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"Peak Above The Nubble" aka PAtN aka 3813 2-11-07
Ah, Peak above the Nubble, the bushwhack that is sometimes hated, sometimes loved. Personally, I loved it. This trip consisted of donna, Jeff (Yellow Dog), Spencer (Jeff's Dog) and kinda Bob (all of VFTT). Bob joined in later and followed our tracks up to the false summit. We started at the turnaround behind seven dwarves in Twin Mountain (actually, technically Bethlehem). We crossed the brook on the wood bridge and picked up a snowmobile trail, which led us to the Twin road. We went straight on the Twin road about 400 feet to the intersection which is blocked by 3 large boulders. From here we used snow shoes as it was a completely unbroken "trail". We proceeded up to the sand pit which isn't far from the boulders at all. the logging road veers right (west) here and starts to incline. There is another road that branches off the logging road and climb more steeply and westerly (so we went that way) all the while the false summit was in plain view (easy bearings!!!). We proceeded up the trail until another newer road cut through some relatively new hardwood growth. This road clearly led to a big clear cut. This is where the "common route" ends and where the bushwhack begins (at about 2300') We attacked the hill side through VERY open hardwoods at a south bearing. This section was very steep (hard to get traction) but was easy so far as vegetation. After about 500' of climbing the spruce started closing in on us, but it remained fairly open. It wasn't until 3400' (near the summit of the false summit) that we encountered very dense spruce. HOWEVER this dense spruce was not too bad because it almost completely lacked any blow downs. As soon as the dense spruce opened up we were upon a flat area which was a easy almost Herd path-ish whack to the cleared false summit. From there we had a dead on view of the real summit. We began yet another whack from the false summit which at first was nightmarishly thick, but then all of a sudden it cleared up into a herd path which was fairly easy to follow until a small blow down rich area just below the true summit (which had awesome views). After struggling through the blow down nightmare which was further complicated by the 16-20" deep snow the trail opened up again into a fairly easy jaunt to the summit canister. The summit canister itself was on a blown down tree, the tree was slanted at a 45 degree angle so it was still fairly out in the open on the ground facing part of the tree. There was a view near the canister (slidghtly south) which I will declare is probably the most underrated view in the Whites. The view is a dead on view of the Presi's and it was absolutely spectacular. I'm surprised you don't really hear much about this view anywhere! There is also a dead on view of the Slide on North Twin! Most awesome!! After snacking donna, Jeff and I began our quick descent. I did a great deal of sliding on my snow shoes using trees for steering and control which was an absolute blast! It really helped that on our way up our snowshoes packed down a very nice well defined trail in the powdery snow! As we approached the clear cut I noticed another hiker following our tracks. I shouted "hello" a few times and evidently he heard me becasue he stopped. Turns out it was Bob! We caught up to him learned that he had followed our tracks all the way up to the false summit! Finally we all showshoed down to the snowmobile trail where we stopped for a bit then we were off to our cars! This was a real great hike. Not too easy, not too hard. Jeff and I alternated breaking trail (he did more than me though, and he broke trail in the steep slippery section which was very hard for me to keep traction). The best part was our bearings were absolutely dead on and when we emerged from the thick we were right at the false summit. From there the rest was just a herd path. It was a pleasure hiking with donna and Jeff (and Bob for a little bit too!) Good times! Click Here for the Hike Map
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