Inlook Trail

An afternoon jaunt to the Inlook Trail, one of the most scenic short trails in the Whites, noted for its series of open ledges with views up to Mts. Madison and Adams and out to the west. Inlook Trail is approached via a 0.9 mile walk up the heavily used Valley Way. 

Valley Way climbs at easy/moderate grades through hardwoods...

...and then hemlocks. Spikes for Valley Way, then I switched to snowshoes.

A brief stint on the trail known as The Brookside leads past this enormous boulder along Snyder Brook. 

 

There was a good snow bridge for crossing Snyder Brook.

Inlook Trail starts with a steep climb through the woods...

...rising ~300 ft. in 0.2 mile.

A pleasant spruce-wooded shoulder at the top of that climb.

The trail soon reaches the first ledges, with an initial view of Mt. Madison.

Fun snowshoeing across a ledgy shoulder.

 

This ledge step was difficult due to thin snow cover atop the rock. Parts of Inlook Trail are fairly challenging on snowshoes. It rises 850 ft. in 0.7 mile.

From the next open ledge John Quincy Adams pops into view.

Looking up the ridge followed by Inlook Trail. This low northwestern spur of Gordon Ridge was burned over in a 1921 forest fire. According to the Randolph Paths guidebook, the trail was cut in 1932 by RMC volunteers led by mapmaker Louis F. Cutter. It followed the route of an earlier Inlook and Outlook path that had been destroyed by lumbering in the early 1900s.

A steep and rocky section with thin cover.

 

Drifts.

Approaching the largest and most open ledge - the best spot on the trail.

 A unique view up the Snyder Brook valley to Mts. Madison and Adams.

Closer look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Down-look from the brink of the cliff.

Distant view out to the west.

Mt. Waumbek with Pliny Mountain in front.

Mt. Madison.

John Quincy Adams and Mt. Adams, looking rather bleak.

Continuing up the ridge.

Arriving at the partly restricted ledgy viewpoint known as Dome Rock.

Trailless Black Crescent Mountain seen beyond the residences on Randolph Hill. The talus slope known as "Crescent Scar" to early AMC explorers is seen left of center.

Northeast to the Mahoosucs.

Old Speck, highest of the Mahoosucs.

Plowing through drifts en route to Upper Inlook, at the top of Inlook Trail.

Wide view to the northwest from Upper Inlook.

Heading back down. The round trip to the upper end of Inlook Trail is 3.4 miles with 1400 ft. of elevation gain. It's a gem.