Elevation gain: 1990 feet
Trails used: bushwhack.
Highlight(s): canister on the summit of Mount Hitchcock-West Peak.
I took Monday off to do a hike or two, so with the nice temperatures and low snow levels I decided to do a bushwhack and test the conditions. I left the house a bit later than normal but the drive up to Lincoln, New Hampshire was quick. Once I made it to the Lincoln Woods parking area, I geared up quickly and headed out. It was overcast and a bit on the cool side but the snow was firm so I wore Microspikes for the whole hike/bushwhack.
Mount Hitchcock-West Peak is located in Lincoln, New Hampshire. There are no trails that go to the wooded, view-less summit of Mount Hitchcock-West Peak so it requires a bushwhack to reach its high point.
Mount Hitchcock-West Peak is on the New Hampshire Two Hundred Highest List and New Hampshire 3K List.
The ranger station located at the Lincoln Woods parking area. There was no one staffing it today, possibly because of the cold weather.
Once I was past the ranger station, I hopped into the woods and headed directly west through open woods towards the summit of Mount Hitchcock-West Peak.
I hit the southern part of the summit ridge and this was about as thick as the woods would get for the days hike.
Me at the canister on the summit of Mount Hitchcock-West Peak (elevation: 3064 feet ).
Heading back across the summit ridge, this is where all the deeper snow was located. I followed my tracks in reverse which made for a quick trip down.
I deviated from my tracks (heading up to the summit of Mount Hitchcock-West Peak) a bit but still headed down through open woods, where I got this view of Whaleback Mountain and Mount Flume.
This would turn out to be the only bushwhack I would do today. Although snow conditions were perfect, and the temperatures decent enough, I ran out of energy to try for Mount Hitchcock (which is the highest peak of the five Hitchcock peaks in New Hampshire). Being in the woods still beats being at work any day.
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