Shaker Hill
Mileage: 1.5
Elevation gain: 310'
Trails used: none. Woods road walk, bushwhack.
I was told this summit was pretty open, and I was not disappointed when the information proved to be correct. As usual, the hardest part is figuring out where to start the hike. The information I had was to find the four wheel drive road from the east and do the roadwalk; I saw a different approach on the west side and took a chance. This is a really easy hike to do.
Shaker Hill is located in Henniker and Hopkinton, New Hampshire and is the highest point in Hopkinton. There is a small road walk and then small bushwhack to an open summit with views to the west.
I took Shaker Hill Road and turned onto the western section of Pet Dow Road and then parked at the end of the drive able section of the road. Four wheel drive vehicles could possibly make it further down the road.
An old cellar hole along the four wheel drive road.
It felt like a pleasant woods road walk, minus the bugs which were out in force today. Luckily, there was enough of a breeze that kept them at bay as long as I kept moving.
Nearing the summit of Shaker Hill, which was recently mowed. Quite a bit of the western side of the peak has no tree's and very little vegetation which makes for some nice views.
The high point area of Shaker Hill (elevation 923'). It was a short bushwhack from the wood road to get here and the views looking west and northwest.
Views from the summit of Shaker Hill looking northwest towards the Mink Hills and Mount Kearsarge.
Nearby Craney Hill and home to Pats Peak Ski Area.
The woods were wide open so if you had to bushwhack a longer distance, it would not have been a problem at all.
About a thirty minute round trip hike and short bushwhack to reach the summit of Shaker Hill. The views were pretty decent for this hike with very little effort needed to get to them. Once I was back at the car, I headed for my next destination which was not too far away. I would attempt two peaks but gave myself a turn around time due to the late time at which I would start this hike.
Colby Hill (attempt)
Mileage: 3.7
Elevation gain: 760'
Trails used: none. Woods road walk, bushwhack.
I was going to attempt Colby Hill and Liberty Hill as there is a road that goes in between both peaks that with a good vehicle, you can get almost in between the two to bushwhack to their respective summits. Alas, I had my car and not the CR-V, so I decided to not try and drive down the road to where I could get closer. If I had been able to drive further in, I would have gotten both peaks easy enough.
Colby Hill is located in Henniker, New Hampshire. It requires a woods road walk and short bushwhack through several old logging cuts and logging roads to reach the summit area.
I parked near a house on Liberty Hill Road, which turns into a four wheel drive road and possibly an ATV road/snowmobile trail. I didn't want to attempt to drive my car into the col between Colby Hill and Liberty Hill.
The area is littered with old logging/woods road so I took one that looked like it could get me closer to the summit of Colby Hill.
It was along this old woods road, that I came upon this black bear scrounging for food.
I sat and watched him as he moved up the woods road. I would move along with him, always in awe of seeing these creatures in their natural habitat.
I followed him to right around a minor peak of Colby Hill, and then realized the summit for Colby Hill was further to the north. In my rush to follow the bear, I went too far south.
I had to call it a day as I reached my turn around time. I did manage to get this view of Craney Hill on my way back to the car.
So I stuck with my plan and bypassed the summit of Colby Hill and didn't even attempt Liberty Hill so I could pick up some dinner on the way home and still get home at a decent time. The bugs were out but not bad and the weather was perfect for a nice spring day.
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