Potash Mountain: 2/18/21

Enjoyed a leisurely snowshoe trip to a favorite smaller mountain, which offers marvelous views on a clear day. Though the stats for the climb of Potash are modest - 4.4 miles round trip with 1450 ft. of elevation gain - the Mount Potash Trail does pack a punch with several fairly steep sections. Snow conditions were a mix of crusty and sugary, due to the recent sleet storm, but overall the 'shoeing was pretty decent. Downes Brook was buried and solidly bridged. The trailhead was well-plowed.

After an initial mile through hardwood and mixed forest, there is a beautiful hemlock section where the trail climbs by switchbacks. The upper mountain is cloaked in a fine spruce forest.

At 1.6 miles from the trailhead the Mount Potash Trail emerges on a big ledge with the first view of Mts. Passaconaway and Whiteface enclosing the Downes Brook valley.

In another half-mile the trail skirts the top of expansive south/east facing ledges with wide views. Neighboring Hedgehog Mountain is in the foreground.

One of the aspects of Potash's views I especially like is the perspective it gives on several slides with which I am familiar. Most striking is the look across the valley to the expansive lower slabs of the Downes Brook (Passaconaway) Slide, which dates back to the early 1890s.

Far up the Downes Brook valley is the huge slide that fell off the north ridge of Mt. Whiteface around 1920.

Mt. Chocorua and the Three Sisters anchor the east end of the Sandwich Range.

The summit ledges offer an expansive vista to the north.

Mt. Carrigain dominates the scene, with Greens Cliff in the foreground. Behind Green's Cliff is the Nancy Range, with Mt. Willey peering over in back.

A good perspective on the long ridge of Mt. Hancock with its two south-facing glacial cirques.

Big George in its snowy raiment behind Mt. Tremont.

The Osceolas rise to the west.

Three slides visible on East Osceola: the 1897 slide (above Lower Greeley Pond) on the left, and the two forks of the 1950s slide above Upper Greeley Pond on the right.

My favorite Potash view faces south into the heart of the Sandwich Range, with Mt. Whiteface and the Downes Brook valley on the left and the Sleepers and Sabbaday Brook valley on the right. I sat here on my pack for a long time, as there was zero wind. Not often in winter cane one enjoy an hour and a half summit stay.

To the SW, the Tripyramids and Scaur Peak rise behind the flat-topped Fool Killer.

The lofty peaks of South and Middle Tripyramid.

Potash offers an excellent view of the Irene slide on the flank of West Sleeper.

The lower end of the slide is a huge swath.

Framed view of Whiteface.

The wonderful snowshoe descent of the south ledges provides continuous views.

Must not forget Mt. Paugus, nicely framed by the col between Hedgehog and Passaconaway. It was a quiet midwinter day on Potash - only two other folks on the trail.