Elevation gain: 2190 feet
Trails used: "New" Path, Mount Crescent Trail, Crescent Ridge Trail, Lookout Ledge Trail, Pasture Path, logging road/snowmobile trail, bushwhack.
Highlight(s): nice trailed hike with two short bushwhacks with registers on two of the peaks.
Kris emailed me about possibly doing a hike for Saturday so of course I was interested. He threw out a couple of possibilities and I relayed them to Brian to see what interested him. We pretty much agreed with doing the loop of Mount Crescent and Mount Randolph. Kris is slowly chipping away at the New Hampshire 200 Highest List so Brian and I decided to join him for this two peaks we had not visited for some time and besides, it's always nice to hike with Kris.
Mount Crescent and Mount Randolph are located in Randolph, New Hampshire. It is part of the Crescent Range which is a range of summits that extends from Jefferson, Randolph and into Berlin, New Hampshire (Mount Forist). We used a combination of trails and a few short bushwhacks to reach two of the three summits: Mount Crescent and Mount Randolph-North Peak. The Crescent Ridge Trail runs over the summit of Mount Randolph. There are views along the way from several view points but none from the actual summits.
Mount Crescent and Mount Randolph-North Peak are on the New Hampshire Two Hundred Highest List and the New Hampshire 3K List.
The "new" trailhead kiosk for the New Path that goes up towards Mount Crescent. This is located at the end of Randolph Hill Road.
The short spur path towards Castleview Rock with its "awesome" view. I believe the rock itself is supposed to have a view but it was nothing to write home about.
The Castleview Rock viewpoint with its limited views through the trees towards Mount Madison and Mount Adams.
The trail junction for the Mount Crescent Trail and Crescent Ridge Trail. We would go left and take the Crescent Ridge Trail up to the summit of Mount Crescent.
It was a bit steep as we headed up the Crescent Ridge Trail (one serious wet rock wall) and it was a steady climb up towards the summit of Mount Crescent.
Some of the views from the southern ledges just below the summit area of Mount Crescent looking towards the Northern Presidential peaks.
Additional views toward the lower summit of Mount Randolph (center), Dartmouth Range and Franconia Ridge in the background.
Decent views of the Pliny Range, Mount Waumbek, The Weeks, Mount Terrace, Mount Cabot, the Bulge and the Horn from the northern ledge views below the summit of Mount Crescent.
A zoomed in view of the Dixville/Kelsey wind turbines from the northern ledge view below the summit area of Mount Crescent.
The trail-less Black Crescent Mountains with a large slide on the side of Black Crescent peak.
A nice flat section of the Crescent Ridge Trail. This whole section of trail is a haven for moose.
Kris taking a picture of the register on the high point of Mount Randolph-North Peak (elevation: 3097 feet). We never found a jar on Mount Crescent.
More nice moose woods. There was signs of recent moose activity everywhere you looked.
This little viewpoint was called Lafayette View. We were not sure why.
Several water crossings but nothing too major, until we got on the logging road to head out.
Brian doing his best Annie pose for us on the summit of Randolph Mountain (elevation: 3081 feet). Mount Randolph-North Peak is the higher of the two summits though.
The open woods down lower are really cool with no leaves. Its gives the woods that definitive fall feel.
Hiking on trails like the Pasture Path doesn't get any better.
The thumb (and sign) say this way to Lookout Ledge, which has its own trail even though its about 10 feet off the trail. Also, Lisa W. loves Ray G. apparently. Lookout Ledge is a knob off of Mount Randolph.
The views from Lookout Ledge weren't half bad. You could see into Maine and in this picture we got views of Pine Mountain, the Moriah Range, Imp Face and North Carter Mountain.
Views into Kings Ravine, with Mount Madison, Mount Adams and Mount Jefferson visible from Lookout Ledge.
The views looking back towards the peaks we just hiked over from an old logging landing.
Brian walking down an old logging road back to his car. We opted to take the shorter route and not the actual trail.
Brian's car "Bab's" and the new parking area where we started and ended the hike.
Hilarity always seems to be the norm on our hikes when we add people to the group. Overall, it was a fun hike. A bit on the cool side to start but sitting on the Lookout Ledges just basking in the sun made it all worthwhile. A nice loop that seems a lot longer than the six miles we managed to do, and you can extend it more if need be by taking some of the other trails in the area.
Once again, a good hike with Kris. Hopefully he will pick up steam soon so we don't have to wait for a month or two to hike with him again.
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