Date(s) Hiked: September 26, 2004
Trails(s) Hiked: The Main Trail up and down Mount Major in Alton, NH (sorry for the pun in the title :wink: ).
Total Distance: 4.0 miles roundtrip with some good climbing.
Difficulty: Moderate due to steep climb at top.
Conditions: The lower section of the trail, an old woods road, has suffered some erosion.
Special Required Equipment: We used Trekking Poles. Get a good map as well.
Trip Report: The girlfriend and I continued our fall hike series this past weekend with a short hike up Mount Major before meeting my parents for lunch. The mountain rises about 1,000 feet over nearby Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding area. In all, the views were incredible for the short distance and the vista stretched to include Lake Winnie, other local lakes, Belknap Mountain, and even the forehead of Mount Washington.
The trail is hard to miss since it starts at a large trail parking lot on the W side of Route 11, just 2.2 miles south of the Route 11/Route 11A intersection and 4.2 miles north of the village of Alton. The drive to Tilton up 93 took about an hour, but the traffic from here to the trailhead was slow thanks to some leaf peepers. We drove by Gunstock (Belknap Mountain) and things were quiet in comparison to the 50+ cars lined up along Route 11 at the Mount Major trailhead
. A local nonprofit was hosting a "hikeathon" and there was even a trailer set up at the base of the mountain for info and first aid.
We passed this zoo and caught one glimpse up at the summit looming above our heads before taking the main trail (on the right of the parking lot) and ascending an old woods road which was eroded in several places. There were several large boulders along the side of the trail which gradually climbed up the wooded shoulder of the mountain. After .8 mile or about 20 or so minutes, the blue-blazed trail hooks a left and begins the steeper climb over first loose rock footing and then slabs before some entertaining rock outcrops and slabs which require some hand-over-hand climbing. The views began to open up, only about a half hour from the base, to include some hints of the incredible vista ahead.
Take your time as you ascend the Several ledges and slabs. Enjoy the view and be sure to follow the trail, with its side spurs, to the top of the mountain. This last half was rather steep and offered quite dramatic views. For the most part, the bare rock summit offered almost 360 degree views (except for where all the people were standing). Lake Winnipesaukee is below you and is surrounded by several small villages and towns. Nearby mountains were visible with views extending well into Maine and into the Whites including a glimpse of Mount Washington poking above one of the nearby hills. The remains of an old stone hut can provide shelter from the elements if needed.
From here, we were going to descend via the yellow blazed Boulder Loop, but we could not find any blazes at the summit and opted to descend the same trail that we climbed. Be careful descending on the rocks. There were maps posted at the top and bottom, but it would be best to bring your own or ask a local for help.
Several people were on the trail this day and it was hard to get away from them :-? . It was clearly a popular mountain and we saw why--incredible views and a short entertaining hike. The trip, with summit time, took us a little over two hours.
In all, a five star hike. We are looking forward to getting back into the big mountains with visits to Osceola, Tecumseh, and a repeat trip to Monadnock as well as maybe a Presidential, before winter.
Trails(s) Hiked: The Main Trail up and down Mount Major in Alton, NH (sorry for the pun in the title :wink: ).
Total Distance: 4.0 miles roundtrip with some good climbing.
Difficulty: Moderate due to steep climb at top.
Conditions: The lower section of the trail, an old woods road, has suffered some erosion.
Special Required Equipment: We used Trekking Poles. Get a good map as well.
Trip Report: The girlfriend and I continued our fall hike series this past weekend with a short hike up Mount Major before meeting my parents for lunch. The mountain rises about 1,000 feet over nearby Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding area. In all, the views were incredible for the short distance and the vista stretched to include Lake Winnie, other local lakes, Belknap Mountain, and even the forehead of Mount Washington.
The trail is hard to miss since it starts at a large trail parking lot on the W side of Route 11, just 2.2 miles south of the Route 11/Route 11A intersection and 4.2 miles north of the village of Alton. The drive to Tilton up 93 took about an hour, but the traffic from here to the trailhead was slow thanks to some leaf peepers. We drove by Gunstock (Belknap Mountain) and things were quiet in comparison to the 50+ cars lined up along Route 11 at the Mount Major trailhead
. A local nonprofit was hosting a "hikeathon" and there was even a trailer set up at the base of the mountain for info and first aid. We passed this zoo and caught one glimpse up at the summit looming above our heads before taking the main trail (on the right of the parking lot) and ascending an old woods road which was eroded in several places. There were several large boulders along the side of the trail which gradually climbed up the wooded shoulder of the mountain. After .8 mile or about 20 or so minutes, the blue-blazed trail hooks a left and begins the steeper climb over first loose rock footing and then slabs before some entertaining rock outcrops and slabs which require some hand-over-hand climbing. The views began to open up, only about a half hour from the base, to include some hints of the incredible vista ahead.
Take your time as you ascend the Several ledges and slabs. Enjoy the view and be sure to follow the trail, with its side spurs, to the top of the mountain. This last half was rather steep and offered quite dramatic views. For the most part, the bare rock summit offered almost 360 degree views (except for where all the people were standing). Lake Winnipesaukee is below you and is surrounded by several small villages and towns. Nearby mountains were visible with views extending well into Maine and into the Whites including a glimpse of Mount Washington poking above one of the nearby hills. The remains of an old stone hut can provide shelter from the elements if needed.
From here, we were going to descend via the yellow blazed Boulder Loop, but we could not find any blazes at the summit and opted to descend the same trail that we climbed. Be careful descending on the rocks. There were maps posted at the top and bottom, but it would be best to bring your own or ask a local for help.
Several people were on the trail this day and it was hard to get away from them :-? . It was clearly a popular mountain and we saw why--incredible views and a short entertaining hike. The trip, with summit time, took us a little over two hours.
In all, a five star hike. We are looking forward to getting back into the big mountains with visits to Osceola, Tecumseh, and a repeat trip to Monadnock as well as maybe a Presidential, before winter.
