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Trip report

MTS STARR KING AND WAUMBEK

4000 Footer DATE: 09/02/2023 - 09/02/2023

Trip/Event Location: Jefferson, NH

Trip Leader(s): Gandalf , JDNnh

Max # People: 15

Trip Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money

Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous

Come along for a hike up one of the northernmost 4000 footers in New Hampshire! We'll be taking the Starr King Trail up to Mt. Starr King and then continuing over to the summit.

At 7.2 miles

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Copy/Repost Hike

Driving directions to the location and spot to meet at:

Trailhead and parking area is off US 2 in Jefferson, NH. Opposite the Waumbec Golf Club, 0.7 mile east of NH 116, you’ll see a hiker sign and a Starr King Trail sign. If you approach from the east on US 2, it is 3.6 miles from NH 115. Turn up a narrow gravel road at the signs. Keep straight uphill, avoiding the right-branching driveways to several large houses. You’ll enter the woods at a boundary sign for the national forest and soon reach the parking area. We’ll be driving a blue Toyota Tacoma truck.

Trip Report/Photos

Today GayOutdoors hiked up to Mt. Starr King and Mt. Waumbek on this beautiful day! We started at 9AM in cooler temperatures that warmed up during the day. We encountered a few people either going up or down but it was not crowded with this being one of the most northern 4,000 footers.

The trail itself does not have any slabs and not much rocky terrain making it a pleasant ascent! The trail itself is not steep so we made good time. We went through a beautiful hardwood forest. We enjoyed feeding the Canadian Blue Jays on top of Mt. Starr King.

The skies were clear for views including seeing Mt Washington to the north from both peaks. We made friends with a couple on the summit of Mt. Waumbek. He was backpacking and continued on to Mt. Cabot while his wife chatted with us on the way down. Near the end I took a quick detour to capture these beautiful cascades!

Jon made a delish supper of Sirloin Steaks, grilled Zucchini & Peppers, green beans, potato salad and garden salad. We ended with a yummy lemon cake topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Everyone who opted out missed a great meal!

Overall Mt. Starr King and Mt. Waumbek was a great hike for just a few hours of hiking time! We’re glad we enjoyed a smidge of Labor Day Weekend with our GayOutdoors friends!