Antlerpeak
05-12-2006, 09:31 AM
I posted this over on VTFF yesterday because it is likely to have more interest over there. As some of you don't go to that board and still have a desire to climb these incredible peaks the info may be useful. So I'll stick a copy here, please excuse the duplication if you have seen it.
North and South Percy Peaks are two fine mountains in northern New Hampshire. North Percy is a rock dome sort of like Haystack while South is very close to a twin of North. I would say for those of you who like remote mountains with great views these are almost a must. I am sure many of you here have heard of these two gems. The drive, well it is a long one as the approach trails are in Groveton and Stark NH, north of all the 48 big ones.
We encountered some surprises which led to frustration and added time to our tight schedule. For those of you who intend to visit these peaks the info in the report may be helpful, though I hope the trail crews correct the problems.
So this was not an easy one as the mountains threw it all at us. Monday morning's early start should have served as a warning. But then again when did old mountain goats ever heed warnings? Our seven am launch from Poultney Vt turned into an eleven am start. Flat tire which ended up as needing a new tire replacement. We limped into a campground in Littleton NH around 1pm. A bit late to head up to the north country. So we took an afternoon warmup on Artists Bluff and Bald Mt, not exactly a poor choice.
Tuesday we drove up to Groveton where we found the Nash Stream road still gated as suggested by many that it likely would be. Because of it our trail distance would expand from a 6.5 appx mile hike to one of ten miles rt. There is a parking area at the gate, however, the road walk to trail head is four miles one way making the alternate route appear more attractive.
We retreated to Rte 110 and drove to Stark and the Lake Christine trailhead where all the fun began. The Old Summer Club Trail which leads almost two miles to the the Cohos Trail is not a trail at all but a series of old roads that wind through the forest to a jct with the CT.
A word of warning, there are no blazes and all of the signs mentioned in the AMC guide are missing. So you have to use care to follow the route through the maze of roads. If you choose correctly the first confirmation you find is at one mile where your road crosses a bridge. The second is three tenths later where you will see a few blue blazes signifying you have reached the Nash Stream Forest. No signs, but if you read the book you know the blazes signify the forest boundry. Let us hope nothing else is marked by blue blazes.
At one point seven miles you find your first markings, the yellow blazed CT and a CT sign. That was the first concrete confirmation we had where we could say, "Oh yeah this is it." Above the trail jct for Victor Head at two miles things get nasty. The CT is loaded with blowdown, not enough to lose the trail as it is well marked but more than enough to take its toll.
We spent considerable time and energy climbing through, over and under the stuff where we were really begining to feel it. We had been moving much faster than guide book time until the Victor Head jct. Above that things really slowed down. So if you go, ( trip well worth it even with the beating you take ) pay close attention to the early maze of roads. And allow extra time from victor Head to the col because of the tons of blowdown. It's not the Sentinal Range but this comes close to being considered a bushwhack over the nearly two miles from VH to the col.
The CT is a newly cut trail as it is the long distance route that begins in the Presidentials and cuts through New Hampshire's chimney to the Canadian border. It is my guess this blowdown is recent and I have no idea how many trail crew man hours the ( CT ) group has.
North and South Percy Peaks are two fine mountains in northern New Hampshire. North Percy is a rock dome sort of like Haystack while South is very close to a twin of North. I would say for those of you who like remote mountains with great views these are almost a must. I am sure many of you here have heard of these two gems. The drive, well it is a long one as the approach trails are in Groveton and Stark NH, north of all the 48 big ones.
We encountered some surprises which led to frustration and added time to our tight schedule. For those of you who intend to visit these peaks the info in the report may be helpful, though I hope the trail crews correct the problems.
So this was not an easy one as the mountains threw it all at us. Monday morning's early start should have served as a warning. But then again when did old mountain goats ever heed warnings? Our seven am launch from Poultney Vt turned into an eleven am start. Flat tire which ended up as needing a new tire replacement. We limped into a campground in Littleton NH around 1pm. A bit late to head up to the north country. So we took an afternoon warmup on Artists Bluff and Bald Mt, not exactly a poor choice.
Tuesday we drove up to Groveton where we found the Nash Stream road still gated as suggested by many that it likely would be. Because of it our trail distance would expand from a 6.5 appx mile hike to one of ten miles rt. There is a parking area at the gate, however, the road walk to trail head is four miles one way making the alternate route appear more attractive.
We retreated to Rte 110 and drove to Stark and the Lake Christine trailhead where all the fun began. The Old Summer Club Trail which leads almost two miles to the the Cohos Trail is not a trail at all but a series of old roads that wind through the forest to a jct with the CT.
A word of warning, there are no blazes and all of the signs mentioned in the AMC guide are missing. So you have to use care to follow the route through the maze of roads. If you choose correctly the first confirmation you find is at one mile where your road crosses a bridge. The second is three tenths later where you will see a few blue blazes signifying you have reached the Nash Stream Forest. No signs, but if you read the book you know the blazes signify the forest boundry. Let us hope nothing else is marked by blue blazes.
At one point seven miles you find your first markings, the yellow blazed CT and a CT sign. That was the first concrete confirmation we had where we could say, "Oh yeah this is it." Above the trail jct for Victor Head at two miles things get nasty. The CT is loaded with blowdown, not enough to lose the trail as it is well marked but more than enough to take its toll.
We spent considerable time and energy climbing through, over and under the stuff where we were really begining to feel it. We had been moving much faster than guide book time until the Victor Head jct. Above that things really slowed down. So if you go, ( trip well worth it even with the beating you take ) pay close attention to the early maze of roads. And allow extra time from victor Head to the col because of the tons of blowdown. It's not the Sentinal Range but this comes close to being considered a bushwhack over the nearly two miles from VH to the col.
The CT is a newly cut trail as it is the long distance route that begins in the Presidentials and cuts through New Hampshire's chimney to the Canadian border. It is my guess this blowdown is recent and I have no idea how many trail crew man hours the ( CT ) group has.