Mount Moosilauke - 3 times a charm. Sometimes it takes more than the usual efforts to hike a White Mountain trail

MOUNT MOOSILAUKE – GORGE BROOK TRAIL

May 4, 2024

The Discovery

 My son had climbed Mt. Moosilauke several times and always reported it as a challenge due to its steepness.  So, it wasn’t something I was itching to do anytime soon.  What I didn’t know at the time was that there was more than one way to summit Mt. Moosilauke.  He had always approached it from the North side, using the Beaver Brook Trail.  One day in February, my husband and I went to scout out the Warren-Woodstock Rd (part of a historic carriage road now part of NH Route 118 that goes through the White Mountain National Forest).  It is a beautiful scenic mountain pass connecting the towns of – you guessed it – Warren, NH and North Woodstock, NH.  We started in Warren. It’s about 13 miles in length and heavily wooded and climbs so quickly over part of Mount Moosilauke that your ears pop.  Along the way, we spotted a small sign for Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. 

Curious, we turned in to see what was there.  About a mile into the dirt road there was a gate.  We parked and followed the signs to the lodge on foot which was about another mile. Sure enough, there was a lodge.  It looked to be a nice structure, well maintained and was accompanied by several other buildings which looked to be large bunk houses. Later research revealed that the lodge was originally built in 1930 for skiing and is owned by Dartmouth College.  The main lodge is two stories and contains a large dining area and fireplace and several seating areas, as well as restrooms, that are open to the public in season (May – October).  The massive wood beams, stone fireplace and stairway are impressive. Light fare can be purchased and is a nice place to relax after a hike.  It was renovated in 2016 and has several large and small overnight accommodations on the property.  If you are an overnight guest (reservations required) breakfast and dinner are provided family style, similar to the AMC huts. 

Dartmouth College maintains much of the trail system around Mount Moosilauke, including part of the AT that passes through here.  From the lodge, you can access several trails on the South end, including the popular and easier root to the summit, Gorge Brook Trail.

 At 3.7 miles, it is not much shorter than the Beaver Brook Trail.  However, it is not as steep and does not have the perilous sections often described on trail sites reviewing Beaver Brook. With this option, Mt. Moosilauke became a maybe.  But not that day in February.  We made our way back to the car and continued to North Woodstock via NH Route 118.

A month later and my husband couldn’t get Mt. Moosilauke off his mind.  We made a hasty decision one morning to check it out further after other plans for the day fell through.  Shortly after crossing the wooden bridge at the start of the trail, it became apparent we were not going to make it far.  (At least I wasn’t.  And if I wasn’t, he wasn’t).  We were going to need micro spikes and they weren’t in the backpack as they usually were.  We went a little farther, until the trail turned into nothing but icy rocks and went back to the car in defeat.  Having now completed the trail, I’m absolutely certain that was the right decision, although disappointing that day. 

The Hike

Our third visit, in early May, was worth the wait.  Armed with the micro spikes (which were still necessary for much of the trial) we again made the 1.5 walk from the car to the beginning of Gorge Brook Trail.  The weather looked to be great and as a bonus, Dartmouth College had just opened up the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge for the season.  With any luck, I’d get to see some great views from the summit and take in the rustic beauty of the lodge.

The trail starts off flat for a brief period, followed by moderate but short-lived set of inclines, then ascends very gradually the rest of the way before getting to another moderate but short-lived set of inclines right before reaching the summit.  Three-quarters of the trail looks to be quite rocky, but we had snow/ice cover over much of the rocks much of the time.  There are many water crossings.  The large ones have nicely constructed bridges over them (I think I counted three) but there are several small ones you have to cross yourself. 

I was able to jump all but one of them with no difficulty and that was during Spring.  A little past half-way through and you reach a lengthy, open-wooded section that appears to be rock-free, dirt ground.  You can see to some grass-covered clearings in the forest.  It was quite and peaceful and particularly pretty with the sunlight coming through the trees onto the forest floor. Up until then it was a pretty dark, closed in trail with the sound of rushing water in the deep ravine off to the right.  Eventually you round a corner and are boxed in again, high above cliffs.  There is one nice lookout here. 

Round the next corner and we are back to the rocks as we make the final ascent through the dwarf trees and around the cairns toward the large, bald summit of Mount Moosilauke.  We follow the roped trail to the top, being careful not the damage the alpine plants.

We hastily pose for the obligatory summit sign picture and then take in the 360-degree views.  We had been told twice we were lucky while climbing up here.  At about three-quarters of the way up for us, a woman coming down said that some small clouds were clearing and that we should have great views, which was rare in her experience.  Just shy of the summit, a man mentioned that there was hardly any wind and said it was usually very gusty.  It would have been beautiful even with some clouds and wind on top of this 4802 ft mountain.

SEVEN BIRCHES WINERY

There really is something for just about everyone here.  Operating under different labels and out of two nearby locations, the winery produces not only a large variety of wines, but also hard ciders, meads, and seltzers.  There are inside and outside seating options and plenty of room for even a large group of people. Tastings of both the wine and other beverages, separately, are available, as is the purchase of light food fare. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. My first two visits were all about the wine.  I enjoy both red and white but lean towards red.  I walked out with a bottle of Merlot and their mulling spice mix the first time.  My next visit ended with a purchase of Rebel (blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah from Chile & California harvests of 2020 & 2021) and Satori (Pinotage from South Africa harvest).  I learned that during the pandemic, Seven Birches Winery expanded into hard ciders.  While you can sample them at the tasting room, they are also featured at Rhythm Cider Tap and Grill next door.

The Reason to Visit:  Location and variety.  With so many choices of quality beverages, it would be a challenge to not find something you like.  It also means you can visit multiple times, like I did, and have a different experience each time.  Being at the center of Lincoln, it’s conveniently located next to many restaurants and shops and, of course, Loon Mountain.  The winery can just as easily become part of a shopping/spa day as it can be for an apres-ski destination.

Fun Fact:  The winery started out in an apple orchard that had seven birch trees, the inspiration for the name. Sometimes you’ve got to just go with what you have!

Seven Birches Winery, 22 S. Mountain Drive, Lincoln. https://sevenbirches.com/