GET FIT HIKE #4: CHERRY MOUNTAIN [MT. MARTHA AND OWL’S HEAD]

The weekend started Saturday night with a delicious meal prepared by Jon including grilled marinated chicken breasts infused with herbs and spices, grilled shrimp kebabs, grilled juicy Kielbasa, buttered rice pilaf and fresh garden salad. Dessert was homemade banana cake topped with vanilla ice cream. WOW!  

Beautiful clear day in the 60's, painted trillium and trout lilies galore, views fantastic - especially on Owl's Head that is really the star of this hike - not to be missed! However the black flies were fierce swarming around us that forced us to keep moving.

Wildflowers are out including Canadian Mayflower, Yellow Clintonia/Bluebead Lilly, Lady Slippers…and always a treat to see. The trail starts off on a logging/access road and then remains consistently steep with lots of rocks on the trail. Lee and Rick turned around as the trail got steeper…they could not catch their breath.    

From Mt. Martha, there are great views of the entire Presidential Range, Crawford Notch and Franconia Ridge [from a separate outlook near the fire tower footings.] One of the reason’s we love this hike is the high ridge walk on Martha’s Mile to Owl’s Head with views through the trees, its lush forest and abundant wildflowers.

We had lunch at Owl’s Head with the best views of the day and began pointing out the Presidential summits we recognized. Lunch conversations ran the gamut from household projects to summer vacation plans.

The journey down was pleasant and full of both reflective and current conversation between all of us. All in all, I would say that the two peaks of Cherry Mountain are one of my favorite “52 With a View” peaks. Enjoyable hike today, excellent weather and an amicable group!

Join our last GetFit Hike to get fit for summer hiking! The open ledges of Owl's Head is home to perhaps the best view anywhere of the entire Presidential Range!!!

Our last GetFit Hike to get fit for summer hiking! The open ledges of Owl's Head is home to perhaps the best view anywhere of the entire Presidential Range!!! Cherry Mountain [3573'] and Owl's Head [3258'] are just 0.8 mile apart on a stand-alone ridge. From the summit of Cherry [also known as Mt. Martha], there is a good view of the Presidentials from one spot, and a superb panorama of the western White Mountains from another, with over two dozen 4,000-footers visible in one glance!
 

We first hike 1.9 miles up the Cherry Mtn. Trail to Mt. Martha and soak in the views. Then we take Martha's Mile, which is really only 0.8 miles long, to a tricky but short scramble up the knobby peak of Owl's Head with great views of the Presidentials. We will return the way we came, going over Mt. Martha again.

Total distance: 5.4 miles
Book Hiking Time: 5 Hours
Vertical Rise: 2,000 ft.

Don't forget to bring wind/rain shell, water, lunch, snacks, bug repellent, sunscreen, etc. along with whatever you typically have for a hiking excursion. We’ll have lunch on at the summit. 

Social Mixer: Following the hike, everyone is welcome back at our house in Waterville Valley to socialize around the deck. Bring a change of clothes and you can take a shower to clean-up. Bring your own beverages and if you like, snacks to share. If you would like to stay for a BBQ, we ask you reimburse us $10 for our food costs and please let us know in advance so we have enough food for everyone.  

Lodging Option: Bunk beds are available at our house near Waterville Valley, NH for Friday and/or Saturday night. Its $25 Friday night and $35 Saturday that includes BBQ. Coffee/bagels each morning and linen/blankets/towels are provided. Limited to four so email us ASAP to reserve a bunk!

Hiking Coordinators: Mike Boisvert and Jon Normand