We had a couple come to us with a plan that was meant to help them complete more of the 48 without encountering a massively long hike — like the one to Owls Head. In other words, a backpacking trip was needed, but they lacked experience. We could help them change that, though, and that was indeed what happened. This trip was with the help of Redline Guide Debra McCown. Her word and pictures follow.
Owls Head: A Worthy Summit
When they first started working on the New Hampshire 48, Owls Head seemed daunting: It’s a roughly 16 miles round-trip to a tree-covered summit with a remote feel in the middle of the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
These factors give a lot of list hikers pause — especially if they aren’t particularly fast. Few begin their hiking journey feeling comfortable about going that far that far into the woods. And many, like this week’s guests, don’t have experience with camping.
This couple decided to pair Owls Head with learning how to backpack. They did a great job of paring down their gear for a relatively light pack, and on the summit of Owls Head they experienced their first true backcountry overnight.
The scramble up Owls Head Slide pushed the edge of their hiking comfort zone, and backpacking included a series of firsts: first bear bag, first stove use for coffee on the trail, first tent setup since a childhood experience in the Boy Scouts.
They were a little nervous at first, but everyone slept well, and the special beauty of the spot revealed itself in the morning when the sun came up over Mt Bond and came streaming through the trees.
After a short out-and-back bushwhacking experience on the ridge, we headed down the Brutus Bushwhack and back to Lincoln Woods. For them, Owls Head was two tiring but enjoyable days, and they definitely plan on doing more backpacking in the future. —Debra
