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About


Peak Above The Nubble
Bethlehem, NH

Trailheads, measurements, times, distances, and maps are all approximate and relative to the hike(s) as shown below.
Birch glades off Forest Road 304A
Birch glades off Forest Road 304A

Route: Forest Road 304A, various logging roads, bushwhack, herd path, (Peak Above The Nubble), herd path, bushwhack, various logging roads, Forest Road 304

With a nice forecast and some time available to hike on Veteran's Day, we opted to do a somewhat fitting bushwhack - one could compare the pronunciation of the abbreviation of Peak Above The Nubble ("Patn") with Patton - as in General Patton.

Starting at Forest Road 304A (blocked by three boulders off Haystack Road), we headed down the grassy road for awhile, eventually getting a decent line of sight on the ridge via an old logging road. Not wanting to overshoot the approach to the base of the climb, we opted to start heading up to the ridge, going through two pricker filled clear cuts and ending up in some nice birch glades for a bit, prior to reaching some ledgy areas.

Doing some skirting around a few larger cliffs, we eventually stumbled upon a fairly obvious herd path up through some more cliffs. Since there wasn't much of a choice due to the surrounding topography (in a previous descent, we found some less gnarly topography a bit north and west of this area), we followed the path and very soon reached the ridge, followed by another steep ascent to the summit area.

After signing in at the register (where there is a laminated tribute to the late Ray Loring, who lost his life on this peak in September of 2008), we took an extended break at the viewpoint, from where we had excellent views of the Presidentials, Mt. Hale, and North Twin.

We took our time on the descent, as there was black ice and a trace of snow to deal with in the upper elevations. Nonetheless, with sunny skies, mild temperatures, and no bugs, it was fairly smooth sailing.


Hike Ratings
Getting To Trailhead: Moderate
Destination: Peak Above The Nubble
Length: Moderate
Steepness: Very Difficult
Navigation: Difficult
Views: Excellent
Crowds: Minimal


Hike Stats
Date Hiked: Thursday, November 11, 2010
Hike Commenced: 9:01 AM
Parking Elevation: 1,770'
Destination: Peak Above The Nubble
Ascent Commenced: 9:01 AM
Summit Reached: 11:40 AM
Time Elapsed: 02:39
Trailhead Elevation: 1,770'
Summit Elevation: 3,813'
Vertical Gain: 2,103'
Hike Ended: 2:23 PM
Hike Time Elapsed: 05:22
Hike Vertical Gain: 2,163'


The start of Forest Road 304A on Haystack Road
The start of Forest Road 304A on Haystack Road

The herd path near the summit of Peak Above The Nubble
The herd path near the summit of Peak Above The Nubble

Looking at the Presidentials, Mt. Hale, and the Willey Range from the Peak Above The Nubble - Click to enlarge
Looking at the Presidentials, Mt. Hale, and the Willey Range from the Peak Above The Nubble

Topographic map of Peak Above The Nubble - Click to enlarge


Directions to trailhead: From Route 302, take Route 3 South. Almost immediately after the Entering White Mountain National Forest sign, take a left onto Haystack Road. Forest Road eventually 304A forks off to the right from this road in about 1 3/4 miles, blocked by three large boulders.

Back to Peak Above The Nubble Profile




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