Distance

4.1 mi to summit

8.8 mi total

Elevation

774 ft start

2,199 ft max

Vertical

1,495 ft gain

Time

no info yet

Beautiful day in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Started at 7:30 a.m. with only one other car in the parking lot. Initial hike up the Shannon Brook trail follows a strongly rushing Shannon Brook until the junction with the Bald Knob Cutoff trail. This started a moderately steep but relentless "up" to the first open overlook of Lake Winnipesaukee and the Belknap Mountains in the distance. Stopped there to take photos and then headed down to a very wet, muddily col where there were a number of basaltic columns reflecting the early volcanic origins of the Ossipee range. After a short steep hike up a flowing trail, reached the Bald Knob trail and enjoyed a easy incline up a broad road with open vistas until arriving at the summit. Decided to head back don the Bald Knob trail, past the cutoff and to the Turtleback Mountain trail, passing one large blowdown which could be straddled/stepped across. The trail to the summit of Turtleback is a easy/moderate incline one a brad rays which was very, very wet and muddy with lots of runoff and some areas that couldn't be stepped around. It is heavily switchbacked so assds considerable distance onto only a 4-500 foot elevation gain. The summit of Turtleback was very windy with views looking to the interior of the Ossipees rather than over the big lake. There were still patches of snow on the summit struggling to survive the warming temperatures. Headed back town the Turtleback trail all the way to a cutoff to the Shannon Brook Trail making this a 9.3 mile loop.

Obstacles

no info yet

Key gear

no info yet

Other peaks climbed on this trip