Moosilauke South Peak

Moosilauke South Peak (4,523 ft) sits roughly a mile south of the main Moosilauke summit along the high ridge of the Kinsman Range, the westernmost 4,000-foot massif in the White Mountains. Unlike the broad, wind-blasted plateau at Moosilauke's top, South Peak is a compact knob with its own character: a semi-open summit with particularly good sight lines west and southwest into Tunnel Brook Notch, Slide Ravine, and on clear days out to the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York. Those western perspectives are partly blocked from the main summit, making South Peak a genuine addition to any Moosilauke day rather than just a checkpoint.

South Peak sits directly on the Appalachian Trail. The Glencliff Trail approaches from the southwest, climbing steadily through birch and hemlock forest before breaking out onto the open ridge at the peak, then continuing north about a mile to the main summit. The most popular loop departs from Dartmouth's Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, ascends via Gorge Brook Trail, then returns through South Peak on the Moosilauke Carriage Road and Snapper Trail (7.2 miles, roughly 2,450 ft gain). The exposed ridge connecting the two summits is subject to sudden weather changes and strong winds; layers are essential at any time of year. In winter, the broad carriage road through South Peak becomes a popular ski descent, though the upper sections demand microspikes or crampons before conditions soften enough to ski.