South and Middle Moat Hike

We drove through a snow squalls on the Kancamagus Highway and were amazed how high the snowbanks still are on both sided! As we drove closer to Conway the skies cleared and snatched glances at the Moat Mountains. We found myself making our way slowly down Passaconaway Road making sure we didn’t miss the trailhead. We found the parking area well-plowed but full; so we had to park on the road alongside ten other vehicles. The weather was cooperative; 40 degrees, partly cloudy skies and only a subtle breeze.

We met everyone and organized our gear. Most of us put snowshoes on while a few decided to use MicroSpikes. The trail wound through some young trees and dipped down to cross a small brook and again at a small bridge over Dry Brook. This early portion of the trail the snow was already soft and as we warmed up we quickly shed a few layers.

Soon after the Dry Brook crossing the trail began to climb and we found ourselves stopping to catch our breath and let our pulse slow down. Ascending with the weight of snowshoes on our feet was definitely more tiring than hiking in the other three seasons. The trail continued to be decently packed but soon hit a steep and rocky ascent. It was difficult to navigate the rocks with bulky snowshoes but we were thankful for the traction that their crampons gave us. We stepped off the trail as group of almost ten folks made their way down and assured us the view was well worth it.

Just as we were starting to feel as if the mountain had us beat, we ascended to an amazing vista of Mount Chocorua. We stopped and marveled at the view in front of us. It was just what we needed: time to cool down. The trail to the summit changed again at this point, it became less steep and the trees spread out. From posts I had read it sounded like it was easy to lose the trail at this point in winter but it was no problem to follow when the trail was already broken.

The climb to the summit was not as intense as the prior climb to the vista of Mount Chocorua. There was a false summit a quarter of a mile from the summit and the trail was fairly level at that point. We were welcomed to the summit with 360° views with Conway valley to the east, Lake Winnipesaukee to the south, Mount Chocorua to the south west and the Moat range pointing to the Presidentials to the north.

Winds were gusty and almost knocked me over twice so we did not stay up top for very long. It was so windy we decided not to continue to Middle Moat. We decided to find a sheltered spot from the wind to have lunch.

The rest of the hike to the parking lot was uneventful. Going down in snowshoes took us about half the time, as we had gravity on our side. This is one of our favorite half-day hikes in the Whites any time of year!

When we got back to parking lot we bid our goodbyes until next time.

After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
~Nelson Mandela

Trip Report by Mike Boisvert
Pictures by Jon Normand

At 2,749 feet, South Moat Mountain is not the highest of mountains. Yet, it does offer some of the most incredible views we’ve ever seen.  A top-of-the-world feeling and an unobstructed panorama of peaks in every direction except north, where well get some of those views on the summit of Middle Moat’s 2,805-foot summit.

We are planning a hike to the summits of South and Middle Moats in Albany, NH (just south of North Conway). This is a great intermediate hike and one of our favorites.

Hike Detail:

• 6.6 miles roundtrip

• 2300 feet of elevation gain

• 4.5 to 5 hours timeframe

You should be prepared for possible late Winter / Early Spring conditions. This mountain gets a lot of sun so the conditions may be fine. Bring MicroSpikes if you have them. Bring along plenty of water (at least 2 liters), lunch, snacks and anything else you may require for a day hike. 

Boston Area Carpooling: Save money by sharing gas/toll expenses and get to know fellow GO members better! Don't by shy...contact other Bostonians to find a convenient location for you to meet such as a T-Stop, Commuter Line Stop, or a parking lot of a store familiar to you all! Don't forget to tip the driver! 

Afterwards:  Everyone is welcome to join us back at our house in Waterville Valley to relax by our fireplace [BYOB and bring snacks] followed by one of Jon's delicious dinners. We ask $10 per person to help pay for our food costs. Showers are available so bring a change of clothing to make your visit with us more comfortable.

Lodging Option: Bunk beds are available at our house [with Wi Fi] near Waterville Valley, NH for Saturday night. It's $35 for Saturday that includes dinner or $60 for the weekend. Coffee/bagels each morning and linen/blankets/towels are provided. Space is limited so email ASAP to reserve a bunk!