Mount Moosilauke via the Beaver Brook Trail

This day hike involved going up the Beaver Brook Trail to Mount Moosilauke and and returning via the same route.

Parking area, Kinsman Notch - 1,920' Beaver Brook Shelter - 1.6 miles - 3,750' Mount Moosilauke - 3.9 miles - 4,802' Beaver Brook Shelter - 6.2 miles - 3,750' Parking area, Kinsman Notch - 7.8 miles - 1,920' Total distance round-trip - 7.8 miles Total elevation change - 3,647' Trail map - 700 x 542 - 288K Trail map - 1172 x 908 - 789K

The starting point for this hike was the parking lot for the Beaver Brook Trail in Kinsman Notch.

I had already been to the top of Mount Moosilauke once, back in July of 2008, but I decided to give it another try since it was so cloudy and rainy during that trip I did not get to see anything from the top.

This was a glorious day for climbing a mountain. I was worried at first when I got up and checked the latest satellite image as it was showing lots of clouds, with only a few breaks. I decided to go anyway. I almost didn't make it at all as when the alarm went off at 3:30 I just shut it off and don't even remember doing so. Luckily my wife woke more than I did and nudged me to get going.

There were no clouds when I got to the trailhead and were none for the entire drive up so I don't know what that satellite map was showing me. I did go through a couple of areas of pretty dense fog but that was it.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Plants & sunlight 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Tiny flowers 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mileage and warning signs

I was on the trail right about 7am and it took about three hours to get to the top. The waterfalls and cascades of Beaver Brook were all flowing with a very high volume and it was wonderful to be hiking next to all of this. I had forgotten how steep this trail was in places and as soon as I started up I knew I was not going to enjoy coming back down. I remember laughing to myself when I saw the sigh about the trail being rough because I obviously didn't remember how steep it was. Although it is steep I still would not consider it rough but it sure is labor intensive.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Dogwood blossoms 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 400 x 600   683 x 1024 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 View through the trees

I reached the cut-off for the Beaver Brook shelter a little before 9am and since the weather was nice I decided to pass on the extra 0.4 mile each way it would take to go there. Last time I was up this trail the weather had not been the greatest and it was nice to make the side trip and rest in comfort for a while but this time that just wasn't necessary.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mileage sign near the shelter 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Another mileage sign 600 x 400   1024 x 683 A mighty nice view 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Another mighty nice view 600 x 400   1024 x 683 The trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Moosilauke 600 x 400   1024 x 683 The trail

Shortly after passing the cut-off I started getting some really nice views of Mount Moosilauke through the trees and then as I got a little higher there were a couple of more open areas where the views were fantastic. It sure was a beautiful day for this hike.

I passed the junction with the Benton Trail just a little before 10am and shortly after that I was above the tree line and on the final approach to the Mount Moosilauke summit.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Fresh batch of pine cones 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Jobildunk Ravine 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Moosilauke 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Getting very close to the summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Getting very close to the summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Very large cairns above the tree line 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Very large cairns above the tree line 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Moosilauke summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Moosilauke summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Very large cairns above the tree line 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Moosilauke summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Moosilauke summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 View towards South Peak 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Stats for the climb up 600 x 400   1024 x 683 White marble 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Mount Moosilauke summit 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Trail cairns

I noticed lots of clouds to the west of the summit as I was getting closer to the top and those started to roll in just about the time I got to the top. I arrived at the summit just a little after 10am and it was very buggy up there so I did not linger too long. I snapped some photos and then headed back down to one of the nice overlooks I had passed on the way up to have an early lunch.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Fiddle head 600 x 400   1024 x 683 The trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 A plant in the trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 The trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Tiny flower 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Tiny flowers 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook shelter 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook shelter 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook shelter 600 x 400   1024 x 683 View from the Beaver Brook shelter

There were lots of clouds for the afternoon but still some sunshine. Since I was making such good time I stopped a lot more on the way down to take photos of the waterfalls and cascades. I even made the side excursion to the Beaver Brook shelter.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Steps on the trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Steps on the trail 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Plants along the brook 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Dogwood blossoms 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades & pool 400 x 600   683 x 1024 Beaver Brook cascades & pool 400 x 600   683 x 1024 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 400 x 600   683 x 1024 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades 400 x 600   683 x 1024 Beaver Brook cascades 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Brook cascades

The hiking time up and down was only about 2 hours each way but I spent about an hour on the way up stopping to take photos and two hours on the way down so the total time for the hike was about 7 hours.

I arrived back at my car just a little after 2pm and drive over to Beaver Pond to snap a few photos there before starting the drive home.

600 x 400   1024 x 683 Stats for the return trip 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Beaver Pond 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Blueberry blossoms 600 x 400   1024 x 683 Miniature dogwood

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