Round Pond redlining loop

We are now one hike away from the Belknap redlining patch!  We’re super excited to finish.  This has been a long time coming.

Coincidentally, Hummingbird and I both started chasing the Belknap Range peaks in 2018.  This was before we reconnected and started hiking together.  After we partnered up, we ultimately agreed that since we hiked in the Belks so often anyway, just for local enjoyment, we might as well go for the redlining patch too.  I earned my peaks patch with Hawk in 2019, and Hummingbird finished hers in 2021 with me.  (We were pulling double duty, hiking the Ossipee Range at the same time.)  It was somewhere in between these dates that we started officially redlining.  I estimate it’s now been about 3 years of semi-focused effort.  And now we’re so close!

It was tempting to just go for it all today, but we were smart enough to not push our bodies that far and make an already fairly significant hike into an excessively overambitious one.  Making the decision to limit our hike to one loop was made a bit easier after a steep ascent and rock scramble.  It was definitely a good move.

Our hike began from Wood Road.  This was a new trailhead for us.  Terrain at the beginning was pleasant, but that was short lived.  Right off the bat, we missed a junction and continued the wrong way on a logging road.  After backtracking and finding the correct route, we then went too far on a cut-off trail we were just cleaning up, missing yet another junction.  We probably added nearly a mile to our hike through getting lost.  This was a slightly discouraging start.  

Terrain wasn’t awful, but as a whole, we didn’t encounter anything quite exciting enough to make us want to repeat the hike.  There were a few highlights, but most are accessible from other trails as well, so we don’t have a lot of reason to return.  At least the only really miserable part was the logging road we weren’t even supposed to be on, so it was still a generally good hike.  Type 2 fun, as Hawk calls it: you’re less thrilled while doing it, but looking back, you’re happy about the experience.

We navigated a couple minor water crossings on our way up Gilford Fire Rd and Round Pond Trail.  One had a bridge that felt so rickety we decided to just rock hop the stream.  After cleaning up what I needed for trail around Round Pond (which Hummingbird had gotten in her traverse last year with Hawk & Parched), we turned around and continued along the BRT to the Boulder Trail.  We recently did the boulder section, but we needed to repeat it to access the rest of our necessary loop.  Which we were fine with.  It's definitely challenging, but despite the effort (and occasional complaining on the way up) it's a fun trail.  At least the rock scramble is.  It's actually a shame it's kind of in the middle of nothing, because I'd certainly repeat it.  Unfortunately, the only way to access it (for an ascent, which is highly recommended - descending Boulder Trail would be even more dangerous) is via Piper-Round Pond Link (green trail) which we previously used and it really sucked, or by coming from Round Pond.  So I guess if I ever really want to do the boulders again, I'd basically be repeating this loop.  Ah, maybe I'll just stick to Precipice & Anna.

Hummingbird in search of a way to cross safely (and dryly).

A pretty section of trail.

Round Pond

The Belknap Range Trail

Viewpoint above the Boulder Tr.

Once we made it to the top of the Boulder Tr. we found a shady spot to take a break and refuel.  We were in quick agreement that trying to continue to Belknap and get our final redlining loop (meaning ascending a few hundred feet more to the summit, then hiking down then back up the mountain, and back to where we were for yet another decent) was more than either of us was up for.  This was an especially good call since our way out, East Gilford Trail, is a moderately steep and would be more difficult with exhausted, rubbery legs.  It was momentarily tempting nonetheless after recharging, but I knew that wouldn't last long.  I will note, however, that my recent strategy of refueling with plantain chips seems to do the trick.  Hummingbird spikes her water with an electrolyte powder, but I generally steer clear of additives because of my allergies.  I figured the salt and potassium in my plantain chips might replenish at least some electrolytes for me, and they do seem to help!  I followed up a few handfuls of chips with one of my "life cookies" (my relatively healthy rendition of a loaded oatmeal cookie) and plenty of water, and I was good to go again.  

East Gilford Tr. had a few interesting spots, but overall our impression was the same as Round Pond Tr.  It was fine, but not quite enticing enough to do again unless necessary.  (Perhaps our opinion would be different if we were going up instead of down.)  We don't see any reason why it would be necessary to repeat, but who knows?  In any case, we got it, and now there are just two trails left between us and the long-awaited redlining patch!

Cross your fingers for dry weather so we can go out trail chasing this weekend!

8/23 Round Pond Belknap loop, 7.37 mi, 1588 ft, 3:54 hrs