Question on Bushwacking up Owls Head

[EdMontagna]

Hi, My son and I are looking into alternatives to going up the slide to get to Owl's head (which will be our 35th.) Has anyone ever tried to bushwack up the north side. It looks like the least steep and is only about 1.3 miles. We've done bushwacking before but I'd like to hear if anyone out there has tried or considered this approach and what your thoughts are.
Thanks
Ed

 

[Mike P.]

Why make this trip any longer than necessary??? (Okay, I'm not an Owl's Head Fan, few people are but they are out there.)

Are you going as a two night trip or overnight? Using GPS, do you have the waypoints yet?

Why are you looking at avoiding the slide? uncomfortable on the slide, looking at staying at 13 Falls so North side is easier to get to than walking around to slide heard path or some other reason?

The slide has some losse rock on it but over all, IMO out of the so called steep trails on the 4,000 foot list I think only the South slide on the Tripyramids may be easier. (Comparing with Huntington, North Slide on Tripyamid, Flume Slide, Mt. Coe - well maybe Coe would be easy except I fell :blink: ) If Owl's head was bare, it would be a great peak right in the center of that section of the Pemi & looking at the cliffs on Garfield

I'm planning on going to OH myself this month to cross it off my Solo list & 2nd time, 2nd season list (10 solo's left, 4 2nd seasons left - 19 3+ seasons)

 

[MtnMagic]

It *is* the haul via all routes! (I too did it solo last October, no gps.)

Consider (I don't know for a fact) that the trees may be sooo thick that one simple can't squeeze between them. Very possible!

Also consider coming in on the Lincoln Woods Trail to Black Pond and then doing your bushwhack to the Lincoln Brook Trail. That saves about 2 miles and is fun. The climb up the slide I would rate as simply moderate. Stay on the right side up and back.

_________________
Enjoy your hike!

 

[EdMontagna]

More on Owls Head bush wack question

Thanks for first replies.
I try to avoid slides. I planned on spending 2 nights at 13 falls spending the day doing Owl's head. I will be using GPS and have tentative waypoints selected (trying to stay in the mixed forest rather than the evergreen... but almost half would be through evergreen forest.)

I recently did a bushwack where part was thick evergreen and it was very slow getting through that part. I'd never make it up and back in a day if it were all that thick.

Some of the trail reports make me want to avoid the OH slide (like the report about having to slide down on your butt.) The 13 of the 48 we have not done include the Carters, Whiteface, Tripyramids, Cabot, Moriah, Munroe, Isolation, Carrigain, Owls Head and Garfield. We have almost always taken the easiest way up.

Any additional input would be appreciated.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

If all you want to do is avoid the slide bushwhack north of it, parallel to the slide. I too hate slides, and on my first ascent decided to go down in the woods rather than on the slide. I got the idea from (where else???) the White Mountain Guide:

Hikers who find the slide unappealing may be able to bushwhack up or down the steep slope to the north, parallel to the slide.

The slide is not really bad; a few years later I went up and down it in winter.

 

[pedxing]

I didn't have to slide on my butt while taking the slide route up Owl's head, nor did I see anyone else slide on their butt.

I enjoyed a number of good views on the way up the slide.

 

[EdMontagna]

Will go north of the slide

Thanks for all the feedback. Looks pretty unanimous that the slide isn't as bad as some of the reports I've read on 'views from the top'. We'll do the slide knowing that we can always follow Mohamed's advice on going parallel to it if we get uncomfortable.

 

[David Metsky]

Here are two shots of the slide:
Shot one and Shot two
As slides go, it's not that bad.

The trip from 13 Falls to the start of the slide can often be wet and muddy, that section of the Lincoln Brook trail doesn't get a huge amount of traffic. After you climb to the summit you might consider bushwacking down the east side back to the Franconia Brook trail. I haven't done it but many people have, as evidenced by the herd paths.

-dave-

 

[Mike P.]

I've done that part of Lincoln Brook Trail Dave mentioned does not get much traffic. Even in July it was wet & muddy. The only part of the slide some might find unnerving is the loose rock that might slip a little. I thought it was more of the hill moving instead of me slipping (I found the small occasional rocks more unnerving descending Tuckerman on the head wall since I thought, slip & fall Vs. riding the slide a few inches down) Think of it as hiking up or down in snow, (up two feet, slide back 2-4 inches or step down two feet, slide an extra 2-4 inches)

If you hike into 13 falls day one take some waypoints where you may want to come down & then go up the slide (never as bad + you can bushwhack next to it) & try descending the east side. You'll also get the dense stuff out of the way first & if you get sick of it early, you can alwasy turn back & descend the way you came on the trail.