Elevation gain: 2220 feet
Trails used: Snowmobile trail, bushwhack.
Highlight(s):
For our Saturday hike, we decided we needed to head back into some familiar territory and re-visit a New Hampshire 3000 footer we had done before, but in a different season and pretty much drove all the way to the summit. Yet it was winter, so we knew we were in for a long walk on snowmobile/ATV trails and the day was supposed to be cold, so we made sure we were ready for bad weather and were going to make the best of it.
Dixville was a lovely mountain with decent views, but now props up the Northern end of a series of wind turbines stretching across the whole Phillips Brook/Kelsey area. Once wild and pristine it now features industrial sized power lines, super wide and maintained roads, and of course the aforementioned "mighty "wind turbines. The bonus to all of this is a super network of snowmobile and ATV trails, to which we took advantage of as it allowed us to spend the whole day on groomed trails. Dixville Peak is in the Dixville Township.
Wind turbines: eyesore or good for the environment/public? You decide.
Dixville Peak is on the New Hampshire One Hundred Highest List, the New Hampshire Two Hundred Highest List, and the New Hampshire 3K List.
The start of the snowmobile trail (which is also an active logging road in summer) we would use to reach our destination in the distance: Dixville Peak. We would spend a lot of time being buzzed by snowmobiles today.
The logging road is a super groomed snowmobile highway that makes for easy going. The only problem is that it goes on and on for miles.
As usual, the bonus of logging roads and snowmobile trails is that you can usually get views from them at some point.
Brian moving along slowly on the snowmobile trail with some northern New Hampshire peaks in the background.
The wind turbines appear from the clouds on Mount Kelsey. These are the power lines feeding off the turbines, which run along the length of the roads.
There are quite a few snowmobile trail/logging road junctions that you can get lost on if you aren't paying attention.
In the woods along side the road, the snow was fairly deep.
The final approach on the snowmobile trail will get you close to the summit. You can hear the noise from the wind turbines, even over the wind.
Normally this spot offers super views, but the snow squalls chose this time to move in on us.
End of the line! The yellow gate is where the snowmobile trail ends and a sign warns off any further approach. Access is strictly prohibited on the access roads leading up to the turbines.
The old snowmobile trail will get you a bit closer, but even this has a sign that warns of further approach (thankfully it has text on it, because the picture would lead one to be warned that wind turbines shoot asteroids at unsuspecting people!)
Heading back down to the trail from the summit, we came across knee to hip deep snow that has been untouched this winter.
On the long hike out (and in also) we came across a lot of old logging areas like this one.
Brian making the long, cold journey back out to his car.
So a long 13.3 miles marked this trip to a great little peak in the farther reaches of the Great North Woods. It was the longest trip since the start of the year, and a good way to make some miles. Except for a pretty stiff and bitter wind at times, the weather in general managed to cooperate. It would have been great to get more views from near the summit, but the snow squalls had moved in just long enough to make picture taking non-existent for the most part. Still a nice day regardless!
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