Views/lunch from East Ledges, main summit, Allen's Ledge and deep snow covered spruce forests in between!

Hoping this will a butt surfing hike - pray for some snow! The hike is moderate but the butt surfing is easy!  

We will take the UNH loop to Hedgehog Mtn. [2,532'] which offers fine views from several viewpoints. The first section of the trail, an old railroad grade, has the broad stateliness of a promenade, and is an excellent warm-up for the hike. A 2 miles, we'll have lunch at the sun-washed East Ledges, spread out before us, with views south and southeast. Reaching the summit at 2.9 miles we'll have a closer view of the mountains we saw at East Ledges, as well as the eastern slope of Tripyramid...a bit past the summit we can even see Mount Washington. On the descent we'll check out Allen's Ledge, where we'll see the Presidential Range, the Carrigain Range, North and South Twins, Franconia Ridge, Mount Willey and the Bonds! 

Distance:      4.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 1450 feet

What to wear/bring: Wear warm clothing suitable for the hike in layers...no cotton or blue jeans.  Wear a warm hat and gloves and bring hand warmers as a precaution. Bring along plenty of water (at least 2 liters), lunch, snacks and anything else you may require for a day hike. Make sure your pack is big enough to place your jacket and excess clothing into it as you warm up. For footwear, have winter insulated boots and MicroSpikes in case we encounter icy trails. We may need snowshoes if we had a snowstorm just prior to the hike…we’ll let you know a few days before. Contact us if you have any questions. 

Afterwards:  Everyone is welcome to join us back at our house in Waterville Valley to relax by our fireplace [BYOB and bring snacks] followed by one of Jon's delicious dinners. We ask $10 per person to help pay for our food costs. Showers are available so bring a change of clothing to make your visit with us more comfortable.

Lodging Option: Bunk beds are available at our house [with Wi Fi] near Waterville Valley Friday and/or Saturday night. It's $25 for each night plus $10 for dinner on Saturday night. Coffee/bagels each morning and linen/blankets/towels are provided. Space is limited so email ASAP to reserve a bunk!

From the east, turn off NH 16 in Conway onto the Kancamagus Highway [NH 112] and drive about 14.3 miles. From the west on I-93, take Exit 32 in Lincoln and drive about 21.8 miles on the Kancamagus. 

You'll see a sign for the turn to the trailheads on the south side of the highway: the Downes Brook, UNH, and Mount Potash trails. Turn here and drive in to the large parking area. We'll be driving a blue Toyota Tacoma truck.