Lakes Region Hiking – Summiting Mt. Cardigan the hard way

When Annie and I reached the trail head of the Holt Trail we stopped for a few minutes to read the warning sign. "This is the shortest but most difficult trail to the summit of Mt. Cardigan. The upper ledges are steep and the scramble up the ledges is much more difficult than any other trail in this section and one of the most difficult in New England."

This trail was for us! Annie, my youngest daughter, was visiting from her home in Bozeman, Montana. She had moved there two years ago, with her husband Derek to hike in the Rockies and fish the mountain steams close to their home. Earlier this year she hiked the Gallatin Crest Trail from Highlite Canyon in Montana to Yellow Stone National Park, traversing a range of 11,000 ft. mountains. Even though Cardigan is slightly over 3,000 feet it offers spectacular 360 degree views at the summit and the Holt trail offered us a challenge equal to any other.

When we arrived at the Cardigan Lodge, operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club, I was surprised by the number of cars in the parking lot, which is usually empty on week days, following the end of summer. I hoped that the trails and summit would not be packed with people. So I was relieved when I found out that the AMC was hosting a day-long retreat for their staff and they would be spending most of their time at the Lodge.

We began our hike on the Manning Trail, and soon reached the intersection with the Holt trail, where we read the warning sign. As we began our climb the trail became increasing steep. I have hiked most of the trails of Cardigan, but never the Holt. I was looking forward to reaching the summit, as the day was clear and the sun bright and the terrific views of the Sandwich Range, the White Mountains, Mt. Monadnock, Camel's Hump in Vermont and Pleasant Mountain in Maine. The mountain is part of the 5,655 acre Cardigan State Park and the state park entrance is located Canaan, N.H.

As we made our way up the Holt trail it became increasingly difficult with steep ledges to maneuver over and around. This trail leads directly to the summit and is not to be taken lightly. It should not be climbed by families with small children or someone who is not used to scrambling up steep rock ledges. Nor should this trail be climbed in rainy and/or cold temperatures. Fortunately for Annie and me it was a dry, warm day and the conditions were perfect for rock climbing. Reuben, my dog, is always looking for alternative routes, other than the rock faces, but in some sections of the trail there were no alternatives for him and he had to be boosted up the rock faces. We were careful to stay on the trail. At times we veered away from the blazed path, at what looked like an easier route, but these paths turned into dead-ends with 50 and 60 foot drop-offs.

At last we reached the summit. The Holt Trail, which is just over a mile in length, was a challenging but rewarding climb. I was surprised that it took us over an hour to hike this one mile section of trail. Annie was the first to summit, arriving at the fire tower and she was greeted by another hiker with her dog. The air was crisp and cool as a strong wind was blowing. We layered up and I was glad we had brought extra clothing. So many times I've been fooled by the weather on the summits. It may be 60 or 70 degrees at the base of the mountain but much cooler at the summit with biting winds, making the wind chills below freezing. Most mountains that are 3,000 ft. are not above tree-line, but in 1855 fires swept over the mountain destroying the forest. Without vegetation to hold the soil in place, it was washed away by wind driven rain and melting snow. However, even though the forest fires have destroyed many mountain top forests, they have given us some of the most memorable views in New England (The Bald Peaks in Evans Notch, Mt. Major in Alton). However, given the fact that the summit ledges are above tree line there is a significant risk of hikers becoming lost on the summit in fog, rain or snow. With no clear trail markers many hikers become disoriented in bad weather and find themselves having to phone the AMC Lodge for help or even calling in a rescue.

After eating our lunch, admiring the view and chatting with other hikers we began our way down the mountain, not by way of the Holt Trail (thank God), but taking a more leisurely route back to the parking lot via the Clark Trail. As we approached the end of our hike at the AMC Lodge, we were greeted by several of the AMC staffers and we chatted about their impending plans to build another lodge in Crawford Notch State Park. As we began our ride back home we looked forward to stopping at Cardigan Mountain Orchard, owned by my friends the Bleiler Family, and purchasing apples and freshly pressed cider. What could be better than a day spent with my youngest daughter and my dog Reuben on a beautiful mountain hike in Central New Hampshire.

Gordon has hiked extensively in Northern New England and the Adirondacks of New York State. In 2011 he completed the Appalachian Trail (2,285 miles). He has also hiked the Long Trail in VT, The International AT in Quebec, Canada, Cohos Trail in northern NH and the John Muir Trail in CA. Gordon has summited the New Hampshire Hundred Highest peaks, and the New England Hundred Highest, 98 of these in winter. He spends much of his time hiking locally and in the White Mountains with his dog Reuben and especially enjoys hiking in the Lakes Region due to the proximity to his home in New Hampton. He is also a trail maintainer for the BRATTS (Belknap Range Trail Tenders) and can be found often exploring the many hiking trails in the area.