Mountain Wandering: Peak Above the Nubble: 2/24/25

A report posted on newenglandtrailconditions.com that three snowshoers had broken trail to Peak Above the Nubble (3813 ft.), a northern spur of North Twin Mountain that is on the New England Hundred Highest list, prompted me to head that way on a relatively warm February day. I'd been wanting to go up there to get a winter version of the summit view of North Twin and its big north slide. If time and conditions permitted, I also hoped to bushwhack down from the summit to the top of PATN's northwest slide.

PATN looms large from the parking lot at the Seven Dwarves Motel, where the owner generously provides hiker parking for access to the trails of the Little River valley between North Twin and Mount Hale. I left the $10 parking fee in an envelope on my windshield and headed up Little River Road on foot.

After crossing the Little River on a bridge (hikers should not wear snowshoes or spikes on the bridge per the owner's request), I found a well-packed snowshoe track on the trail that connects to Haystack Road (FR 304).

A short jog north on Haystack Road led to the left turn onto an old logging road that is the start of the unofficial, unmarked route to PATN.

Before long the PATN route diverges to the right off the old road, along the snowshoe tracks seen here. Ski tracks continued ahead, perhaps making the long approach to the North Twin slide.

Farther up the route ascends easily through an old clearcut grown to saplings. The track was partly filled in with a couple inches of fresh powder that had fallen overnight.

Above the old clearcut the trail climbs more seriously, at first through a fine open hardwood forest. The trio that broke the trail proved adept at following the unofficial path, with a few minor deviations.Though in summer it is an obvious beaten path, it is much harder to follow in winter. I owe them a hearty thanks for breaking this out.

Making first tracks in the new snow, about three inches higher up.

Much of the ascent is through beautiful open woods of birch and conifer.

Looking down the slope.

After a long, steady climb, swinging left to the first outlook at ~3100 ft.

The weather and views were better than expected! The partly veiled, sunlit Presidentials are in the distance to the left of Mount Hale. To the right of center is the valley ascended by the Firewarden's Trail.

Mount Washington playing peek-a-boo.

Looking more wintry with new snow on the trees.

Some rugged terrain up here.

One of many stretches on the upper part of the climb blocked by overhanging snow-laden conifer boughs. I did a lot of branch banging, to the point where my arms were getting tired.

From the second outlook, the spiky summit rises ahead.

First look at the North Twin slide.

Lotsa snow up here.

Little snowmen.

The unofficial path skirts to the right of this blowdown patch, but the track led right up through it. Luckily the snow was fairly well consolidated here - with soft snow you could go in to your neck in these places.

A bonus of this diversion was a fine view to the north, including Cherry Mountain, Mt. Waumbek and sunlit Mt. Cabot.

The Sugarloaves with the Dartmouth Range and Crescent Range in the distance.

Glad I'm not going that way.

The trail breakers plunged into the occasional spruce trap.

Slow going through here.

I see a sign at the end of the tunnel!

Made it.

After signing the register I repaired to the great outlook on the SE side of the summit. North Twin was still socked in, but the slide was impressive.

Zealand Ridge seen far up the Little River valley.

Mount Hale and the Presys. The Willey Range peers over on the right.

Forbidding snow-drenched cripplebrush below the outlook.

As predicted, the SW wind was ripping this afternoon. After admiring the views for a while, I went back to the summit and headed into the woods on the north side, not knowing what to expect for the steep 200-ft. descent to the head of the NW slide. If the woods were crammed with small snow-draped conifers, it was a no go. As it turned out, the forest was delightfully open most of the way down, and the snow, while deep, was fairly consolidated in most places.

After a slow, careful descent through the deep heavy snow, with only a couple of spruce traps along the way, I emerged at an open perch at the very head of the slide. This slide was part of the first significant bushwhack I ever did, back in late October 1982. My friend Bill Vecchio and I climbed it, skirting icy spots in the dense woods alongside, as part of our route to what was then called “Peak on North ridge of North Twin, South Twin Quad.” When we eventually made our way to the top, and found a white sign labeled “3813” (the summit elevation), and a Mason jar with a register inside, we felt an exhilaration quite different from any arrival at a trailed summit. We had climbed what is now called Peak Above the Nubble with map and compass and our own navigational skills, limited as they were. It was a terrific feeling.

The views to the NW were expansive.

Looking SW towards Cannon Mountain in the distance. Note the snow being swept off the trees by the wind.

Zoom on the view towards Cannon. The cliffs of Flat Top Mountain are seen in profile under the summit of Cannon.

Looking north towards Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, with the rocky Nubble (aka Haystack Mountain) glimpsed behind the leaning tree.

A zoomed look at the slide.

A small, solitary white pine (branch seen in center of photo) resides at the top of the slide, at 3600+ ft.

It was easier sliding down this pitch than clawing my way back up.

That was a pretty good spruce trap.

Following my tracks back up through the beautiful open fir woods.

Looking back down.

Emerging back at the summit.

North Twin was in the clear!

The long slide track on the right came down in the October 1995 rainstorm. Cath Goodwin and I climbed it a couple of years ago in the summer. Last winter I snowshoed partway up it, and ran into two avid young backcountry skiers, brothers Connor and Colby O'Brien, who climbed it to the top and skied down (video available on youtube). The icy slab on the left is an older slide.