Mts. Tom, Field, and Willey Hike

We decided that we would revisit these peaks again, as we’ve never hiked from Field over to Willey before. Jon and I have been up to Tom and Field before in winter but this time we made it a GayOutdoors trip.

Our plan was to drop off a couple cars at the base of the road leading up to the Ethan Pond trailhead and then drive over to the Highland Center to start the trip. ) We were to hike up to Mt. Tom first via the steep Avalon and A-Z trails, then cross over to Field and then to Willey before descending back to our cars using the Ethan Pond trail.

There were two stream crossings with the first being snow-bridged and other semi bridged.

The trail was all broken out and we used snowshoes the entire day.

The trail in winter is so pretty with the snow covered branches. I love how magical the trails look. Putting up the televators on the tail of our snowshoes made the steep ascents easier. The day was pretty and company excellent. We took breaks as needed.

Our first stop was Mt. Tom (4051') which had some descent views over the "marshmallow" trees. We could see it was snowing over the western mountains so it was only a matter of time before we were in it. Sure enough, when we were back on the A-Z trail it began to snow; around 11:30AM. We were protected from the wind except for when we were on each summit.

We probably spent a little too much time feeding the Gray Jays, but they were so cute!

Our next stop was Mt. Field. The trail between Tom and Field wasn't too bad. The trails were in great condition. There were a handful of steep spots, but we got a lot of elevation done climbing up the Avalon and A-Z trails.

Mt Field (4340') is the highpoint of the range where we decided to have lunch. It was snowing a bit more at this point and we chatted with three guys from Massachusetts.

We were doing good time and continued onward to tag Mt. Willey and hike down before sunset. We had headlamps with us, but would rather not use them. The trail between Field and Willey descended a lot between the two and we were dreading every time we had to maneuver down a steep section as we would soon be turning around and going back up it.

When we got to the summit of Mt. Willey (4285') there were not any views as the snow really started to come down. It was a bit windy so we went down a bit to protect ourselves to drink some water and have a snack. After Mt. Willey the trail was no longer broken. Because we were descending, it was effortless. We were determined to make it down before 4:30.

We had a lot of fun butt sliding down. There was a lot of blowdowns that we had to navigate around, over and under. We then lost the trail. We saw the blue blaze going up but could not find the next blue blaze going down. We spread out searching for the next blaze and ‘eagle-eye’ Bob found a very faint blue blaze that was partially covered by snow. Whoever follows our snowshoe tracks will probably notice a bunch of tracks meandering off in many directions.

When we reached the ladders, the butt slide turned into a steep, vertical, slide. It reminded me of one of those steep waterslides at a water park except this one was made of snow/ice.

When we were hiking near the road, we saw a police car with its lights on behind our cars. We arrived just in time because he had just called two tow trucks. He was towing us because we parked alongside the road in a snowstorm. Phew…that was a close one. We were back at our cars just before the planned time of 4:30pm. WooHOO! Everyone returned back to our house in Waterville Valley for fireside camaraderie and dinner. Bob spent the night and everyone else braved driving in the snowstorm to get home.

Marshmallow trees, winter hiking in a snowstorm, butt-sliding, temporarily loosing the trail, our cars almost being towed, and fireside comaraderie made for an overall excellent winter adventure!

The plan is to climb three of the 4,000 foot summits in NH. Tom [4051 ft.] is the northern most peak of the Willey Range, has good views. Mt. Field [4340 ft.] has limited views while Mt. Willey [4285'] probably has the best views of them all, providing a fine 270-degree view encompassing the Presidentials, Crawford Notch and the eastern half of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. Steep dropoffs add a sense of drama and lofty isolation. Warning: It is a steep descent down Mt. Willey.

We start as a group, hike as a group, and finish as a group. Our pace will be that of the slowest hiker. If you are faster than the group and don't want to stay with us or want to head off on your own, this isn't the trip for you. Likewise, this trip isn't for you if you are slower than the group and expect us to constantly wait for you or want us to go on without you.

Expect winter conditions and remember that it will be getting darker earlier now so we may finish in the dark. All participants must be members of GayOutdoors and RSVP via our website. This allows us to keep track of and communicate with each person who signs up and participates in our events.

Dogs are permitted on this hike provided they are well-behaved, you bring a leash in case you need to use it, you clean up after them, and you have a copy of their most recent rabies vaccination.

On this moderate pace one-way trip we will use Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, Willey Range Trail, and Ethan Pond Trail. Along the way we will summit Tom, Field, and Willey. You will need to be prepared for wet, muddy, snow-covered, and icy conditions.

We will hike about 8.5 miles and climb about 3,400 feet ~ for perspective the top floor of the Empire State Building is about 1,250 feet. It should take an average hiker about 8 hours to complete this trip ~ this estimate is adjusted to allow for slower travel during winter because of heavier packs, includes time for changing clothing to regulate temperature and putting on/taking off snowshoes or microspikes along the way.

This trip is considered STRENUOUS because of the pace, distance, and elevation gain. I did all my research for this trip using the Appalachian Mountain Club's "White Mountain Guide", a trail map, and the Internet. You should become self-reliant by becoming familiar with the route, terrain, and potential hazards since you are ultimately responsible for your own safety.

Click below for more information about each peak:

• Mt. Tom [from peakbagger.com]
• Mt. Field [from peakbagger.com]
• Mt. Willey [from peakbagger.com]

We could alter our plans because of fatigue, weather, and/or other conditions and there is no guarantee that we will complete the entire event as described here [e.g. we might not reach the summits]. While the objective of this event is to enjoy ourselves ~ your safety and the safety of the group is the most important thing. If you underestimate the demands of the trip' overestimate your experience, knowledge, skills or abilities; or come unprepared you may put yourself or others at risk ~ consider this before you decide to participate.

Hiking safely is about being prepared to respond to an emergency situation or being able to spend a night in the woods if you have to. Bring your own stuff and know how to use it. Click here are refer to our winter hiking list that describes the minimum required items to participate in this event. Click here for the current weather conditions.

After The Hike:  Everyone is welcome back at our house in Waterville Valley to socialize around the fireplace and enjoy a home cooked meal with dessert! It's BYOB and it costs $5 per person.   

Lodging Option: We have 8 bunks available at our house near Waterville Valley, NH for Friday and Saturday night for $20 per night. Coffee/bagels each morning and linen/blankets/towels are provided. We have limited space in the fridge to store your beverages/food so it's best to bring a small cooler. Space is limited so email us ASAP to reserve a bunk!