Owl's Head, dumb, dumb, dumb

**Mike P.** · Oct 21, 2007, 12:02 PM

Date(s) Hiked: 10-20-2007

Trails(s) Hiked: Lincoln Woods, Franconia Brook trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Slide to summit, slide, Lincoln Brook to Lincoln Brook, bushwhack to Franconia Falls Trail, Lincoln Woods trail back to car

Total Distance: Approx. 18 miles

Difficulty: Very difficult, stupidly difficult this day

Conditions: Only a moron would have done this hike (see moron's name & avater) as the water crossings were way too high to cross as the backpacker I saw on the Lincoln Brook trail told me. Still I found a place after 10 minutes or so of bushwhacking up stream. Even here the water was fast moving & almost waist deep, needing to lean way into the swift current, it was waist deep. After using a lot of energy to cross & having one foot slip enough that I had OH SHI out just before I regained my footing, I knew I was not going back that way. The first wide crossing of Lincoln Brook was thigh deep but I did not have to move up or downsteam for a place to cross. Crossing Liberty Brook was calf deep & the upper crosssing of Lincoln Brook was knee deep but required some searching for a safe place to cross. The slide in several areas was a series of casades & quite a bit of blowdown above the slide

Special Required Equipment: Sandals & a lobotomy. No Cotton, & anything in your pockets needed to be in a zip lock bag. The photon light on my keychain still does work, even though my keys were not in a zip-lock bag. Map or good familiarilty with the area so I could do the bushwhack back to the Franconia Brook trail before dark. Headlamp just in case.

Trip Report: This may be one of the dumbest hikes I've ever done, by the time I got the to slide, marked with two samll cairns, I was drained from the crossings. Needless to say once I crossed Franconia Brook, I did not see another hiker all day.

I had last done this trip a couple of May's ago & at least today the water was cool, not numbingly cold from snowmelt. Wore my sandals from Franconia Brook until I crossed Lincoln Brook. On the way back, had the Sandals on through Lincoln & Liberty Brooks, another crossing though was right at boot height.

After crossing Franconia Brook & realizing as dumb as that was fresh, it was suicidal 13+ miles into the hike, I planned on going around Owl's head but had trouble finding the trail heading north only a 100 yards or so above the Owl's Head junction. A path up the hill petered out while a large washout along the brook prevented walking along the brook. Therefore, I decided on the bushwhack which early on was faint to non-existent but eventually came to an old & likely illegal campsite & fire ring maybe 1/2 a mile above the end of trail for Franconia Falls trail, from the there the herd path was easy to follow. Took 10 hours & got out just before a headlamp was necessary. Any regular trail, I would have needed the light sooner but with a half monn up & a wide flat trail, I was fine.

Went beyond the "Old" summit to a point just below what may be the newer north summit which was surrounded by downed trees. Considering the few feet one descends from the previously marked summit, I think the only was to verify which summit is higher would be with two idential GPS's synched up at the older summit & walking talkies.

Skier75 · Oct 21, 2007, 12:47 PM

Sorry to hear things didn't work out the way you wanted.....We almost did this trip last weekend, but ended up doing Tecumseh as a day trip instead. It'll be a while before I can hike again due to surgery last Wed.(sinus and tonsilectomy)

**MichaelJ** · Oct 22, 2007, 7:38 AM

D'oh! Glad you made it out safely!

threecy · Oct 22, 2007, 8:33 AM

Eeek! Sounds like a crap day on a generally not that well liked 4,000 footer!

**MichaelJ** · Oct 22, 2007, 8:50 AM

Quote:

generally not that well liked 4,000 footer!

Actually, I've been to Owl's Head twice, and I hope to go back again several more times, trying some of the different bushwhack routes as well as a winter trip!

threecy · Oct 22, 2007, 8:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

Actually, I've been to Owl's Head twice, and I hope to go back again several more times, trying some of the different bushwhack routes as well as a winter trip!

Haha...I have not been yet and am not looking foward to visiting it...it seems that most of the people I run into on the trails have only bad words for Owl's Head

**MichaelJ** · Oct 22, 2007, 8:56 AM

If you liked the South Slide of Tripyramid, you will have no problem on the Owl's Head Slide, and it's a nearly-flat, long but easy walk all the way out there. The only reason people complain is that it's an 18 mile hike and the 3 water crossings (x 2 directions) can be a pain, as Mike witnessed.

Pick a good day and you will have fun!

threecy · Oct 22, 2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

If it's a nearly-flat, long but easy walk all the way out there. The only reason people complain is that it's an 18 mile hike and the 3 water crossings (x 2 directions) can be a pain, as Mike witnessed.

Exactly why I have no interest in hiking it! I find C-SPAN more interesting than the thought of hiking that

Stupid lists...

David Metsky · Oct 22, 2007, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threecy

Haha...I have not been yet and am not looking foward to visiting it...it seems that most of the people I run into on the trails have only bad words for Owl's Head

You're running into the wrong people. It can be a lovely hike, if you like long days and solitude.

threecy · Oct 22, 2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Metsky

You're running into the wrong people. It can be a lovely hike, if you like long days and solitude.

True, at least one of them was a Yankees fan

Not a big fan of long days without a VFTT

Oct 21, 2007, 12:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mike P. Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: CT Posts: 1,468	Owl's Head, dumb, dumb, dumb Date(s) Hiked: 10-20-2007 Trails(s) Hiked: Lincoln Woods, Franconia Brook trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Slide to summit, slide, Lincoln Brook to Lincoln Brook, bushwhack to Franconia Falls Trail, Lincoln Woods trail back to car Total Distance: Approx. 18 miles Difficulty: Very difficult, stupidly difficult this day Conditions: Only a moron would have done this hike (see moron's name & avater) as the water crossings were way too high to cross as the backpacker I saw on the Lincoln Brook trail told me. Still I found a place after 10 minutes or so of bushwhacking up stream. Even here the water was fast moving & almost waist deep, needing to lean way into the swift current, it was waist deep. After using a lot of energy to cross & having one foot slip enough that I had OH SHI out just before I regained my footing, I knew I was not going back that way. The first wide crossing of Lincoln Brook was thigh deep but I did not have to move up or downsteam for a place to cross. Crossing Liberty Brook was calf deep & the upper crosssing of Lincoln Brook was knee deep but required some searching for a safe place to cross. The slide in several areas was a series of casades & quite a bit of blowdown above the slide Special Required Equipment: Sandals & a lobotomy. No Cotton, & anything in your pockets needed to be in a zip lock bag. The photon light on my keychain still does work, even though my keys were not in a zip-lock bag. Map or good familiarilty with the area so I could do the bushwhack back to the Franconia Brook trail before dark. Headlamp just in case. Trip Report: This may be one of the dumbest hikes I've ever done, by the time I got the to slide, marked with two samll cairns, I was drained from the crossings. Needless to say once I crossed Franconia Brook, I did not see another hiker all day. I had last done this trip a couple of May's ago & at least today the water was cool, not numbingly cold from snowmelt. Wore my sandals from Franconia Brook until I crossed Lincoln Brook. On the way back, had the Sandals on through Lincoln & Liberty Brooks, another crossing though was right at boot height. After crossing Franconia Brook & realizing as dumb as that was fresh, it was suicidal 13+ miles into the hike, I planned on going around Owl's head but had trouble finding the trail heading north only a 100 yards or so above the Owl's Head junction. A path up the hill petered out while a large washout along the brook prevented walking along the brook. Therefore, I decided on the bushwhack which early on was faint to non-existent but eventually came to an old & likely illegal campsite & fire ring maybe 1/2 a mile above the end of trail for Franconia Falls trail, from the there the herd path was easy to follow. Took 10 hours & got out just before a headlamp was necessary. Any regular trail, I would have needed the light sooner but with a half monn up & a wide flat trail, I was fine. Went beyond the "Old" summit to a point just below what may be the newer north summit which was surrounded by downed trees. Considering the few feet one descends from the previously marked summit, I think the only was to verify which summit is higher would be with two idential GPS's synched up at the older summit & walking talkies. __________________ Happy Trails, be safe & Good Luck Mike P. Last edited by Mike P.; Oct 22, 2007 at 7:48 PM. Reason: spelling

Oct 21, 2007, 12:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Skier75 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Barrington, New Hampshire Posts: 479	Sorry to hear things didn't work out the way you wanted.....We almost did this trip last weekend, but ended up doing Tecumseh as a day trip instead. It'll be a while before I can hike again due to surgery last Wed.(sinus and tonsilectomy) __________________ \"J\"

Oct 22, 2007, 7:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
MichaelJ Boundary Peak #100 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Out in the MA 'burbs near 495. Posts: 1,994	D'oh! Glad you made it out safely! __________________ Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face. - Dave Barry 21 days '07–'08 … bring on the '08–'09 season!

Oct 22, 2007, 8:56 AM	#7 (permalink)
MichaelJ Boundary Peak #100 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Out in the MA 'burbs near 495. Posts: 1,994	If you liked the South Slide of Tripyramid, you will have no problem on the Owl's Head Slide, and it's a nearly-flat, long but easy walk all the way out there. The only reason people complain is that it's an 18 mile hike and the 3 water crossings (x 2 directions) can be a pain, as Mike witnessed. Pick a good day and you will have fun! __________________ Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face. - Dave Barry 21 days '07–'08 … bring on the '08–'09 season!

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Oct 22, 2007, 8:33 AM	#4 (permalink)
threecy Mt. Monadnock, NH Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Tamworth, NH Posts: 891	Eeek! Sounds like a crap day on a generally not that well liked 4,000 footer!