Northwest Hancock at 4,020 feet sits deep in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, a remote and seldom-visited summit that once supported a fire tower. Only scattered artifacts from that era remain at the high point, along with a canister register where visitors can sign in. The wooded summit offers no views, but the wilderness character and the challenge of reaching it are the draw.
Reaching the summit requires off-trail navigation through dense forest. A common approach follows the Hancock Notch Trail and then the Cedar Brook Trail into the heart of the wilderness before leaving maintained paths entirely. The bushwhack to the summit involves walls of thick spruce, blowdowns, and steep ground, with some parties using the Cedar Brook Slide as part of the ascent route; the slide itself is loose and requires careful footing. Most hikers cover around 12 miles with 3,800 feet of elevation gain and should expect a full day on the mountain. Navigation skills and a GPS track are essential, as getting off-route in the dense terrain is easy and costly in both time and energy.
The ridge between Northwest Hancock and North Hancock (a NH 4000-Footer) holds faint bootleg paths in places, and combining the two summits in a single outing is a natural choice. Moose frequent this corner of the Pemi. Snow lingers on north-facing slopes into late spring, and wet conditions make the Cedar Brook Trail and the slide significantly more hazardous.
