Mt.Pierce Hike

We parked at Mt. Clinton Rd where there is plenty of parking and it does not interfere with the Highland Center. We put on our MicroSpikes for the entire hike. Taking the connector to the Crawford Path we were pleasantly surprised with how much snow there was on the trees!  

At the bottom of the Crawford path, its ice scratched up from spike's traveling on it. Not bad and there's a lot to grab so, we are doing well. It's getting noticeably quieter as we travel up the trail away from the traffic passing by on the highway. Seems to be a less crowded day today but it's still early. As we climb, there are a few thin spots that are nothing but ice flow so care is taken to not slide off the edge. There's no snow at our house so, this makes us smile.  

We stop and check out Gibb's Falls. I’m heating up so I’m down to my shirt and a headband but I have my gloves on with hand warmers. I have my medium weight synthetic underwear on with my insulated pants. As we hike up to the Mizpah Cut off we start to encounter more snow on the trees! No Gray Jays greet us today. A quick food break here for us and we notice a drop in temp and starting to feel some wind. The Crawford Path is filled in nicely with snow that seems to be increasing as we climb. We start seeing some views down below through the trees.  A few people had hiked past us heading down as we were heading up and all seemed to be in good spirits. We approached tree line and I could feel the winds increase now. We put on extra layers in preparation for the wind chill.  

At the trail junction with the Webster Cliff Trail, the Presidentials are in full display! We make our way up to the summit with the winds to our side. But as we approached the summit winds began to subside.  We take a few shots with our cameras. We encounter a few people at the summit who were tagging the peak, enjoying the gorgeous views and having lunch. The summit of Mt. Pierce had some protection from the wind so we rested, basked in the sunshine and ate our sandwiches. This is winter to me…blue skies, sunshine, snow covered peaks and bit of chill in the air!  

Once back safely in the trees, a couple of gray jays visited us. Anthony fed them but they were so fast I could not get a picture of them on his hand. Our pace is a lot quicker for the descent. There were a couple women who had carried small toboggan sleds for the descent and we saw their tracks on the snow. It seemed like that was the way to go for descending…next time!

There's quite a few people on the way up. We stop at the junction for the Mizpah Cut Off for a quick break. I know from here the trip will go by quickly. We cross paths with a few other hikers on the way up as we are coming down. Once back at the car, we are off for coffee at the Bretton Woods gas station for the drive home.

Pierce was an easy hike but gave us a taste of frigid winter conditions at the top. A fantastic winter hike in what seemed like a nonexistent winter! 

~ Mike

Join us for this 6.4 mile snowshoe to the summit of a prominent 4000-foot peak in the Presidential Range...Mt. Pierce (4312'). We will take the Crawford Path up to the summit of Mt. Pierce with its relatively open summit.  The bare area on the north side of the summit has fine vista looking onto the Presidential ridge to Mts. Eisenhower, Washington and Jefferson!

There is approximately 2400 feet in elevation gain.  The Crawford Path is among the least aggressive trails to a 4000-foot peak. MicroSpikes should be sufficent but if there was a recent snowstorm, then we'll need snowshoes. 

What to wear/bring:  MicroSpikes are required but we may need snowshoes if there has been a recent snowstorm. We may not need snowshoes at the start so you should be prepared to strap your snowshoes onto your pack using bungy cords. Wear warm clothing suitable for the exposed ledge and summit(s)...no cotton or blue jeans.  You should also have insulated winter boots suitable for the season.  Bring along plenty of water (at least 2 liters), lunch, snacks and anything else you may require for a day hike.

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 near Waterville Valley, NH. It's $25 for Friday and $35 for Saturday that includes dinner. 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 me ASAP to reserve a bunk!