Hiking Owls Head in the spring can be quite rough, quite challenging (like a lot of New Hampshire’s trails). We know first-hand the difficulties may include post-holing on disintegrating monorails, slush falling on you, the very length of the thing, and of course being swept to the sea while crossing melt-flooded streams is also a thing — typical spring dangers, of course. And this is with using the known workaround to avoid the biggest crossings. Without the “Black Pond Bushwhack,” for example, the challenge quickly ramps up a significant amount, easily exceeding dangerous levels. It can be concerning and often it is. Especially in the spring!
Owls Head is one of those 4000-footers that a lot of people dislike. Mostly due to the distance, but the other factors apply as well, such as the challenges we described, and that’s coupled with the fact there are only a handful of rewarding views. Fine views, albeit, but not a lot of them. For many the 8 miles in and the 8 miles out is a high price to pay. Too high. For some others it’s just a “long walk in the woods” and they appreciate it as such. Like a lot of hikes/trails, it’s all subjective and personal. We know a lot of people ask us for help with this one. For some it’s navigation help they want. For others it’s the crossings they want help with — or at least having some experienced-based oversight. For others, still, they just want a knowing companion to hike with. That’s the case with this hike led by Redline Guide Chase Hall. Here are some of his words and photos.
April 1st Owls Head. Early spring conditions the trails were in great shape. When you can bareboot to the bottom of ‘Brutus Bushwhack’ from the parking lot and cross the two mandatory water crossings without getting wet it’s a win in my book for a happy Owls Head summit experience. The views on the Owls Head ridge were gorgeous. The ridge was so beautiful and West Bond was awesome to see through the trees. You could see the Bonds so clearly. It was an awesome hike in the woods. Lincoln Woods was broken out and had a few groups hiking to Owls Head today. We weren’t the only ones out playing in the woods today. Owls Head saw over 10 hikers have a successful summit experience including our returning guest who needed Owls Head for his April GRID (hiking all 48 every month of the year). —Chase
