Elevation gain: 4115 feet
Trails used: Baldface Circle Trail, Slippery Brook Trail, bushwhack.
Highlights(s): 360 views from the summit of South Baldface, open woods bushwhack to Sable Mountain, register on the summit of Sable Mountain.
Highlights(s): 360 views from the summit of South Baldface, open woods bushwhack to Sable Mountain, register on the summit of Sable Mountain.
With snow predicted early this day, Brian and I decided to return to a couple of peaks near the Baldface Mountains: Sable Mountain and Chandler Mountain(which can only be reached by bushwhacking). From the start of the hike, the snow failed to begin when predicted (and indeed would not start until 3:30) and the potential for long range views still remained high. We figured this would be a tough hike overall, not really knowing how snow conditions would be for both of these peaks.
Intending to take the Slippery Brook trail to the junction with Eastman, the plan was to begin the bushwhack over to the two target peaks. When you are having too much fun you get careless, and we missed the junction early on. Now, half way up to South Baldface we decided “hey, why not” and decided to do South Baldface as we would get some views and then whack over to Sable Mountain and maybe Chandler Mountain from there. We didn't realize what an adventure that would ensue for the day.
South Baldface is located in Chatham, New Hampshire and Sable Mountain is located southwest of both North Baldface and South Baldface. The Baldfaces are a popular hike in the summer with views galore for pretty much the duration of the hike. Sable Mountain is a wooded summit but views can be had along the way and slight views from the summit. There are no trails that go to the wooded,view-less summit of Sable Mountain (a trail once ran over the summit of Sable Mountain and Chandler Mountain; you can find cairns and traces of the old trail still) so it requires a bushwhack to reach its high point.
South Baldface and Sable Mountain are on the New Hampshire One Hundred Highest List, the New Hampshire Two Hundred Highest List, and the New Hampshire 3K List.
Intending to take the Slippery Brook trail to the junction with Eastman, the plan was to begin the bushwhack over to the two target peaks. When you are having too much fun you get careless, and we missed the junction early on. Now, half way up to South Baldface we decided “hey, why not” and decided to do South Baldface as we would get some views and then whack over to Sable Mountain and maybe Chandler Mountain from there. We didn't realize what an adventure that would ensue for the day.
South Baldface is located in Chatham, New Hampshire and Sable Mountain is located southwest of both North Baldface and South Baldface. The Baldfaces are a popular hike in the summer with views galore for pretty much the duration of the hike. Sable Mountain is a wooded summit but views can be had along the way and slight views from the summit. There are no trails that go to the wooded,view-less summit of Sable Mountain (a trail once ran over the summit of Sable Mountain and Chandler Mountain; you can find cairns and traces of the old trail still) so it requires a bushwhack to reach its high point.
South Baldface and Sable Mountain are on the New Hampshire One Hundred Highest List, the New Hampshire Two Hundred Highest List, and the New Hampshire 3K List.
Brian starting the day/hike at the Baldface Circle Trailhead by putting on his microspikes.
The Baldface Circle Trail starts off through some nice open hardwoods with a decent snowshoe track laid down.
There is very little elevation gain on this section of the Baldface Circle Trail.
We make it to the first junction where the Baldface Circle Trail splits and where we would take the Slippery Brook Trail up. We could see recent traffic on both routes.
Early on, were just cruising along. There are several water crossings along the way, but most were not frozen over like this one.
We did get some views of the nice open woods with the sun poking through early on. It wouldn't last, though. It was around here that we realized we took the wrong trail up and were headed for South Baldface.
We are starting to approach the Baldface shelter. You can see the ledges going up to South Baldface through the trees.
The Baldface shelter which is just below the ledges of South Baldface. The cabin can sleep 6 to 8 people and has a fire ring and composting toilet.
We are starting the climb up the ledges from the Baldface shelter towards the summit of South Baldface. This was probably the easiest stretch heading up.
The ledges would prove the most taxing (and hair raising!) part of the day as the January thaw and the coating of light snow over it made for slippery and very icy condition's. It took us about an hour to maneuver our way up towards the summit of South Baldface.
Not only is it very icy, it is also very steep. This is definitely not recommended for ascending without some sort of traction device (Microspikes, crampons, etc). Descending in these kind of conditions would be out of the question on a day like today.
Brian coming up the Baldface Circle Trail behind me. The views started coming out, with views into Maine of the Royce Mountains and the Caribou-Speckled Mountain region.
Almost to the top of the South Baldface ledges but out of the hardest part of the climb.
Looking up as we are nearing the summit of South Baldface.
The views from South Baldface of Baldface Knob with Eastman Mountain just behind it, and Kearsarge North in the background.
The views northwest looking towards North Baldface with the Carter-Moriah Range, Carter Dome and the Presidential Range from the summit of South Baldface.
The views looking towards Sable Mountain and Chandler Mountain from the summit of South Baldface.
The views looking into Maine from the summit of South Baldface.
The summit of South Baldface (elevation: 3570 feet) looks like a barren moonscape right now.
We headed for North Baldface but decided conditions were too good to pass up so we decided to head over to Sable Mountain. We started the bushwhack almost in the col between North Baldface and South Baldface. Here, we found the dream woods of every whacker, nice and open. Sometimes it doesn't get any better than this.
Yes, even while doing a bushwhack you can get views. Here I am looking back towards South Baldface and from where we started the hike.
I think this is as thick as the woods would get all day, minus a few brief feet of trees on the ridge heading up to Sable Mountain.
Even more open woods on the bushwhack to Sable Mountain. This entire area is a moose paradise with birch glades galore.
The summit canister on Sable Mountain (elevation: 3519 feet). This old antler has been on this summit for about 2 years as I have personally been here 4 times in those 2 years. We found a total of around 5 antlers, but only 3 keepers.
The bushwhack back over to the Slippery Brook Trail was also through open, nice woods.
We are back on the Slippery Brook Trail finally. We still had about a 3 mile hike out and back to the car with about 20 pounds of moose antlers on our backs.
Once back on the Baldface Circle Trail, its an easy almost flat hike back to the trail head.
Once back to trails we moved along on tender legs, with each of us carrying an extra 15 or 20 pounds in antler weight. The snow started falling about 3:30, but thankfully we were now near the end of this very long day. Alas the drive was not going to be quick. By the time we started the drive home the roads had started to get very sloppy, and a normally long drive took longer. But it was a small price to pay for a gorgeous day out in the woods. Add to the fact that we brought home some nice moose antler's and got in some good miles, we can't really complain overall.
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