Owl's Head, September 24, 2016, Pemigewasset Wilderness, White Mountain National Forest

Not looking too happy after the 9.2 mile slog to Owl's Head

47 down, 1 to go.

In recognition of the five-year anniversary of our Columbus Day Weekend 2011 trip, my brother and I decided to head up to New Hampshire on the first day of Autumn to bag that most elusive of 4,000 footers - Owl's Head. We had intentions of doing it in June of 2015 on the day after Isolation, but the long distance needed to reach these secluded peaks made the prospect of doing them back-to-back totally unrealistic. Bagging the Owl's Head, therefore, was a long time coming. Even more importantly, it brought both of our lists to 47.

View to Owl's Head massif from Lincoln Brook Trail

A total rain-out pushed our trek from Friday to Saturday - which meant that even a 5 AM arrival at Lincoln Woods wasn't early enough to avoid other peak baggers. The long, straight hike along the grade of the old J. E. Henry's East Branch and Lincoln Railroad (now the Lincoln Woods trail) saw us following another hiker's headlamps the whole way and pursued by a few more headlamps far to our rear. We grumbled about it a bit. But more people, fewer bears.

View of the Franconia Range from the lower reaches of Ow'ls Head slide

For some reason, Owl's Head really kicked my ass. I still don't know why. The first long stretch on Lincoln Woods is a cakewalk, and the Franconia Brook and Lincoln Brook trails also have very modest grades. The frequent brook crossings can be dangerous in high water, but at this time of year we had no trouble. The climbing doesn't even seem to start until the Owl's Head slide, the non-maintained trail that leads up to the summit. And even that wasn't too tough. I guess the cumulative distance - 19.4 miles round trip - was just too much for me on that particular weekend.

While coming down the slide, I chatted with one hiker about the bad footing and the lack of any views from the wooded summit. He told me that it was his 14th visit to Owl's Head and he doesn't know why he keeps coming back.

Dude, I don't know why either.

Peak: Owl's Head
Elevation: 4,025 feet (Gain: 2,900 feet)
Distance: 19.4 miles round trip
Route: Up and back, Lincoln Woods Trail to Franconia Brook Trail to Lincoln Brook Trail to Owl's Head Path
Conditions: Sunny, 45 degrees F