Mt. Morgan & Mt Percival
Holderness, NH
September 28, 2024
A Cautionary Tale from Mt. Morgan and Mt. Percival: Our First Double Peak Hike
Mt. Morgan and Mt. Percival marked our first double peak hike and our inaugural adventure from the 52 With a View challenge. As I pen this review, consider it a cautionary tale—we struggled with directions, but thankfully, it all ended well. Just don’t hike it the way we did!
This beautiful loop trail is located in Holderness, NH, and we enjoyed the challenges it presented without feeling like we’d just run a marathon the next day. We parked at the Mt. Morgan trailhead, conveniently located across the street from the West Rattlesnake parking lot. And yes, there’s a port-a-potty for those urgent nature calls.
Now, let me set the scene: the next day was the Squam Ridge Race, which was marked better than a kindergarten art project. We had the not-so-brilliant idea of following the trail run markers, confidently assuming that trail runners wouldn’t be navigating ladders. Spoiler alert: we were wrong! Those markers did veer off because their 13-mile run was not quite the same as our planned almost 6-mile hike. I also had read somewhere that you could do this hike in either direction, but it’s recommended to go clockwise—not counterclockwise like we did. Oops!
Back to the hike! We started on the trail and headed toward Percival first. The incline was slow and steady, featuring a rickety bridge over some gently flowing streams and a staircase that felt like it was part of a funhouse. I’d read about caves and ladders, and when we reached the fork in the trail, I (with all the decision-making prowess of a squirrel) chose the cave. Spoiler alert: it was a very tight fit! My husband wasn’t sure he could squeeze through, so we opted for the cliffside route instead.
The hike up to the peak of Mt. Percival was stunning, with cool views as the clouds rolled in like they were auditioning for a dramatic movie. We decided to continue on to Morgan and take a break there.
The path through the woods was magical, with leaves beginning to transform into beautiful reds and oranges, a leaf peepers paradise forming.
Now, here’s the funny part about Mt. Morgan: the actual peak was nowhere near where the other hikers were congregating. The trail split multiple ways, and the trail run markers led in a different direction (which we wisely avoided). The view of Squam Lake was also not where the peak was located. We stumbled upon the “unofficial” peak, snapped a photo for proof, and then set off toward the crowd, aka where everyone else was actually enjoying the view. After a few selfies, some snacks, and a chat with fellow hikers, we decided it was time to head back to the car.
The other hikers had taken the recommended clockwise route and told us about the ladders (yes, the infamous ladders!). They also mentioned we could avoid them, with our limited knowledge and questionable sense of direction, we set off full of determination thinking we could avoid them.
Alas, we ended up following the regular trail markers—none of which mentioned a detour to avoid the cave and the ladders. Yes, plural: ladders. We donned our brave faces and crawled through the cave, which thankfully had a larger more comfortable opening than the first one.
But the ladder? That was a different story. Getting to the first rung made me so thankful for my long legs. I managed to reach the top rung and climbed down the first ladder slowly. The second ladder was right next to it (yes next to), so I carefully sidestepped and took it one rung at a time until my feet finally hit solid ground. I cheered my husband on as he made his descent—after all, it’s much easier to coach from safety!
The rest of the trail was uneventful and significantly shorter than our ascent. We realized that hiking this direction had its perks: the longer trek was to reach the peak, and the shorter one to the parking lot. Let’s be real, the best part of any hike is making it back to the parking lot. Arriving safely after all that drama felt pretty good! And honestly, the ladders weren’t nearly as scary as I’d made them sound—especially since I survived to tell the tale!
After the hike, we headed into Plymouth, NH, to grab lunch at our old stomping ground, Beidermans. Nothing beats a tasty sandwich and a cold beer after a day in the mountains!
I’d rate this hike a solid 7/10 for difficulty—it had its challenges but wasn’t the hardest we’ve tackled. The views? Also a 7/10. Happy hiking!
