Mount Waumbek stands at 4,011 feet as the highpoint of the Pliny Range, a quieter corner of the White Mountains above the town of Jefferson in Coos County. Almost always paired with neighboring Mount Starr King, the peak is reached via the Starr King Trail on a moderate out-and-back of about 7.2 miles round trip with roughly 2,700 feet of gain. The gradient stays manageable throughout, making this one of the more approachable 4,000-footer routes in the state and a solid choice for winter bagging.
The trail climbs through hardwood forest before transitioning to fragrant fir and spruce above 3,000 feet, a character typical of the lush Kilkenny Region. At 2.6 miles, the open ledges of Mount Starr King deliver a broad panorama of the Presidential Range to the south, and the clearing there holds the ruins of a long-vanished stone fireplace. A mile of sheltered ridge walking continues east to Waumbek's summit. The top itself is forested, but a short distance past the cairn a rocky shelf opens onto views north to the Percy Peaks, west to the Kilkenny Ridge, and south again toward Mount Washington. Gray jays are year-round residents here and will approach hikers with surprising boldness.
Spring mud can slow the lower approach considerably, and snow often lingers into May. The exposed ledges near Starr King call for care when icy.
