Elevation gain: 2100 feet
Trails used: road walk, bushwhack.
Highlight(s): views from logging cuts, register on the summit of Bear Mountain.
Kris emailed me about possibly doing a hike with him this weekend so we threw some ideas back and forth before we decided on something he needed to do, that both Brian and I had already climbed (but never in winter) and decided to re-do. A plan was set in place to meet Kris at the park n' ride and he would drive north to Bear Notch Road, where we would start the hike. This was going to be a cold hike today, so after we geared up, we headed down Bear Notch Road to where we would start the bushwhack.
Bear Mountain is located in Bartlett, New Hampshire. There are no trails that go to the wooded, view-less summit of Bear Mountain so it requires a bushwhack to reach its high point. There are views along the bushwhack, depending on how you attempt this hike.
Bear Mountain is on the New Hampshire Two Hundred Highest List and the New Hampshire 3K List.
We followed some day old tracks initially through open woods and logging cuts, with the views looking towards Mount Paugus, Mount Passaconaway and Hedgehog Mountain.
A better view (without trees in the way) from a logging cut looking towards Mount Paugus, Mount Passaconaway, Hedgehog Mountain, Potash Mountain, East Sleeper, West Sleeper and the Tripyramids.
Heading up through another logging cut with the summit of Bear Mountain coming into view.
Views galore from the various logging cuts we passed through despite the cold windy day.
Brian and I at the canister and sign (rare to see signs on bushwhack peaks, nowadays) on the summit of Bear Mountain (elevation: 3200 feet).
Kris getting a snack on the summit of Bear Mountain as we prepare to follow our tracks back out and back to the car.
The views from a logging cut of Owls Cliff and Mount Tremont, with Mount Carrigain in between the two (and in the clouds).
The views from a logging cut of the Mount Paugus, Mount Passaconaway, Hedgehog Mountain, Potash Mountain, East Sleeper, West Sleeper, the Tripyramids and Scaur Peak as the sun makes an appearance on the hike back to the car.
We used Bear Notch Road, which is closed to automobiles in the winter but snowmobiles can travel it in winter. There were several snowmobiles out today even though this is supposed to be closed due to low snow depths.
A fairly quick round trip hike/bushwhack through mainly open woods on a windy, cold winter day. We saw several snowmobiles zoom by on Bear Notch Road, even though it is supposed to be closed to them due to the low snow conditions (which helped us out immensely) as we wore Microspikes or bare booted for the entire trip. It is good hiking with Kris as usual, and after we changed quickly and threw our gear in his car, we headed into Lincoln for some nice after hike food.
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