Mount Blue is a 4,529-foot subsidiary peak of Mount Moosilauke, sitting just north of that mountain's open, windswept summit in Benton. While Moosilauke draws thousands of hikers each season with its treeless cap and panoramic views, Blue inhabits a quieter corner of the same massif, its summit entirely enclosed by boreal forest with only partial viewpoints reachable from the upper slopes. The mountain appears on the Trailwrights 72, a list emphasizing route variety across the White Mountains. A footnote of ski history attaches to these slopes: before Cannon Mountain was selected for New Hampshire's first aerial tramway, Mount Blue was a serious candidate.
Reaching the summit requires off-trail navigation. Most parties begin at Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, a Dartmouth College-owned facility on the mountain's southeast side, and ascend the Asquam Ridge Trail through the wooded ridge past Mount Jim before breaking off toward Blue. The deviation from trail is short but gains elevation quickly through dense spruce-fir; a herd path leads to the summit canister. The Mount Jim, Blue, Moosilauke, and South Peak loop is a popular way to combine the trailless visit with Moosilauke's sweeping summit views.
Snow persists on the north-facing upper slopes well into spring, and the dense canopy makes navigation harder once leaves fill in. A compass or GPS is advisable, and winter visitors should expect deep, untracked snowpack on the approach.
