2 quick Rumney, New Hampshire hikes in the southern White Mountains

TAKE IT EASY HIKES – RATTLESNAKE MTN AND STINSON MTN, RUMNEY

April 14, 2024

Mud Season

Mid-March to mid-May is mud season in New Hampshire.  This provides us with footing challenges during hikes.  Slippery trails and rocks threaten to send us flying. Soggy dirt tries to hold us in place. Not an easy time to be ambling up a mountainside.  But the black flies are not out yet so that’s a plus.  And the weather is warmer.  The sun feels especially friendly on those early spring days, caressing your face and shoulders. And then there is the aroma of mud season.  To me, the smell of the earth immediately following the thaw is pleasantly pungent. I’m not really sure what I’m smelling. I assume it is a bunch of things, composting vegetation, early shoots, budding flowers.  My brain tries to figure it out as my breathing becomes heavier, drawing in more of the fragrance. It’s one of the consolation prizes of getting muddy on a hike.  And apparently, I’m far from alone in noticing this phenomenon.  There is actually a name for the smell: Petrichor.  Who knew??

Because the pace may be a little slower so as to exercise caution during this time, I usually opt for shorter hikes.  And I try to also avoid very steep terrain which is hard enough in dry conditions. “Why torture myself?” I say.  (My husband says, “why not?” which is why we don’t always hike together during mud season).  Two trails that are short in distance but have rewarding views are Rattlesnake Mountain and Stinson Mountain.  Both are located in Rumney, about 15 minutes from each other.  For those who think one is never enough, you can easily do both in the same day.  My husband calls this the Stinson-Rattle run. 

Rattlesnake Mountain

Rattlesnake is the shorter of the two at about 2.5 miles total.  It does have a steep section in the middle of the trail but it’s short lived and nothing too bad, even in wet conditions, in my opinion. It’s a nice, quick hike.  Perfect if you just want to get something in before doing other things the rest of the day.  The trail is well maintained and quite easy to follow. There is a loop at the top allowing you to look-out from many directions over the town of Rumney and to the mountains beyond.

On an earlier trip up this trail last summer, we had a surprise on our way up the mountain.  A youngish black bear walked across the trail up ahead of us – about 100 feet from us.  It didn’t stop or look at us, just went ahead to wherever it was going.  Not me.  I stopped.  I thought strongly about going back down.  My husband assured me that the bear was not interested in us and had moved on.  While he was cautiously approaching where the bear had gone off the trail, I was busy making a racket to make sure it didn’t think about coming back.  I was clapping and yelling, “move on bear, not today bear…don’t even think about it bear….”  Obviously more for my benefit than the bear.  Eventually, I decided to continue.  We did not see the bear again. 

On this day, we only saw a few other hikers with their leashed dogs.  The conditions were great.  Earlier-in-the-week rains had given way to morning sunshine.  We parked in the tiny, wooded space and started the ascent along a mountain stream.  The rain from the prior week, along with the quick melt from some serious snow accumulation recently received, resulted in a roaring cascade of water.  

We paused to take a look before continuing on.  The trail slowly gained elevation as we moved away from the sound of the water.  It meandered through hardwoods -  some that had fallen in recent storms causing us to navigate around or over them.  The trail then took a sharp turn up and continued that way for some time until reaching a false summit.  From there you only have to go a short distance over easy terrain to access the loop part of the trail along the summit.  You can go left or right (we went right). There, you enjoy a large expanse of mostly flat rock from which to take in multiple views. 

On this day, we were able to see things we couldn’t on the last hike due to the foliage on the trees. One highlight was the snaking Baker River. 

While we caught glimpses of the river last July, with no leaves on the trees, we were able to really see how it perfectly contoured through the valley, making giant “S’s” on the ground below.  Thoughts of kayaking it this summer took hold quick.  The new view reminded us of that fact that each season in New England brings about changes that keep even familiar trails interesting.  After your views and thoughts, you continue along the ridge which ultimately brings you around to the part of the trail that you started the loop from. Then it’s back down, easy peasy. 

Stinson Mountain

Stinson is a bit longer at a little over 4 miles total.  The beginning is quite flat and the grade, when it does begin to climb, is gentle for the most part.  

The first half is a walk in the park. Signs of early spring are everywhere. I slow down to take in the sights and the birdsong.

You cross a snowmobile trail which is narrow. Shortly thereafter, you hit your first steeper section that requires you to huff and puff somewhat.  At the top of that section, you reach the second snowmobile trail crossing. This is much wider.

You take a left onto the snowmobile trail and continue gently upward. At the wooden bridge, you bear right. From here on, the rise is a bit sharper and there is more ledge. As with any part of any climb, if you get tired, take a break, grab some water and catch your breath.  It’s not a race.

As we neared the summit, the brown mud gave way to bright green moss. It was welcoming and Shire-like.

Spoiler alert: you do not see Stinson Lake from the summit of Stinson Mountain Trail. It’s still a nice view.

SOLE TRACK BREWING

The best way to describe this brewery is to tell you what it is not. It’s not so small that you have to chose between standing or sharing a couch with someone you don’t know.  But it’s not a warehouse or a stark industrial building either. It’s not a place where you vie for the attention of a bartender and are rushed into making a decision.  The brews are not concoctions from the Willy Wonka factory and are not overpriced.  You know what I mean??  There are so many breweries out there, but many are lack-luster.  Not this one.

Sole Track brewery is big on hospitality and a good selection of rotating beers. 

The staff on hand, which often includes the owners, are friendly and attentive.  The are happy to offer samples and help you select something you will enjoy.  Relax in the newly constructed and comfortable tap room with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.  Try Atomic Blonde, my favorite.  In Sole Track’s words, it’s not your average blonde, slightly hazy, light bodied and eminently crushable. I agree. For the IPA lovers, Social Outcast is a must try. Their best seller, it is a New England IPA, has tons of wheat and oat, hopped to the hilt with Nectaron and Citra, carefully added in stages to build deeply nuanced layers of apricot and mango.

The Reason to Visit:  Community.  This watering hole is where the locals hang out.  It’s where co-workers meet after a long day on the job and where neighbors catch-up.  Visitors passing through – including many climbers from nearby Rumney Rocks – mix right in. Discussions usually revolve around the brews and the appreciation of the outdoors.

Fun Fact:  Brothers Tim Lewis and Andy Lewis originally thought about opening a sports outfitter store in the brewery location. They discussed the business concept over Andy’s home brew that he’d been crafting out of his garage. They quickly decided that a brewery was a better idea and Andy had to get bigger tanks.

When you go:  Tell Tim Lewis and his wife, LeeAnn, that the Thirsty White Mountain Traveler says hello.

Sole Track, 27 Main Street, Rumney.  https://www.soletrackbrewing.com/