Hersey Mountain
Location: Sanbornton, New Hampshire
Mileage: 3.7 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1180 Feet
Trails Used: None. Road Walk, Logging Road, Bushwhack
Views: Ledge Views from Summit of Hersey Mountain
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: None. Town High Point
This hike was a spur-of-the-moment choice on Sunday after my morning plans fell through. The forecast predicted brief showers, and I hoped there wouldn’t be much snow left given the mountain’s low elevation. The hardest part was simply locating the starting point. Once I found it, I quickly geared up and headed down the Class VI road, trying to stay ahead of the rain. When I did this hike, it was all bushwhacking, but since then, a new trail has been built leading to the summit of Hersey Mountain.
I parked the car just off Carter Mountain Road and headed up a class VI road, which snowmobiles use in the winter and someone had recently driven down.
I continued to the logging landing and then made my way up the still-visible old logging road.
When the road began to fade, I went for my usual straight-up approach. As long as the woods stayed open, I just kept heading up! It did get a bit steep for a while.
Just below the summit of Hersey Mountain lies moose heaven, as shown by the sheer amount of moose scat covering the ground. You could hardly take a step without landing in it, and the summit itself was even worse.
The first views from the summit ledges reveal Ragged Mountain on the right and Mount Kearsarge nestled between the two trees.
At the summit of Hersey Mountain, which stands at 2,004 feet, there’s a cabin owned by the New England Forestry Foundation.
A note on the cabin says it’s free to use as long as you keep it clean and pack out your trash. The cabin was flown in by helicopter by a former owner.
Rain clouds drift over distant peaks, and several scenic ledges can be found around the summit area, so take some time to explore and discover them.
Looking north, you can take in the beautiful views of Plymouth Mountain and Tenney Mountain.
I followed a few red blazes down before deciding to bushwhack through the woods to the car.
It was a tricky little water crossing to get back to the logging road. I had to scoot across the log in the back since the water was about 2–3 feet deep, cold, and rushing hard.
Once I was back on the class VI road, I made a quick hike to the car.
A quick solo hike up this little gem of a peak was just what I needed. There was no snow, though a light rain fell on the way up—it was actually quite pleasant. The views were great, the woods were open and inviting, and finding the route was a breeze. Following the old logging roads makes for an easy and enjoyable hike or bushwhack.
Hersey Mountain, the highest point in Sanbornton, New Hampshire, is nestled within the Hersey Mountain Community Forest. A new trail now leads hikers all the way to its summit.
No comments:
Post a Comment