Elevation: 2,466 ft. (overall) 3,173 ft. (total)
Time: 1:57 (Mt. Starr King), 2:27 (Mt. Waumbek) 4:24 (Total)
Trails: Starr King Trail
For the 55th peak this year is Mt. Waumbek in Jefferson, NH. With it's two limited view points along the hike, it's a good hike for a day that was predicted to be overcast and a bit cloudy. This was my first hike of this fall/winter season to have snow on the ground, although there wasn't much of it.
When I got to the trail head, I was the only vehicle there. Maybe I would luck out and have the mountain to myself today. Once I got my gear ready, I headed out. The trail goes into the woods briefly before coming back out onto an old road. It follows the old road up a gentle grade with good footing. Early along the trail you pass on old spring house. The stone wall is all that remains along with some of the old pipes down in the bottom. The actual spring is just behind it.
Spring house
The trail continues up the old road gradually getting narrower and wetter. Things were a bit frozen today though, so mud wasn't an issue. Eventually the trail goes to your right off of the old road. It works into the trees a bit before heading back uphill. Footing is still good, but it does get just a bit steeper. The wet ground and cold temperature did make for a couple patches of ice. In this section is where the snow was starting to cover the ground more evenly.
Snow on the ground
The trail on this route comes to a very well defined transition from open hardwoods to the spruce softwoods. It's like you all of a sudden hit a wall of more dense trees. It's one of the features I enjoy about this hike. As you continue to climb through the softwoods, the trail gets a bit more difficult with exposed roots and rocks, but it still isn't bad. After climbing for a while, you will pass a spring that is just to the left of the trail with a small sign. After this, it gets a bit steeper before coming up to the summit of Mt. Starr King. The summit is actually in the trees next to the trail, but just past it is an opening where a cabin once stood, and the chimney still remains. There is also a limited view from here towards the Presidential Range.
Opening at the old cabin site
Limited view
The trail leaves the opening next to the chimney going downhill gradually. The hike along the ridge to Mt. Waumbek is a nice section of woods with no difficult terrain. It's a quick and enjoyable hike to the summit. The actual summit of Mt. Waumbek is in the trees and has a very small opening. There is a sign with info about the trail, and a cairn made of small rocks. But if you go just a bit past it, you will come to a small opening on the right side of the trail that has nice views to the east and south. While I was here, the clouds covered the Presidential Range, but it was still interesting as they were just above me and I was almost even with them.
Along the ridge
View from just past the summit
As I hiked back to Mt. Starr King, the clouds got a little lower and eventually I was in them. This meant there was no view when I got back to the old cabin site. I took a quick picture to show this, and headed back down the trail. The hike back down went smoothly and eventually I ran into one other hiker. She got a late start and wasn't expecting to make it all the way to Mt. Waumbek before her turn around time. Back down below the snowline, I also met a man that was deer hunting the area. Don't forget something red or hunter orange on your pack this time of year.
BAck on Mt. Starr King, the view is now clouded over
For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE
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