Episode 10 - So You Wanna - Mt. Whiteface and Passaconaway

• WODC Newsletters

• “Passaconaway Path” – now called the Dicey Mill Trail – cut in 1891. And McGrillis (Flat Pond - Sandwich - long trip

• Summary of Kate Sleepers life 

• Description of Kate Sleeper Trail - connects the wonalancet trails to Waterville

• History of the Tom Wiggin Trail

• Story of the Heermance shelter on Mount Whiteface

• Shout out to George Zink - former president of WODC

• George Testified in congress in support of establishing the Sandwich Wilderness in 1984

• Whiteface Only Common Approaches (all out and backs)

• Southeast approach from Ferncroft trailhead, Blueberry Ledge Trail & Rollins Trail out and back, 8.4 miles & 3150’

• Southwest approach from Whiteface Intervale Road, Flat Mountain Pond Trailhead, Flat Mountain Pond Trail, McCrillis Trail, & Rollins Trail out and back, 10.4 miles & 3450’

• North approach from the Kanc Highway, Downes Brook Trail, Kate Sleeper Trail, & Rollins Trail out and back, 12.6 mile and 2850’

• Winter notes: Ferncroft usually plowed out, Blueberry Ledge trail is the most popular route, most folks go out to Passaconaway and head down Dicey’s Mill Trail. The upper portion of Blueberry Ledge (T25) has a ledge section that can be sketchy with ice, crampons might be needed in certain conditions. 

 

• Passaconaway Only Common Approaches:

  • North approach, Oliverian Brook Trail, Passaconaway Cutoff, Square Ledge Trail, & Walden Trail out and back, 10 miles & 2900’ (option to add 1.2 miles and 200’ to loop over Square Ledge ex-52wav)

  • South approach from Ferncroft, Dicey’s Mill Trail out and back, 9.2 miles and 2900’

  • Loops from Ferncroft using Dicey’s Mill trail for Descent

  • Old Mast Road, Walden Trail, & Dicey’s Mill Trail, 9.4 miles and 3300’

  • Wonalancet Range Trail, Walden Trail, & Dicey’s Mill Trail, 9.8 & 3400’

 

• Bagging Whiteface & Passconaway

• North from the Kanc, Oliverian Brook Trail, Passaconway Cutoff, Square Ledge Trail, Walden Trail, Dicey’s Mill Trail to summit of Passaconaway, Rolling Trail out and back to summit of Whiteface, Kate Sleeper Trail, Downes Brook Trail, and 1 mile roadwalk on Kanc to Oliverian Brook trailhead loop, 15.5 miles and 3950’

• South from Ferncroft (by far the most common loop route), Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Whiteface Summit, Rollins Trail to Dicey’s Mill Trail out and back to Passconway Summit, back down Dicey’s Mill Trail Lollipop loop, 12 miles and 4000’ of gain.

• Winter, most people will use this route in winter to grab both peaks.

• Random notes: Worth mentioning, amazing trail system in the Wonalancet area/Sandwich Range Wilderness, lots of options. Paugus current 52wav, Square Ledge/Hibbard ex-52wav, Kelley Trail box canyon, good stuff. If you’re ambitious go for a Sandwich Range Traverse with Whiteface/Passconaway/Tris with a carspot or roadwalk! Kate Sleeper trail across Sleepers is a super cool area, East Sleeper is a NEHH and both are NHHH peaks. Plenty of opportunity here to get off the beaten path and find some peace even on popular summer days (loop of square ledge/paugus back in Sept of ‘23).