When temperatures soar into the 50s in March, bushwhacking is not in the cards. I look for well-packed trails at higher elevations for some decent spring snowshoeing. On this sunny morning the Gorge Brook Trail up Mount Moosilauke fit the bill. Rt. 118 was its usual frost-heaved jumble, and the Ravine Lodge Road was bare, making for an easy walk up from the winter parking area 0.7 mile in. The road was very muddy on the drive out at the end of the day.
Large-print DOC signage.
Love the gentle terrain and open woods along the Gorge Brook Trail 2012 relocation (above the Snapper Trail junction).
Parts of Gorge Brook were still buried in snow, but I wouldn't trust those bridges.
When snowpack covers the rocks, Gorge Brook Trail is an excellent snowshoeing trail, with moderate grades and consistently open woods.
The first cleared outlook, at 3800 ft., looking south to Carr Mountain. Uh-oh, a cloudbank was moving north.
Wonderfully open fir forest at ~4000 ft.
The second outlook, at ~4240 ft., has a fine view east to many high peaks. I stopped here for a few minutes to enjoy the vista, figuring this might be it for the day.
Mt. Washington hazily seen behind Liberty/Flume and Guyot/Bond.
Franconia Ridge, looking kinda bony during this thaw.
Here come the clouds, there goes the view.
No views today along the neat "Balcony" section of the trail.
Champion posthole of the day. Snowshoes are better at 50 degrees.
Important message.
The clouds briefly cleared for a view of the summit along the final approach.
Windpacked snowfield at the summit. The tracks to the right are truer to the route of the trail.
Hikers head into the mist down the Carriage Road.
Had the pleasure of a long chat with Chris Cameron, who ascended the Beaver Brook Trail with his friend Sherlock.
Chris and Sherlock head north along the ridge.
I hung out on the summit for quite a while, hoping it might clear, but the clouds only opened briefly a few times for views to the west and northwest, as far as Burke and Belvedere Mountains in northern Vermont.
The broad and beautiful summit of the Moose.
Summit signs.
The mist really closing in. This summit area can be quite confusing in the fog.
Love those open woods...
The "new" Ravine Lodge.
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