Mount Whiteface is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
located in
Grafton County,
New Hampshire
New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. The mountain is part of the
Sandwich Range of the
White Mountains. Whiteface is flanked to the northwest by
Mount Tripyramid, and to the northeast by
Mount Passaconaway. Whiteface is on the eastern border of the Sandwich Range Wilderness. To the east, between Whiteface, Passaconaway, and
Mt. Wonalancet, lies The Bowl natural area, an unlogged
cirque
A (; from the Latin word ) is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by Glacier#Erosion, glacial erosion. Alternative names for this landform are corrie (from , meaning a pot or cauldron) and ; ). A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landform a ...
.
Mt. Whiteface lies within the
watershed
Watershed may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage)
Music
* Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...
of the
Saco River
The Saco River ( , Abenaki: ''Sαkóhki'') is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic O ...
, which reaches the
Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America. It is bounded by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and by Cape Sable Island at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northea ...
at
Saco, Maine
Saco ( ) is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,381 at the 2020 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as Saco Valley Shopping Center. General Dynamics ...
. The south side of Whiteface is drained by the
Whiteface River, thence into the
Cold River,
Bearcamp River,
Ossipee River, and the Saco River. The east side is drained by the
Wonalancet River, thence into
Swift River, and Bearcamp River. The north side is drained by Downes Brook, thence into another
Swift River, and the Saco River.
The summit of Mt. Whiteface is in a wooded area along the Rollins Trail, approximately north of the top of the massive granite cliff for which the mountain is named. Many hikers reach the open area at the top of the cliff and do not realize the true summit is farther to the north.
The summit is popular among winter climbers, favoring the Blueberry Ledge trail for ascent.
History
In the 1850s, the first official trail to the summit is built, the McCrillis trail.
In 1871, the
United States Coast Survey
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
erected a signal station on the summit.
In 1875, the poet
Lucy Larcom
Lucy Larcom (March 5, 1824 – April 17, 1893) was an American teacher, poet, and author. She was one of the first teachers at Wheaton Female Seminary (now Wheaton College (Massachusetts), Wheaton College) in Norton, Massachusetts, teaching there ...
visited the summit, and wrote a sonnet about it.
In 1895, Thomas S. Wiggin cuts the Wiggin trail to the summit, branching from Dicey's Mill Trail.
In 1899, Gordon H. Taylor blazes the Blueberry Ledge Trail, useful for snowshoeing.
In 1914, The Bowl is added to the WMNF.
In 1931, The bowl is designated as a
Research Natural Area
Research Natural Area is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.
Research Natural Areas (RNAs) are part of a nationwide network of ecological areas set aside for both research and education. The network includes areas ma ...
.
In 1984, Congress creates the Sandwich Range Wilderness, including Mount Whiteface.
In 2002, Camp Shehadi and Camp Heermance are removed due to deterioration.
Climate
See also
*
List of mountains in New Hampshire
The below list of mountains in New Hampshire is an incomplete list of mountains in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, with elevation. This list includes many mountains in the White Mountains range that covers about a quarter of the state, as well ...
*
White Mountain National Forest
The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is a federally managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had alre ...
References
External links
PeakBagger.com: Mt. WhitefaceAMC: Mt. Whiteface Mt. Whiteface - FranklinSites.com Hiking Guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiteface, Mount
Mountains of New Hampshire
Mountains of Grafton County, New Hampshire
New England Four-thousand footers