Hiking in the Kingdom

Spent another day up in the Northeast Kingdom climbing two small peaks - Moose Mountain and Haystack Mountain - on either side of Lake Willoughby. This brings me up to 10 peaks climbed on the Northeast Kingdom Mountain Challenge, halfway there.

 

The Moose Mountain Trail starts at a remote trailhead on Wheeler Mountain Road. 

 

 

An impressive rock staircase built by the North Woods Stewardship Center.

 

A half-mile up is an outlook known as Moose Ledge, overlooking Wheeler Pond.

Wheeler Pond, with the Green Mountain Club Wheeler Pond Camps visible on the far shore.

The Moose Mountain Trail has a surprisingly steep and rough bit getting up onto the ridge.

 

The easy-graded ridgecrest walk is lovely through open hardwoods.

Approaching the summit.

No views at the summit, but it's a pleasant spot. Here I met the only other hiker I saw, a local woman checking the trails out for the upcoming Westmore Mountain Challenge, which involves a traverse of five peaks: Moose, Hor, Pisgah, Haystack and Bald. Distance options are 20.5 and 26 miles with 6,140 ft. of elevation gain.

 

 

Ferns and a cool gnarled tree.

Moose Mountain from the shore of Wheeler Pond.

While driving to the Haystack Mountain trailhead I stopped for photos from the beach at the north end of Lake Willoughby, where there is a dramatic view into Willoughby Gap.

 

 

Mount Pisgah on the left, Mount Hor on the right.

 

 Haystack Mountain is aptly named.

 

 

 

 Trailhead sign for the North Trail to Haystack on Long Pond Road.

 

 

This hike is entirely on private land under conservation easement.

 

 

The lower half of this trail climbs moderately with good footing.

The upper part climbs steeply through spruces. This little mountain packs a punch.

 

 

Upward!

 

There are three outlooks around the summit area.

 

 

From the west outlook - reached by a steep and slightly sketchy side path - there is a beautiful view over Long Pond with part of Lake Willoughby beyond.

Moose Mountain on the left, ledgy Wheeler Mountain on the right. Mount Mansfield on the horizon.

 

 

The Jay Peaks beyond the north end of Lake Willoughby.

 

Belvidere Mountain, Tillotson Peak and another Haystack Mountain, along the northern section of the Long Trail.  

 

 

 

 

Summit cairn and sign. 

 

The east outlook is a framed view of nearby Bald Mountain.

 

 

A descent of 100+ ft. along the South Trail is required to access the south outlook. It's quite a perch.

 

 

A wide view over the southern part of the Northeast Kingdom and all the way out to the White Mountains, though distant views were hazy on this day.

A serious dropoff below. All sides of Haystack are steep.

 

Mount Garfield in the distance through the notch between Umpire and Burke Mountains.

I descended the South Trail to make a loop. This trail has a very steep and rough section, then abruptly eases off. 

 

 

 

The lower half of South Trail follows a woods road, then a 1.2 mile downhill walk along Long Pond Road leads back to the north trailhead.

A close look at Haystack from the boat launch at Long Pond. In the long distance view from the Whites, it appears as a tiny nubble to the left of Bald Mountain.