Trails Used

Bald Mountain Link Trail, Bald Mountain Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Today's hike brought us to Bald Mountain in Oquossuc. Although I've done this hike plenty of times, it had been a few years since I'd been up it last. As I almost always do, we started our hike at the Route 4 Trailhead and started up the Bald Mountain Link Trail. This pleasant section of trail was easy going, and we didn't see anyone on it. After reaching the junction with the Bald Mountain Trail from the Bald Mountain Road Trailhead, we started seeing a lot more people, but still less than usual for this popular hike. The High Peaks Alliance Trail Crew has done excellent work mitigating the wort sections of erosion and trail braid, although the trail still suffers from persistent overuse. At the summit, a few people were leaving as we arrived, but we enjoyed over an hour with the summit completely to ourselves, which is rare mid-day on such a nice day. There was some haze, but the views from the observation tower were still excellent in all directions.

Parking

Plenty of parking at the Route 4 Trailhead

Water Crossings

All unbridged crossings were easily hoppable

Wildlife

The black flies weren't terrible.

Trails Used

Snowmobile trails

Equipment

Notes

With temperatures in the lower 60s, I opted to take the snowmobile corridor rather than the hiking trail. Generally speaking it worked out well (I'd heed caution in the non-snow months due it passing by a shooting range), as it was consolidated enough to support snowshoe traffic without sinking much. Step onto an older snowmobile track and instant 1-2 foot posthole, even with snowshoes. Looks like people still ski the old lift line. Generally about 2 feet of snowpack remains at this point in the blowtorch. Beautiful April-like day with clear skies. Lakes are all still fully iced/snowed over.

Parking

Parked near a snowbank at the end of the plowed portion of Old Skiway Road (near where West Side Drive splits off).