Jonni
Member
Date Hiked: 5/24/2008
Trail(s) Hiked: Mt. Osceola Trail
Total Distance Traveled: 8.4 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate (Additional hike to East Peak is classified as Moderate - Difficult)
Conditions: Good
Special Equipment Required: None, although the trekking poles were very VERY nice to have.
Trip Report: After my relatively short and sweet trip up Moose Mountain last weekend I decided that I needed to add to my small list of bagged NH 4000'ers. After perusing some guidebooks as well as trip reports from HiketheWhites, RoT, and AZ I settled on the Osceolas. Knowing that it was Memorial Day weekend I figured that it would probably be busy, so made a very bland attempt at getting to the trail head as early as possible. Unfortunately that didn't happen, but I did manage to get to the trailhead around 8:40AM and was off on my way to the summit around 8:50.
I had heard that this trail would be rocky and it did not disappoint. Starting from the trailhead, the trail swings right and begins its very easy ascent up the side of the mountain using switchbacks where necessary as well as never getting overly difficult to go up. Only stopping briefly every once in a while to let my heart settle down (I have high blood pressure, so I have to keep an eye on it), I made what felt like good time up the trail gaining elevation as well as seeing some relatively good views through the trees toward Waterville Valley ski area/Mt. Tecumseh and points south. After a while I also began to see snow in the woods, which became more plentiful as I ascended the mountain. There were a few sections where I was hiking over snow straddling a monorail attempting not to posthole anywhere on the way up. Once I crested the top of the mountain the trail became very muddy through the last sections before the summit ledges.
As for the summit ledges all I can say is Wow. Talk about coming upon one of the coolest views that I have ever seen. The 3.2 mile hike is well worth the views that you can achieve at those ledges. The summit itself was quite level with probably a sustained 20 to 25 mph wind out of the north. I only met two people there who were leaving when I got there, so I essentially had the summit to myself.
Trip to East Osceola
After taking in the summit views and discerning what peaks I was looking at, and attempting to look a the AMC map that I had with me against the wind (that didn't work so well), I began to make my way the additional 1 mile this hike would take me over to East Osceola. Descending to the left from the summit ledges I almost immediately found myself hiking down over another monorail of snow for a little ways. This made the trail a little more challenging but also a lot more fun. Following the trail a little more quickly now I was anxiously awaiting the descent of the famous Osceola Chimney. Not really knowing what to expect from this geological wonder I kept looking around almost every corner expecting to see an instantaneous drop of the trail down through a hole in the mountain in which the trail was supposed to descend. The chimney itself wasn't really that, but I thought that it was quite a drop and opted to take the short "run around" path (which wasn't much tamer than the chimney itself) and climbed the chimney on the way back.
After the final descent through the chimney area the trail began a moderate to difficult climb up the ridge to East Osceola with many monorails of snow and a solid pitch to the viewless summit cairn. Only pausing enough for some pictures and a drink of water I began to make my way back. Climbing up the actual chimney was probably the best part of the entire hike. Wasn't really all that difficult, but watching your footing was a must for the entire length of it. I then made good time back to the main peak talking with people along the way (also with a few that probably shouldn't have been heading toward East Osceola) stopping at the summit for another 10 minutes or so before putting the iPod on for the trip down and heading down the trail back to my car. Overall hike time was about 5.5 to 6 hours.
One thing that I did find interesting was I never really realized how many people actually use the tent sites along Tripoli Rd. There were lines of parked cars everywhere along that road! Another interesting thing that I encountered on my way back down I-93 was a US Customs stop right before Exit 30. Not really sure what they were accomplishing except for holding up the minimal traffic going southbound on the interstate, but I'm glad to see that our border patrol is doing something. I'm not sure what I'll hit next weekend, but I'm thinking either Jefferson or maybe Moosilauke - not sure yet.
Photos:
Mt. Osceola Trailhead:
Looking Down the trail about 0.8 miles up the Trail (I think):
Some Snow:
Mt. Osceola Bench Mark:
Fantastic view toward East Osceola:
Monorail of Snow on the way to East Osceola:
The Famous Chimney:
I would post more pictures of the view that I took, but that would defeat the purpose of everyone else hiking it. :-D 8)
Trail(s) Hiked: Mt. Osceola Trail
Total Distance Traveled: 8.4 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate (Additional hike to East Peak is classified as Moderate - Difficult)
Conditions: Good
Special Equipment Required: None, although the trekking poles were very VERY nice to have.
Trip Report: After my relatively short and sweet trip up Moose Mountain last weekend I decided that I needed to add to my small list of bagged NH 4000'ers. After perusing some guidebooks as well as trip reports from HiketheWhites, RoT, and AZ I settled on the Osceolas. Knowing that it was Memorial Day weekend I figured that it would probably be busy, so made a very bland attempt at getting to the trail head as early as possible. Unfortunately that didn't happen, but I did manage to get to the trailhead around 8:40AM and was off on my way to the summit around 8:50.
I had heard that this trail would be rocky and it did not disappoint. Starting from the trailhead, the trail swings right and begins its very easy ascent up the side of the mountain using switchbacks where necessary as well as never getting overly difficult to go up. Only stopping briefly every once in a while to let my heart settle down (I have high blood pressure, so I have to keep an eye on it), I made what felt like good time up the trail gaining elevation as well as seeing some relatively good views through the trees toward Waterville Valley ski area/Mt. Tecumseh and points south. After a while I also began to see snow in the woods, which became more plentiful as I ascended the mountain. There were a few sections where I was hiking over snow straddling a monorail attempting not to posthole anywhere on the way up. Once I crested the top of the mountain the trail became very muddy through the last sections before the summit ledges.
As for the summit ledges all I can say is Wow. Talk about coming upon one of the coolest views that I have ever seen. The 3.2 mile hike is well worth the views that you can achieve at those ledges. The summit itself was quite level with probably a sustained 20 to 25 mph wind out of the north. I only met two people there who were leaving when I got there, so I essentially had the summit to myself.
Trip to East Osceola
After taking in the summit views and discerning what peaks I was looking at, and attempting to look a the AMC map that I had with me against the wind (that didn't work so well), I began to make my way the additional 1 mile this hike would take me over to East Osceola. Descending to the left from the summit ledges I almost immediately found myself hiking down over another monorail of snow for a little ways. This made the trail a little more challenging but also a lot more fun. Following the trail a little more quickly now I was anxiously awaiting the descent of the famous Osceola Chimney. Not really knowing what to expect from this geological wonder I kept looking around almost every corner expecting to see an instantaneous drop of the trail down through a hole in the mountain in which the trail was supposed to descend. The chimney itself wasn't really that, but I thought that it was quite a drop and opted to take the short "run around" path (which wasn't much tamer than the chimney itself) and climbed the chimney on the way back.
After the final descent through the chimney area the trail began a moderate to difficult climb up the ridge to East Osceola with many monorails of snow and a solid pitch to the viewless summit cairn. Only pausing enough for some pictures and a drink of water I began to make my way back. Climbing up the actual chimney was probably the best part of the entire hike. Wasn't really all that difficult, but watching your footing was a must for the entire length of it. I then made good time back to the main peak talking with people along the way (also with a few that probably shouldn't have been heading toward East Osceola) stopping at the summit for another 10 minutes or so before putting the iPod on for the trip down and heading down the trail back to my car. Overall hike time was about 5.5 to 6 hours.
One thing that I did find interesting was I never really realized how many people actually use the tent sites along Tripoli Rd. There were lines of parked cars everywhere along that road! Another interesting thing that I encountered on my way back down I-93 was a US Customs stop right before Exit 30. Not really sure what they were accomplishing except for holding up the minimal traffic going southbound on the interstate, but I'm glad to see that our border patrol is doing something. I'm not sure what I'll hit next weekend, but I'm thinking either Jefferson or maybe Moosilauke - not sure yet.
Photos:
Mt. Osceola Trailhead:
Looking Down the trail about 0.8 miles up the Trail (I think):
Some Snow:
Mt. Osceola Bench Mark:
Fantastic view toward East Osceola:
Monorail of Snow on the way to East Osceola:
The Famous Chimney:
I would post more pictures of the view that I took, but that would defeat the purpose of everyone else hiking it. :-D 8)
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