Towns Mountain * Mount Misery * Farr Hill: 6/4/2016

I would be solo today as Brian was hiking with Jim, and Desi joined Joe and Becky on Mount Washington to look at alpine flowers. I didn't want to burden anyone if I had a relapse of the prior week's energy/fatigue let down. Thus, I only planned to do a few peaks in Littleton, New Hampshire that weren't too tough and if I had to bail, would not be hard to try again later. I headed out shortly after Desi left, and after a quick gas stop, I was on my way up 93 north towards Littleton. It was going to be a pleasant enough day with partial sunshine and moderate temperatures.

Towns Mountain - Mount Misery

Mileage: 4.55 miles

Elevation gain: 1310 feet

Trails used: none. snowmobile trail, bushwhack.

Highlight(s): register on the summit of Towns Mountain.

This one has been on my radar for a few months (more than six actually, when I tried it about that long ago) so today would be the perfect day to finally get it done. I tried this during late fall/early winter but unfortunately due to sketchy access, I decided to not try it that day. I saw a recent report so I decided to give it another go. Driving north, I made go time through Franconia Notch and into Littleton. The access I saw from the earlier report mentioned driving up Mount Misery Road, onto a private drive but I usually won't go up them without asking. So, making my way back down Mount Misery Road, I found a good place to access the first peak without trespassing or causing a disturbance. As I departed, the morning air was crisp and perfect; a far different story than last week's brutal heat and humidity.

Town Mountain is located in Littleton, New Hampshire. Towns Mountain is also the high point in Littleton. There are no trails that go to the wooded, view-less summits of Towns Mountain and Mount Misery so it so it requires a bushwhack to reach their high points.

I parked at this snowmobile trail off of Mount Misery Road and began my bushwhack to Towns Mountain. Going further up Mount Misery Road is a private road, so I chose to park here.

I walked the wet snowmobile trail (which had fresh moose and bear tracks) to this old logging road and took it towards the summit of Towns Mountain.

I followed multiple herd paths and old logging cuts as I made my way through mainly open woods towards the summit of Towns Mountain.

The recognized southern summit of Towns Mountain (elevation: 2203 feet). It is debatable if the southern summit or northern summit is higher, so since they are relatively close, do both.

I made my way northwest off of the summit of Towns Mountain and hit a logging road/snowmobile trail. I walked this until I was close enough to begin the open woods bushwhack to the summit of Mount Misery.

The high point of Mount Misery (elevation: 1940 feet). I thought there might be views from here but unless I grew a few feet, there were none to be had.

Walking back down this snowmobile trail as I head towards Mount Misery Road to begin the roughly mile walk back to the car.

Not a bad round trip hike through mainly open woods, but unfortunately, I managed to pick up about nineteen hitchhikers. This has been a bad year so far for ticks, so after making sure there were none stuck to me still, I hopped in the car for a quick trip down the road for another peak that shouldn't take too long to do. I would then call it a day and head home early.  

Farr Hill

Mileage: 1.50 miles

Elevation gain: 575 feet

Trails used: none. road walk, bushwhack.

Highlight(s): register on the summit of Farr Hill.

On paper, this shouldn't take too long to do but sometimes that never translates to the actual hike itself. I think I drove by Farr Hill Road several times before I actually pulled out my GPS and found that it was indeed the snowmobile trail that I passed and thought "maybe that was it".  It seemed I drove around looking for a place to park longer than it took me to do this hike. I parked directly across from Farr Hill Road (enough to not impede traffic), and started up the road which was a bit muddy and wet. I did not take my backpack for this short hike but I did put on plenty of bug spray as the mosquitoes were out in force.

Farr Hill is located in Littleton, New Hampshire. There are no trails that go to the wooded, view-less summit of Farr Hill so it so it requires a bushwhack to reach its high point.

I parked on the side of Broomstick Road and would walk up Farr Hill Road, which is a snowmobile trail in winter.

Eventually I hopped off of Farr Hill Road, and took a series of logging cuts up towards the summit of Farr Hill.

The high point area for Farr Hill (elevation: 1953 feet).

The jar register on the summit of Farr Hill. 

I noticed no new ticks on me or my clothing when I returned to the car so the total stood at 19 for the days two hikes. Once back at the car, I hopped in to avoid the fly and mosquito swarm and cranked on the air conditioner. Having finally finished Towns Mountain, it brought me within two of finishing the New Hampshire One Hundred Prominence List (not official) so I should finish off the last two (up north in Errol and Stewartstown, New Hampshire) peaks soon. Not a bad day for a couple of bushwhacks.