3,500 feet. Again a southern exposure and open hardwoods help down low. When we did it on April 30th there were substantial patches of snow just below the Jim Liberty Cabin. I suspect that it was close to the only place above 3,000 feet in the White Mountains to be substantially snow-free so early in the season.

Squam Range Traverse

This traverse is about 12 miles long, with a total elevation gain (starting from Sandwich Notch Road) of 2,600 feet. The highest point on this traverse is at about 2,200 feet. A trip report on April 28th (the day I did Mount Morgan) spoke of quite a bit of snow along the ridge, when we did it on May 10th there was no trace of snow.

Trips I did in 2003

The winter of 2003-2004 had much less snow than usual, so the trails were clear of snow earlier than usual.

Tripoli Road

In the winter of 2003-2004 Tripoli Road was plowed up to the East Pond trailhead because of logging operations. I started hiking on it on March 27th, at that time there were a few patches of snow and ice higher up, in shaded sections. By the end of the month the snow and ice were gone. A nice training hike, about 4½ miles from the gate to the end of the plowed section with 900 feet of elevation gain.

Mount Pemigewassett

Did it in 2004 on April 17th, a couple of weeks earlier than the previous year. Since there had been minimal snow in late April last year I expected the same this year (in spite of doing it two weeks earlier), as the previous winter had been rather low on snow. To my surprise the steep section at the top, which is under evergreens, was covered with a mixture of snow and ice. Not fun, since I had left my instep crampons at home! Excellent hike, plus great views.

Mounts Morgan and Percival

Next day (April 18th) I did the Morgan and Percival loop (in 2003 I only went up Mount Morgan). Minimal ice on top part of Mt. Morgan Trail, many small patches on the Crawford-Ridgepole Trail, none at all on the Mt. Percival Trail. As always, great views.

Mount Major

The main trail is about 1.7 miles with 1,130 feet of elevation gain, starting at about 750 feet and ending at 1,780 feet. The very common alternate trail (a combination of the Main Trail, Brook Trail and Anna-Straightback Trails) is about 2.5 miles. I did the classic loop, going up the steep Main Trail and down the easier alternate trail, on April 20th, there were no traces of snow either on the trail or in the trees. Wonderful views over the lake and to the mountains beyond!

Trips I did in 2005

The winter of 2004-2005 started out with very little snow, but late in the winter quite a bit of snow accumulated. Since the spring of 2005 was unusually cold it took the snow a long time to melt, and we had a rather prolonged season of post-winter snow on the trails. I spent most of it in the Boston area, but did do a few hikes in New Hampshire.

Monadnock by the Pumpelli Trail

Double traverse of Mount Pemigewasset

South and Middle Moat Mountains

The trail to South Moat starts low down (620 feet) and rises to 2,770 feet, for an elevation gain of 2,100 feet over 2.7 miles (the relocation of the trailhead has added 0.4 miles to the distance given in the WMG). It faces south and the lower part is in open hardwoods, and therefore it seemed an excellent candidate for a spring trail. Though I had often hiked South Moat in summer I had never visited it in the spring. I had also never continued to Middle Moat. This year I decided to do both.

The lower part of this trail has been relocated recently; it now starts at a trailhead on Dugway Road ½ a mile west of the one described in the guidebooks. It is a steep climb, and in spite of many semi-open ledges there are few views before the summit. The views from the summit are superb, with the whole Sandwich Range to the south, the bulk of the Pemigewasset to the west, the Presidentials to the north and the Maine mountains to the east.

This year, for the first time, I continued to Middle Moat, 0.6 miles further. The two peaks are very different; South Moat is a classic pointed peak, while Middle Moat has a large almost flat area with one rocky knob just barely higher than the others. That area is all ledgy and treeless, with excellent views that surround you as you hike. I enjoyed it very much, and strongly suggest that those hiking South Moat think of adding Middle Moat to their trip.



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