Mount Whiteface
Mount Whiteface and Passaconaway Loop – White Mountains, NH
Mount Whiteface was a very fun hike. We did this hike as a loop to also grab Mount Passaconaway. Java didn’t have too much trouble but there were a lot of rock scrambles and parts that could be tricky for inexperienced hiking dogs. The total distance of the hike was 12 miles.
Mount Whiteface Elevation: 4,019′
To start this hike we parked at the Ferncroft rd parking lot. There were plenty of spots along the road available when we arrived. The entrance at the parking lot is the one going toward the Kelley Trail. You have to keep walking down Ferncroft road through the private residence yard’s to get to the BlueBerry Ledge or the Dicey’s Mill Trail.
We decided to take the Dicey’s Mill trail up. Later we realized this may not be the best way to hike this trail. When we got to the split from the Dicey’s Mill Trail and the Tom Wiggin Trail the sign warns that the Tom Wiggin trail is steep with lots of loose rock. I wanted to summit Whiteface before passaconaway so we took Tom Wiggins up and it was a pretty steep trail. Java didn’t have issues going up the Tom Wiggins Trail but he may have had some if he tried going down as some sections were more than a 3ft jump.
We took the Tom Wiggin Trail to the BlueBerry Ridge trail. Once we hit the Blueberry Ridge trail we turned right on it to continue to Whiteface Summit. The last half mile on Blueberry Ridge was very steep and lots of rock scrambles. If you’re afraid of heights, don’t look down climbing up the ledges, it looks like you could fall right off the mountain.
The summit of Whiteface is a wooded summit but you do get nice views off to the sides and right before the actual summit. After the summit of Mount Whiteface we continued on to Rollings Trail. It was a pretty easy trail between Mt Whiteface and Mt Passaconaway. It mostly feels downhill until the last mile back up Passaconaway.
Mount Passaconaway Elevation: 4,042
The last mile getting up to Passaconaway was a bit steep but not rock scrambles and Java had no issues with Mount Passaconaway. The last mile going up passaconaway felt like doing the stair master machine, just large steps up.
The summit of Passaconaway is a wooded summit but if you continue .3 miles beyond the summit you do get some nice lookout points as well as just before the summit.
To complete the loop we headed back down to Dicey’s Mill Trail, which was a very nice and gradual decline, and ended right back on Ferncroft Rd.
Overall, was a beautiful hike and very dog friendly. Mount Whiteface has some steep sections and I could see some dogs struggling on the ledges. Mount Passaconaway would be a perfect starting hike for young pups or old dogs as the trail is steep but no rock scrambles on the Dicey’s Mill Trail.
