Hi blog friends!
I’m back with another hike recap, from my hike of Mt. Moriah and Shelburne-Moriah this past Tuesday! It’s been another week of great hiking between this one, Carrigain on Thursday, and the Carter’s coming up tomorrow! All featuring some new (to me) trails too, and all will get a recap on here so keep your eyes out!
The hike: Moriah and Shelburne-Moriah via Rattle River Trail > Kenduskeag Trail > Shelburne Trail
Miles: 13.5
Vert: ~4,272ft (according to my Garmin watch)
This was another hike with “hiker dad” (my friend Lindsey’s dad), aka Bruce. Both of us are working towards redlining New Hampshire and the grid, so it makes sense to team up where car spots are useful! I will say, with the pandemic I’ve kept my hiking circle extremely small, keeping it to a few local gal pals who are careful in their lives and recently Bruce and Lindsey. With winter coming I’m definitely open to hiking with a few others, just placing emphasis on who/trying to keep everyone as safe as possible. Definitely a very strange year for hiking, nevermind all else.
We began our day by meeting at the Northern Shelburne Trailhead, dropping a car there and then heading over to Rattle River Trailhead about 10 minutes down the road. Yay for quick car spots!
Funny story, my friend Katie (one of the gals I hike with) and I were texting Tuesday morning and she was actually doing a similar hike as us, so we ended up running into her on trail this day! It’s always fun when you and a friend choose the same hike without planning it – hi, universe, I see you.
Rattle River Trail is one of my new favorites and I absolutely will be here again, likely for Moriah this winter. It starts off quite gradually and becomes a moderate (and persistent) climb around mile 3 until the junction with Kenduskeag. Water levels were low this day, so we had no issue with water crossings. With the recent rain up North, levels could be a bit higher now but I’m honestly very happy we are getting rain! So so needed.
Once on Kenduskeag, the hike over to Mt. Moriah felt pretty quick. Having peak foliage this past week was definitely something to keep the mind busy on trail as everything was beautiful. So many colors this year, which I don’t fully understand how this is possible to have such a great foliage year with the drought – but I WILL NOT complain.
This is my first time hiking Moriah since June 2020 when I finished my single month of the NH48 with Jess. Hands down will never forget that day/hike, or even that month. I found it amusing that Moriah was the final summit for my last “secret project” and is now the first for my next one. These are the types of things my brain finds to be entertaining!
From Moriah we headed back towards the junction with Rattle River, but kept going towards Shelburne-Moriah. About five minutes from the junction we ran into Katie and her boyfriend!
The trail approaching Shelburne-Moriah is a mix of below and above tree-line, and stunning. I love the mostly root/rock free cushy trails (well, my body does), but the ridges above tree-line are also really enjoyable, especially this time of year!
I have to say I didn’t do much research prior to this hike and I was very surprised by how neat Shelburne-Moriah and the surrounding trail is! It’s just so open. When you think you’re back below treeline you’re actually not as there are a series of open ledges when heading toward the Kenduskeag/Shelburne Trail junction.
After we were off the ledges, the trail drops a bit of elevation pretty quickly before the junction with Shelburne Trail. I had actually looked to see if I could find much information on the northern part of Shelburne prior to the hike, knowing it doesn’t get much foot traffic and I was very unsuccessful. But I’m happy to report the (very) leaf-covered trail is straightforward to follow, a nice grade, and very pretty. The last mile or so, while still nice, is an overgrown forest road – a nice FLAT end to the day.
Overall, another great hike. I’m happy to be getting out so much, enjoying the foliage, and semi-anxiously awaiting the arrival of winter in the mountains (mixed relationship with winter).
“Just let go. Let go of how you thought your life should be, and embrace the life that is trying to work its way into your consciousness.”
Caroline Myss
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