Something of a spontaneous trip to New Hampshire, which enabled us to grab a bit of hiking before snowfall and celebrate Jeanne’s 65th.
| Peak | Distance | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Chocorua | 9.9 | 07:01:00 | chocorua-sisters.gpx |
| Three Sisters, Middle | 9.9 | 07:01:00 | chocorua-sisters.gpx |
| Mt. Roberts | 5.4 | 02:36:00 | roberts.gpx |
We planned to stay in North Conway, NH and decided on a few nearby summits from the 52 With a View list – Mt Roberts, Mt Chocurua, and Three Sisters, Middle. They are all relatively nearby and gave us some magnificent views for not a ton of work :-).
Mt Roberts was first, which we did on our way to North Conway – opting for the Mt Roberts trail (go figure!) – with a relatively-short round trip distance of about 5.4mi and an elevation gain of roughly 1,400′. We arrived at the trailhead on the Castle in the Clouds grounds shortly after noon. This time of year, late afternoon daylight is definitely a concern, but we were able to complete the hike in just under 3hrs.
With all the leaves off the trees, especially the birch, there was a fairly thick pile of leaves covering the trail – making the going a bit slower so we didn’t twist an ankle on an unseen rock or root.A bit over a mile into the hike, there was a viewpoint with stunning views of Lake Winnepesaukee!
At 2582′, the summit of Mt Roberts felt a bit underwhelming, likely because of the forestation. Though the weather was stunning and with clear views to the North with Mt Washington, it’s no wonder it’s on the 52 With a View list!
For our second day, we were targeting Mt Chocorua and, depending on timing and all, including the neighboring Three Sisters, middle peak – both entries on the 52 WAV list. We were blessed with yet another day of stunning weather, though cooler than the prior day with frost on the car.
Again today, time and daylight were a concern, in part due to the nearly 7hr book time for the hike, and also for the 4pm couples massage appointment :-). We were at the Piper trailhead by 8am. Our plan was to ascend via Piper trail, hit Three Sisters, middle, then cross back over to Chocorua, descending via the Liberty, Hammond, and Weetamoo trails. All told, this hike was 10mi with an elevation gain over 3,300′ – definitely on the moderate to hard side of the spectrum.
While a long day, with a fair bit of scrambling through the rocks/boulders at the summit, it was a hike well worth the effort – especially on such a stunning weather day in late November!