Mount Osceola-East Peak - Mount Osceola (NH) *1/1/2014*

Mount Osceola - Mount Osceola-East Peak

Location: Lincoln/Livermore, New Hampshire
Mileage: 6.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 2280 Feet
Trails Used: Greeley Ponds Trail, Mount Osceola Trail
Views: Views from ledges on Mount Osceola 
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: NH 4000 Footer/NH 3000 Footers/NH Hundred Highest/NH 200 Highest/NH 300 Highest/NE Hundred Highest/NE 115 4000 Footers

Ringing in the new year, Brian and I started 2014 with the first of many adventures ahead. The day was bitterly cold and windy, but the payoff was breathtaking winter scenery. Between steep climbs and soft snow, the 7.6-mile round trip took some real effort. Thankfully, a fresh snowshoe track had already been laid, making the hike a little easier.

I’m still working on finishing my Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Winter 48 list, which has been nearly six years in the making, and I needed both Osceola peaks to chip away at the few remaining ones. With so many hikers out there, especially in winter, we figured it would be an easy out-and-back hike. We were well-prepared, so after getting ready, we set off.

The Greeley Ponds Trail begins off the Kancamagus Highway at the Greeley Pond trailhead parking area. There was quite a bit of snow on the ground, but a well-packed snowshoe track was already laid out.

This is the first junction, and the trail gets steeper from here. It’s where the Greeley Ponds Trail meets the Mount Osceola Trail.

We start heading up and catch a great view of Mount Osceola-East Peak. The trail gets pretty steep in some spots as we make our way to the main summit area.

The Mount Osceola Trail was straightforward to navigate as it climbed toward the summit of Mount Osceola’s East Peak.

A beautiful ledge on the side of Mount Osceola-East Peak as we make our way up.

From the top of the old slide on the way up to Mount Osceola’s East Peak, you can take in stunning views of Mount Chocorua, Flume Peak, Scaur Peak, and the Tripyramids.

It’s a bit chilly, but I’m having a great time. This photo was taken on the wooded summit of Mount Osceola-East Peak, at an elevation of 4,160 feet.

The stretch between Mount Osceola-East Peak and Mount Osceola is called the "chimney." Heading left takes you straight into it, but we opted for the easier bypass to the right. With a bit of ice on the trail today, it didn’t seem too welcoming for our snowshoes.

Brian snapped a photo of our next goal, Mount Osceola, which seems so far in the distance.

Along the way, we enjoyed views of the Waterville Valley ski slopes and the Sandwich Mountain area to the south.

It definitely felt like winter along the stretch between Mount Osceola-East Peak and Mount Osceola, with this being the deepest snow we came across on the entire hike.

Snow squalls passed through the area, but we didn’t see any snow today. They did, however, create some pretty cool lighting.

From the summit of Mount Osceola, the view stretches back to Mount Osceola-East Peak with Mount Kancamagus rising in the distance.

A great view of the Tripyramids, with the North Tripyramid Slide clearly visible from the summit of Mount Osceola.

The old fire tower foundations, blanketed in snow, sit atop Mount Osceola’s 4,328-foot summit. On a clear day, the views from up here are spectacular.

From the summit of Mount Osceola, looking north reveals the Huntington Mountains and Mount Carrigain in the distance.

Watch that first step! The Waterville Valley ski trails stretch out with Mount Tecumseh in the background, as snow squalls start to roll in.

Heading back down, passing over Mount Osceola-East Peak with its viewless summit. The temperature is definitely dropping outside.

The views toward Mount Kancamagus, Greens Cliff, and Mount Chocorua along the Mount Osceola Trail are stunning.

More winter beauty on the way down. It’s so cool to see the trails looking like this in winter.

Hikes always feel like a long journey to and from, and this view is looking back toward the summit of Mount Osceola.

The cliffs along Mount Kancamagus with a view of one of the Greeley Ponds.

We’re almost back to the Greeley Pond trail, passing through beautiful open woods on the way down to the car.

With tired legs, we made our way back to the parking lot feeling triumphant. It was a great way to kick off the first day of 2014 and an exciting start to the winter season ahead! About 7.6 miles down, with a whole year of hikes to look forward to. Cold weather and playful snow navigation made it all the more enjoyable—it’s shaping up to be a great year for hiking.