Dennis Dixon is heading North!

Saturday, June 13, 2026

Terrifying 25: Goodrich Rock Trail

Saturday, June 13, 2026 - Today's hike started out as a Trinity North Shore (our church) Men's Hike - unfortunately, there were no takers, so I did it myself. Today's "Terrifying 25" is (relatively) close-by (Waterville Valley), and short (4-miles-round-trip), going up Goodrich Rock Trail, which is on "The List" because of a big ladder that goes to the top of the glacial erratic.

On the map:
Yellow = "Required", have not climbed
Blue = "Optional", have not climbed
Green = "Have Climbed"

Of 33 total trails, I have climbed 19 of them, with 14 to go:

I'll be going up "Livermore Trail" for 0.3 miles, then up "Greeley Ponds Trail" for 0.9 miles, then up "Goodrich Rock Trail" to Goodrich Rock:

I started the day watching a boy and his dad on Singing Beach:

An easy drive up to The Trailhead:

I was up at The Trailhead at 11 AM:

Nice morning walk up The Trail. After 0.3 miles I came to an open field, with a trail going off to the left, before a stream. There was no "official sign", but I figured it would be ok.

I have to remember that if I am hiking in "civilized Hew Hampshire", there is (almost) always "Good Signage". If I don't see it, I'm on the WRONG TRAIL. Oh well, lessons learned. Pretty view going up the trail - maybe that is one of the "Greeley Lakes":

Pretty nice trail:

And then I came out onto "Moose Run", which I didn't recognize (and it wasn't on MY MAP):

The Trail ran North, so I walked on it for another 5 minutes. Yup, I had taken the wrong trail, but I had a wifi signal, so I opened Google Maps in satellite mode:

It was good to see I was just south of Goodrich Rock. I figured I could follow a trail a little bit east, then bushwack just a little bit to get to the "real trail":

I went east for about 5 minutes, and hit a Big Dropoff. I was up on a ridge (running north/south), so I turned north. 20 minutes later I intersected "Goodrich Rock Trail":

There are various VERY COOL Glacial Errata on The Trail:

At one point you have to walk through this V. When you hit the end, you turn left to follow The Trail:

15 minutes later, I was at The Ladder:

You climb up it, and get a nice view of the Waterville Valley ski slopes, with Mount Tecumseh in the background. At 4003 feet, that was my 1st 4000-footer, hiked back on June 22, 2014 (read that blog here):

It took 1-and-1/2 hours to get up here - let's see what it is like on the way back down. The lower part of "Goodrich Rock Trail" is nice, and a very enjoyable trail:

And, as you can see, going down "Greeley Ponds Trail" (right next to Mad River) is wonderfully easy:

At 1:14, looking back up "Greeley Ponds Trail" (and the OFFICIAL Sign):

To give you an idea of "how far off" I was originally, I turned 90-degrees left and took this picture of the field, with the signpost and wrong-trail-I-took:

I finished at 1:18 PM, hiking 4.44 miles in 2 hours 19 minutes - a Lovely Hike:

I did a Market-Basket run, and home just after 4 PM. Thank You God for this GREAT "Terrifying 25" Adventure! Singing Beach in the morning, Goodrich Rock in the afternoon!

For my listening pleasure today:

Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball, 1995 album, last heard never:

Fleetwood Mac - Tango in The Night, 1987 album, last heard 10/05/2020:

Field Report - Summertime Songs, 2018 album, last heard 8/27/2021:

Fleetwood Mac - Behind the Mask, 1990 album, last heard 11/13/2017:

Genesis - Invisible Touch, 1986 album, last heard 10/24/2025. I listened to it twice because I had the windows rolled down, and I knew this music well enough to enjoy it:

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about visiting Art Museums and National Parks (and hiking in the Rockies)
hyperlink: dixonheadingwest
http://dixonheadingwest.blogspot.com/

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Terrifying 25: Brook Trail

Thursday, June 4, 2026 - It has been over a year since I did a "Terrifying 25", and sprained my ankle. Time to get back on that horse: a "Terrifying 25" going up Mount Chocorua from the southwest: "Brook Trail".

On the map:
Yellow = "Required", have not climbed
Blue = "Optional", have not climbed
Green = "Have Climbed"

Of 33 total trails, I have climbed 18 of them, with 15 to go:

I'll be going up "Brook Trail" for 3.7 miles up to the summit of Mount Chocorua. Since the AMC's "White Mountain Guide" says: "An excellent loop trail can be made by ascending Brook Trail and descending Liberty Trail, that is what I will do:

I started the day picking up a friend who lives near Lobster Cove in Manchester, and we went into our Breakfast-in-Boston:

(At The Union Club, I discovered they have a puzzle-table too):

I left Boston behind me, and at noon I was up at Chocorua Lake, with its great view of Mount Chocorua:

I started hiking at 12:20

As you can imagine, Brook Trail goes up alongside Claybank Brook:

The Trail has some nice stretches:

But the hike takes a long time because much of the trail is gnarly with roots:

I'm glad I wasn't here when this happened:

After 2-and-1/2 miles, you crossover The Brook and start going UPHILL:

This Trail is on the "Terrifying 25" list because it is "potentially dangerous in wet or icy conditions", especially where it ascends "steep, open ledges":

Just to keep things interesting, a yellow helicopter kept buzzing around The Mountain (and AROUND ME) - I had to check to make sure I hadn't accidently activated my SpotBeacon (I hadn't!):

After 3.45 miles and 2:30 hiking, The Big Cairn marks Liberty Trail coming in from the right (yes, that is still Mount Chocorua in the background):

Pretty views:

I reached The Summit after 3.69 miles and 2:48

360-Degree views up here:

Time to head back down The Mountain:

At 4 PM I encountered Jim Liberty Cabin:

and The Trail GOING DOWN:

An hour-and-1/2 later I was on (relatively) level ground. The main problem is that both trails today are WET, with streams crossing (and using "the trail"), and there are boggy conditions. It makes for slow (and wet) going. And the bugs are pretty bad, also:

I finished at 5:48 PM, hiking 7.57 miles in 5 hours 19 minutes. The Hike was harder than I expected, probably for 2 reasons - It was longer than the 6 previous hikes I have done, and the trail conditions were not very good:

I grabbed dinner at McDonald's in West Ossipee, NH, and got home by 9, in time for a hot shower. Thank You God for this GREAT "Terrifying 25" Adventure! Lobster Cove in the morning, Mount Chocorua in the afternoon!

For my listening pleasure today:

starting my day with jazz - various artists - Happy Hour Jazz, 2001 compilation album, last heard 6/08/2021:

And then it was time for "Debut Albums" as a Theme:

The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event, 2008 debut album, last heard never - one of a few bands I discovered (and like) in the last 20 years:

Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield, 1966 debut album, last heard never - really good album, puts a smile on my face:

Al Stewart - Modern Times, 1975 6th album, last heard never - I like his 1970's albums:

Dire Straits - Dire Straits, 1978 debut album, last heard never:

Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions, 1976 compilation album, last heard never. Although not his "first album", it is a compilation of his "first recording", made in Memphis, Tennessee, for Sun Records in 1954 and 1955: