Blue Job 2/8/15

"The Cold Calm Before the Next Storm" (pictures)

Wow, our first non-Moose Mountains hike of 2015! It's done nothing but snow the past several weeks and the temperatures have just been down right frigged! Between work and shoveling there unfortunately just hasn't been time for hiking. Before yet another round of shoveling a foot of snow we decided to brave the cold and snow squalls and get a hike in!



We began at the Blue Job Mountain State Park parking lot on First
Crown Point Road in Strafford, NH. We bundled up in our heavy winter clothing, gaiters and snow shoes. I was surprised to find two other hikers here today. It was about 10 degrees and in spots where the wind was blowing...probably 0. The hike started with cold hands and cold limbs.

We hiked the "loop" in a clock wise manner as is my preference for this hike. The trail was well packed and you could see by the snow wall on either side of the trail that the snow depth was a good 2-3, even 4 feet in various spots. We hiked up to the trail junction where you can take a left up to the "Little Baldy" peak or "Little Blue Job". Rather than re-freeze our now mostly warm bodies in the open knob where wind was howling, we turned right here.

Passing the tarn pond we began the hike up to the Blue Job summit, nice views behind us of the open, ledgey knobs of Little Blue Job. The trail steepens here and climbs to the fire tower at the summit. Plenty of snow drifts hid the trails from site. We made a brief pause before finding the trail on the South side, preferring this trail over the Fire Wardens Trail on the South West side.

The descent was a little difficult to start, negotiating holes in the trail from a bare-booter. And then the short steep pitches. Once level it was an easy jaunt back out to the parking lot. Always a nice hike with just enough climbing to get your blood pumping and a feeling of solitude on the trails.