Mt. Tecumseh (4,003 ft) 1-25-14

Distance: 4.97 mi.
Elevation: 2,398 ft.
Time: 2:49 (base to summit) 5:30 (total)
Trails: Waterville Valley Ski Area, Mount Tecumseh Trail, Sosman Trail

When it dawned on me that I finished my first round of the NH48 by doing 39 of them in the last 12 months, I started thinking about doing all of them in one year. This turned into me setting the goal of doing all NE67 in the year of 2014. After a slow start due to poor weather, poor timing, and days when I didn't feel good, I finally got my first hike of the year in.

Since I had somewhere I needed to be tonight at 5pm, I decided my first hike needed to be a short one. So I choose Mt. Tecumseh. It's short and one of the closest to home. Plus with cold, windy, and cloudy weather predictions, the mostly view less summit and mainly wind protected hike made sense. At 8am the ski area wasn't that busy yet and I was able to park pretty close to the trail. After a quick change into some of my gear and short walk through the lots, it was time to head out on the trail. The brook crossing at the start of the trail was easy using the rocks to walk across. A lack of snow cover and packed trails meant I wasn't even going to use the microspikes to start.

The summit behind the lodge

Walking up to the next crossing was a breeze and a good warm up. This crossing was also easy using rocks maybe 10 feet away from the intended crossing. Heading uphill from the brook, the trail had a bit more ice under the snow and some rocks sticking up, but still nothing to worry about. It went along pretty easily and smoothly all the way until you switch from the open hardwoods to the conifers. Here there was one small brook (only about 4 feet wide) that took careful foot placement. The ice was all very smooth, and there was one spot where the top layer was very thin before a layer of water and slush, then thick ice. One the way down, I noticed someone had stepped through that thin layer.

Second crossing

Soon I was at the downhill into the last crossing of the Tecumseh Brook. Spikes would have been good here as the snow was packed and slick, but I was still holding off putting them on and made it fine. The crossing was again easy if you paid attention to foot placement. Rocks and sticks under the ice gave support, but just a foot or two away would be small open spots of water. Coming back uphill again after the brook, the trail was pretty icy for a bit, and I really should have used the spikes here, but still didn't. Shortly after turning onto the main trail corridor above the view point I did put on my spikes since it gets steeper and you could tell there was more ice under the snow.

Tecumseh Brook

This main corridor of trail stays at a steady incline and to me it seems to go on for a long time. There aren't many breaks through here, but there are occasional views through the trees up to the summit and peaks across the valley. Eventually the trail turns to the left and gets steeper. Time for the last hard push up to the summit ridge. Through here the trail was still nice and packed even with the snow now covering the trees more. As I approached the ridge, I could start to feel more of the wind that I had been protected from. Once I hit the junction with the Sosman Trail, I layered up and put on my balaclava for the last stretch. The trip to the summit went quick and easy with the first hikers of the day going past me or starting back down. Once I got to the summit, they had all headed down and I had the place to myself the whole time.

Main trail corridor

Miles the mountain monkey (my hiking partner this year) finally comes out of the pack to pose with my favorite sign and choose which way to use to the summit

The clouds had gotten lower and it had started to snow lightly as I neared the summit, so there wasn't much for views today. I could see the village of Waterville Valley below, but not the Tripyramids across the valley. On the summit my Kestral said it was 5 degrees with a -3 wind chill (3 mph avg with 6 mph gust). Listening to the wind just above the trees though, I suspect wind speeds were closer to 25 mph. All in all, almost identical to last year when I hiked this peak, except less snow base.

Cloudy

Not much of a view

After some pictures and a drink/food break, it was time to head down again. I didn't meet any more hikers until the split of the Sosman trail headed to the top of the ski area. I left my microspikes on for the entire hike down, but once back into the hardwoods they weren't needed. A fair amount of others were now hiking up, mostly in microspikes with a few in snowshoes. Apparently my early start or carrying my z-rest to sit on made multiple people wonder if I camped out on the summit as I was asked that a few times.

Sosman trail to the summit

Frost and ice formed under a rock along the trail

Ice before the upper crossing

I've hiked Tecumseh three times now. Once from Tripoli Road in the summer, and twice from the ski area in winter. So far, I still enjoy the route from Tripoli Road more. This could partly be due to the seasons, weather, and lack of views in the winter though.

Ice pools along the Mad River on the way home

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Mt. Tecumseh (4,003 ft) 2-17-13

Distance: 4.92 mi.
Elevation: 2169 ft.
Time: 2:56 (base to summit) 4:37 (back to car)
Trails: Mount Tecumseh Trail

With the windy and cold forecast for today, I decided I should stay in the trees. Tecumseh made a great choice with cover the entire hike to shield me from some of the wind. Parking was a little crowded with me parking down in the start of lot 6, but it wasn't too bad. The trail head is across from lot 1 with the normal brown trail sign.

Start of the trail

The first brook crossing is only 30 feet up the trail. This was an easy and quick rock hope with a quick step over a few feet later. I started with Microspikes since the trail was well packed by snowshoes yesterday before the warm temps cooled and hardened things up. The trail is pretty straight and gradual in the beginning. After a little ways the trail turns 90 degrees to the left over another brook crossing and goes uphill some. This crossing was solidly bridged. The trail goes on gently following the side of the ravine before finally getting into the conifers.

Solid brook crossing

Shortly after this, the trail dips down into the raving to cross Tecumseh Brook again. There was water here, but it was bridged right next to it. After a short distance the view from the ski slope is on your left and the trail turns uphill to the right. The trail gets steeper and stays pretty straight for quite some time. Some ski and snowboard use was seen in here making it harder to tell if you were stepping on the hard snowshoe pack. At this point, the wind was also drifting small amounts of snow onto the trail surface.

2nd brook crossing

Eventually to pass the narrow path the skiers/snowboarders take through the woods and the trail returns to mostly snowshoe tracks. It stays nice and wide though. Just after this I switched to the snowshoes since more snow was drifting in and I wanted to take advantage of the televators. The trail goes side to side a bit before heading straight up to the ridge. Just before the Sosman Trail junction, things level back out some. Snow was now blowing around much more and the track was filled in. Luckily it was only about 4-6 inches deep.

Wide and packed

Nearing the ridge

I headed along the ridge with some broken trail and some drifts. At the split in the trail I went left as I knew it wouldn't be as steep. After a slightly awkward duck under at a drifted area, the trail narrows right up along the side of the summit cone. Soon you pop out to the summit area which is a little more open with a small view east to the Tripyramids.

One of my favorite signs in the whites (for some reason)

Some drifting

I stayed here long enough to get some pictures of the limited view and have a group of college age kids show up. While I was packing up, they decided they would do their traditional summit photo with no shirts on. As they were getting ready, I got out the Kestral and saw it was 2 degrees with a -14 wind chill (in the trees mind you). That didn't stop them though. They quickly took a picture then rushed to get their clothes back on. I felt bad for one of them as their sleeve got stuck in the shirt and they couldn't get their arm into it. After I helped them out, they quickly finished getting dressed.

Summit view

Off I went back the way I came, running into a few more hikers on the on the ridge. By the time I was back at the Sosman Trail junction, you couldn't even tell a dozen or so of us had been through with the drifting snow. The hike back down went smoothly. I left the snowshoes on for traction and because I didn't want to bother taking them off. I stopped at the view from the ski slope to check it out. It wasn't much different than the summit... cloudy and limited. The trek back to the car was quick and smooth.

On the ridge

Back at the base

On a side note... I find it entertaining to watch the people with ski boots try to walk along flat ground. The narrow contact patch on a stiff boots makes for some funny situations.

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Mt. Tecumseh (4,003 ft) 7-2-11

Distance: 6.71 mi.
Elevation: 2153 ft.
Time: 2:21 (base to summit) 2:46 (base to ski area)
Trails: Mount Tecumseh Trail, Sosman Trail

Leaving the parking lot into the trees, you quickly come to two small brook crossings. These were both pretty easy with low water. They have a few scattered rocks to hop across and some people have gone a few feet upstream on one of them to cross a dead tree over the brook. The trail turns slightly left and then starts to run near the brook. From here the trail goes steadily uphill and stays almost completely straight with good footing and only a few roots in the trail.

One of two early brook crossings

After approximately 1 mile the trail starts to turn to the right some just before leveling out a little bit. The trail now follows along a small saddle in the mountain range giving you a nice break just before the trail heads back uphill in a little steeper rocky section. For a brief bit in this section the trail follows along the side of the mountain with some larger rocks.

Heading back uphill

After this climb the trail comes up onto a ridge with a side path to the right that leads to a limited view to the West and Mt. Moosilauke. Back on the main trail, it heads along the ridge for a little bit before heading down into the saddle between this ridge and the summit.

Limited view to Mt. Moosilauke

Coming up out of this saddle, the trail gets its steepest and rockiest. With the lack of sun hitting the trail and it being a little humid still this morning, the rocks and roots here were a little slick, but not too bad. You just needed to pay attention to your footing a little more. Coming up to the top of this main climb, looking back out over the trail you do get a pretty good view through the trees back in the direction of Franconia Notch. From here it is a pretty short hike to the summit.

View through the trees near the summit

The view is limited from the summit, but isn't too bad and there are nice places to sit and enjoy it if it isn't too crowded (I hadn't seen anyone yet by the time I got to the summit). After enjoying the summit for a while, I headed down the Sosman Trail to go over to the top of the ski area in order to get more of a view. If you take the Sosman Trail (where the sign says both trails) the trail isn't too steep heading down, but it is quite rocky. If you take the Mount Tecumseh Trail (path back near the route coming up) it isn't as rocky, but it is steeper. The two trails meet back up for a brief bit before the Sosman Trail heads to the right at a signed intersection. The Sosman Trail is quite easy and doesn't go up or down all that much. It comes out at a radio tower and you can follow the path from there a short distance to the top of the ski area Where there is a larger view than the summit.

Limited view from the summit

View over the ski area

Much of the Sosman Trail is like this

After taking in the view here for a bit and putting on a dry shirt and socks, I needed to head back so I could be home in time for some plans for the night. Heading back the trail is pretty easy. There is a limited view point along the Sosman Trail that allows you to see back to the summit of Tecumseh making you think "I have to go back up that much" since it didn't seem like you came down that far.

Looking back to the summit

From about .5 miles up the trail to around 3700 ft there were scattered moose tracks from a moose heading down the trail last night

Clintonia (Bluebead Lily) next to the trail

Bunchberry in bloom higher up on the trail

Spring Beauty back near the trail head

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE