Mount Crosby
Mileage: 4.25Elevation gain: 1445'
Trails used: John Woodhouse Trail, Old North Groton Road, Bald Knob Trail, High Pasture Loop, Beeline Trail, Eliza Remick Road.
I had the day off from work so I decided to hike anyways. Yes, I knew there would be bad weather today (ie heavy rain/thunderstorms) but the way I figured it was this: if I stuck to trails, it wouldn't be so bad and I probably wouldn't get as wet. Well, I was half right. It wasn't bad for the first hike but the second one was down right nasty, weather-wise.
Mount Crosby is located in Groton, New Hampshire. It is also located in Cockermouth Forest. Information can be found here for the forest, and hike. Make sure to get a copy of the map or print one of your own if you can; there is minimal blazing on this trail and the old logging roads can be a bit of a challenge if you're not sure where to go.
The start of the John Woodhouse Trail. There is a small parking area for several cars right before this gate. The trailhead is off of North Groton Road.
The kiosk with the map displayed as well as maps in the canister. Yes, it actually had maps.
Hiking in along the John Woodhouse Trail to start. There was no rain to this point.
I turned left off of Old North Groton Road to head towards the Bald Knob Trail.
The junction up to Bald Knob. Today was a fall like in every sense; nice temperatures, vibrant colors and even the inclement weather.
Another junction. Good thing I got a map at the start as it can be a bit confusing.
Once I hit this junction to actually begin the climb up to Bald Knob, the weather turned and rain started coming down. Hence the foggy lens which made it look spooky.
For most of the hike, you can just follow the yellow blazes. There were also some old trail signs on the tree's from years ago.
Yes, I knew there would be no views from the ledges below and on the summit of Bald Knob today but I did this hike anyways.
The summit area of Bald Knob (elevation 2035'), which is a spur of Mount Crosby.
Most of the summit of Bald Knob is like this. Follow the cairns back into the woods and back towards Mount Crosby across the ridge.
A ledge and moss covered moose area in between Bald Knob and Mount Crosby.
Nope, still no views.
There is this commemorative plaque just below the summit of Mount Crosby.
More non-views from the summit of Mount Crosby (elevation 2238').
A section of the Beeline Trail, which as the name applies, is a direct route to the summit of Mount Crosby. It is a very steep short hike up/down.
A quick road walk back to the car and the rain stopped once again.
Forbes Mountain
Mileage: 2.60Elevation gain: 975'
Trails used: none. Logging road.
I decided to try another hike in the area as it had a recent logging road all the way to its summit. Only problem, as I would find out, is that it is out in the open for 85% of the hike to the summit.
Forbes Mountain is located in Alexandria/Danbury, New Hampshire with the actual summit in Alexandria. Forbes Mountain has a summit that was logged recently, possibly for the scrapped plans to build the Wild Meadows Wind Power Project which would have meant (up to) thirty seven new turbines on the mountains in the area.
I walked a rather recent logging road up to the summit of Forbes Mountain. As I exited the car, it started raining lightly.
By the time I started nearing the summit area for Forbes Mountain, it was a full on downpour and I was soaked to the bone.
The clear cut summit area for Forbes Mountain (elevation 2183').
Looking back towards the summit of Forbes Mountain. It was torrential rain at this point.
This was almost dry dirt on the way up; on the way down, it was a muddy mess. Streams and puddles were all over the road which made it that much more of a soggy mess.
A logging landing right near the car. Of course, once I got here, the rain subsided some but the damage was done.
I couldn't really expect much from the day as I knew what to expect. Trailed hikes don't always pan out the way you want them to, and the views didn't come out to play either. I will return to Mount Crosby, and possibly, Forbes Mountain in the future on a nicer day as the views pay off could be really nice.
Not sure how the author went in but we tried Forbes Mtn today and did not find any trail up from Forbes Mtn Road. Sure, it started nice; there was even an old cemetery at the start but the old logging roads were thick and full of berry bushes with many, many thorns. Don't recommend doing from Forbes Mtn road.
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