Mt. Osceola, East Peak, Preplanned Hike

Overview

There is no view from the summit of East Osceola. However, there is an excellent view from its sister to the west, Osceola, a mile away. East Osceola and Osceola are are two of the 48 designated Four Thousand Footers in New Hampshire. If you are attempting to climb these, then it makes sense to summit both on the same hike, an easy endeavor. Although there is no view from East Osceola's summit, there is a fine view from the Mt. Osceola Trail on its northern side coming up from the Greeley Ponds Trail. The view is from a rock slide and you can see the Greeley Ponds below and mountains nearby. The Greeley Ponds (about 0.4 mi. from the Mt. Osceola Trail) are scenic and a nice place to relax if you have some free time after visiting the Osceolas. The Osceolas are located in the Sandwich Region of the White Mountains.

Preplanned Hike

The hike begins at the Greeley Ponds traillhead. The Greeley Ponds Trail leaves the lot and strikes out easily at a nearly flat pitch towards the mountains. The trail is very wet, but there is an extensive network of log boardwalk set up, so you hardly notice the mud. After a mile or so, the Mt. Osceola Trail diverges to the right. (Continuing straight brings you to upper and lower Greeley Ponds, which are very pretty.) The Mt. Osceola Trail begins climbing almost immediately, and continues steadily for about a mile, where beautiful open rock is reached, giving great views back down toward the ponds, and to the north and east. The trail then re-enters the trees and continues up to the wooded East Peak of Osceola. From this summit, the trail turns west, descends, then climbs steeply to the open, ledgy, and beautiful main Osceola summit. Excellent view of the Tripyramids to the east and a good shot of Waterville Valley Ski Resort to the south.

Directions

* Kankamagus Highway (NH 112)
* Greeley Ponds Trail parking lot
* There is a nice parking lot here - make sure you are in the right place because there is a second trailhead for the Greeley Pond ski trails a few hundred yards to the west down the road without a full parking lot.

Submitted by: Leah, MountainSummits.com, age 20, athletic female.