A generous early season snowfall has created some good snowshoeing opportunities in the Whites. I took advantage of this with a snowshoe trek partway up the unofficial Firewarden's Trail on the west side of Mount Hale, followed by a bushwhack to a view ledge on the mountain's west ridge. Though the view of the peaks surrounding the Little River valley was obscured by an undercast, the powder 'shoeing and snow-caked forest made the journey well worthwhile.
I parked at the Seven Dwarves Motel on Little River Rd., put $10 in an envelope on my windshield, and followed the road and an old snowmobile trail to Haystack Road (FR 304). I had first tracks all the way this day, and the 'shoeing was good on Haystack Road with ~5" of powder. Actually, mine were the first human tracks; a deer had beelined up the road ahead of me.
It's about 1.5 miles from Seven Dwarves parking to the start of the North Twin Trail.
Every branch bore its burden of snow.
Good 'shoeing along the bed of the 1900-vintage Little River Railroad.
A snowy scene along the Little River.
Last summer the USFS relocated part of the North Twin Trail to stay on the east side of the river, more or less following the route of a well-used unofficial bypass that avoids two river crossings. To get around a nasty sidehill spot on the unofficial bypass, the trail crew built a short staircase that drops down from the riverbank.
It was a little tricky to navigate on snowshoes. I found it best to back down. A remnant piece of rail from the Little River Railroad juts out on the right.
Once I turned onto the Firewarden's Trail and rose into the hardwood and birch forest that cloaks this side valley, the snow depth increased significantly, about 8-10" to start.
Before long it was up to around a foot. This was going to be a workout.
An unbroken blanket ahead.
Swinging into a switchback.
About a mile up the trail, I headed up the slope into the woods.
Making tracks in open woods. The snowpack was unusually deep for early December.
The forest was fully encrusted.
Fresh tracks from a wandering bear at 3100 ft.!
Snow globe snowshoeing.
Open glade delight.
An inviting corridor.
Gorgeous birch glades, the legacy of a 1903 forest fire.
Hobblebush and birch snags.
Final approach to the ledge.
There it is!
Looking up the west ridge of Hale.
The day's undercast obscured the view I'd seen on several previous visits: South Hale, Zealand Mountain, Mount Guyot and the Twins overlooking the long valley of the Little River. At least I had a partial view of the valley.
The view on a clear winter day.
Peering down to the floor of the valley from a smaller ledge just to the west.
After a late lunch break, following my tracks back down through the birches.
Dreamy.
Looking north, the junction of the relocated North Twin Trail (left) and the Firewarden's Trail (right).
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