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Mt Tecumseh
April 18, 2005

Route: Mt Tecumseh Trail, Sosman Trail,
ski slopes
Map: map.jpg (131308 bytes)
 
Elevation: 4003 ft
Vertical Climb: 2353 ft
Distance: 5.1 miles
Who Went: Paul, Muffin

After driving up early in the morning as usual, I parked the car at the Waterville Valley Ski Area and Muffin and I started up the Mt Tecumseh Trail at about 7:20 AM. The day began clear and relatively warm, with the promise of clear skies and temperatures climbing into the 60s. There was no snow on the ground at the trailhead. 

Just after the trail sign, we crossed over a small brook and continued up the south bank of Tecumseh Brook. Remembering that I had followed a false trail well beyond an obscurely-marked brook crossing the last time I came this way, I kept my eyes wide open, watching carefully for the right spot. Not too far up the trail, I found it without a problem, and we crossed to the north side. The trail then began angling up the steep bank, soon becoming boulder-covered and rough. It wasn't long before snow began to cover most of the trail, even though the woods were relatively clear.

By the time the trail dropped steeply down some steps back to the brook and climbed back up the other side, the snow pretty much covered everything. At the view sign, where the trail comes very close to one of the ski slopes, we took a slight detour to enjoy the view east to the Tripyramids.

I sat down on a large water pipe at the edge of the woods for a short rest and snack, and then we climbed back to the view sign and continued up the trail. From here, the trail follows a fairly straight path along the south side of the brook at moderate and even grade. Many hikers probably find this section of the trail monotonous, as it seemingly goes on and on with few noticeable changes in scenery. I know I found it that way last time I climbed Mt Tecumseh.

This time, however, I must have been in a different frame of mind, and I enjoyed the steady progress we were making. My altimeter was big help, or course, because I could measure the elevation gain we were making.

Trailhead. The Mt Tecumseh Trail begins at the Waterville Valley ski area parking lot, a short distance from the ski lodge.

trailhead.jpg (138977 bytes)

Muffin near the Mt Tecumseh Trailhead. At this point, the snow hadn't begun yet.

muffin 1.jpg (131624 bytes)

Muffin a little further up the trail. The snow began to appear in patches a short way up the trail, and pretty much covered everything by about 2500 ft.

muffin 2.jpg (86760 bytes)

Trail sign on the Mt Tecumseh Trail. The hiking trail comes very close to the ski trail here, and this sign points to the viewpoint on the open slope.

view sign.jpg (141876 bytes)

View east from the ski trail. The three peaks in the distance are the Tripyramids.

ski slope 1.jpg (68902 bytes)

Mt Tecumseh Trail. Beyond the viewpoint, the trail followed a fairly straight path up the south side of the brook at moderate and even grade.

mt tecumseh trail.jpg (110914 bytes)

Map

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