Moosilauke summit – snowcapped Presidential Range center, far distance; Franconia Ridge left of center, middle distance
The highlights of my White Mountains trip last month were undoubtedly Mount Hight/Carter Dome (Saturday) and Mount Moosilauke (Monday). I climbed on Sunday and Tuesday too but they were lesser—if perfectly OK—outings. Since I’m in the happy position of being backed up with my posts (happy because it means I’ve done more hiking than reminiscing), I’ll post the good stuff first. This particular route up Mount Moosilauke can be divided neatly into three parts: (1) a strenuous, deep-woods climb beside Beaver Brook, (2) a gentler, mostly conifer-forest ascent to reach Moosilauke’s alpine zone, and (3) that bald mountain top. No prizes for guessing which section was the most rewarding.
DATE: Monday, October 21st.
START & FINISH: Parking area on New Hampshire 112 in Kinsman Notch (GPS 44.040195, -71.792700).
ROUTE: Beaver Brook Trail (part of the Appalachian Trail) to Mt Moosilauke and back.
DISTANCE: About 7 miles.
TIME: 7¼ hours (8:10am to 3:25pm).
TERRAIN: The toughest is at the beginning and end—a 2,000-foot ascent (on the return, descent) beside Beaver Brook that is accomplished in a mile and a quarter and which requires great care with foot placement. Elsewhere, inclines were more gradual. Moosilauke summit (4,802’) is more or less 3,000’ above the trailhead. Some “gradual” sections of trail were nonetheless rough underfoot, just jumbled boulders in places.
MAP: Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) White Mountains Map 2.
WEATHER: Perfect! Sunny, calm, and becoming mild.
WILDLIFE: Nothing of note.
BREAKFAST: White Mountain Bagel Co, Lincoln.
LUNCH: I ate on the summit and again at Beaver Brook Shelter on the way down. Usual trail rations.
UPS: The breathtaking views from the top of Moosilauke (see pictures).
DOWNS: I did not relish the long, steep descent at the end, especially as surfaces had been slickened by overnight rain.
KIT: Nothing of note—all the usual, well-used stuff.
COMPANY: Nobody until very near the summit, then a few hikers who had arrived by different routes. On the summit, I took a photo (on her phone) of an excited lady who had just climbed her first Whites 4,000-footer. On the return leg, two or three parties came up the Beaver Brook Trail.
THE HIKE IN PICTURES:
GPS TRACK:
McWilliams Takes A Hike 
Still remember Mt Moosilauke from my AT hike in 1986! (Maybe because it preceded a welcome half day off in North Woodstock.)
A whole half-day, Dave!