Ferncroft, it rather sounds like a place out of a story book. The autumn woods were fully clad with brilliant colors. My ride along "Golden Pond" (Squam Lake) had been nice too. Winding along RT113 I passed little villages to 113A. There was a beautiful view of the two peaks I hoped to climb this day before I reached a small white church where Ferncroft road turned left. I did my usual stretching, skies were blue and the promise of a nice day and new trails was exciting.
I'd head up Dicey Mill Trail, I checked out the map and read the section about it in the AMC White Mountain guide which has ridden in my pack for a few years now.
I walked along a flat dirt road past several beautiful old farm houses and through a field to reach the actual trailhead. The book had said this was private land but hikers were permitted access. I was glad for the nice easy walk to begin. Dicey also started off that way, really climbing very little over it's first mile or so.
I crossed a brook and then started to climb a little more moderately. Nice views of Mt Wonalancet could be seen through here and I moved at a nice pace looking over at it often. On the Views from the top "trail conditions" I'd read about a yellow jacket nest somewhere along the middle sections of the trail. I knew I must be close when three backpackers were running down the trail full tilt. I continued on cautiously and a man with his son and dog were coming from the other direction. As usual the dog was leading the way and he ran smack dab into the middle of a yellow storm.
A couple of yips later he went back and the family decided to bushwhack around the nest. I took the high road and bushwhacked on the upper left of the trail well into the dense woods. I was happy to be past it and knew I'd not be coming back this way again.
What a beautiful day it was, I paused often to look at the scenery and rest. Pretty soon I was at the Rollins Trail junction which would take me over to Whiteface. I continued on Dicey Mills to Passaconaway Cutoff to the summit through a nice little conifer forest. Before reaching the summit I came to a little ledge with nice views, I recognized several mountains. The summit is very close to here, just a little bump, no sign, a pile of rocks I think.
I didn't pause too long here, again my hike was to be leisurely, I was alone, nobody pushing me to go there or taking too much time doing that. My pace, I'm sure there are others who will appreciate that
Back on the Rollins I started across the wooded ridge. It was a pleasant downhill walk and then mostly level. At one point there is a spot where you can sit with your legs over a ledgy spot and see into the Bowl Wilderness area. As somebody wise once told me, "never stand when you can sit and never sit when you can lay down." What a nice philosophy, so I did just that, laying in the late summer sun.
The trail went into some darker woods, seemed to climb up and over the true Whiteface summit then mostly mild ups and downs to the cliff-like place that is the South Whiteface summit. Before I got there I saw Mohamed whom I'd hiked with in Colorado, we said hello and then I went on towards South Whiteface. This place is legendary and I soon saw why the guidebook said "fine views." So what did I do? Yep, laid down on the warmish rocks and soaked it all in.
I knew I had a rather steep descent and was worried about it. Mohamed has said that most do the loop the other way (like they were doing.) Well he's obviously smarter than me. I didn't mind the steep slippery ledges, I simply slid on my butt over the worst places. Sometimes I wonder if I breath harder going downhill...OK so maybe I was a little scared.
From here it was a nice walk in the woods over occasional ledgy areas......I enjoyed it very much. Again, I'd stop and soak it all in. Nobody was waiting for me and that was nice. I heard a dog barking off to my right. Seemed wierd out here in the wilderness to hear that but I figured it might be some campers so I continued on not wanting to spoil their solitude.
All too soon I was back on a dirt road. A truck was slowly working down the road. They stopped to ask me if I'd seen a dog up there on the trails. I guess they'd been out bird hunting and had lost one. My thoughts went back to that dog I heard barking rather noisily up in the forest.....Uh Oh I thought. I told them that but it was getting dark and I was too tired to take them up there.
