Unique View of Wright Peak
I took a few more pictures of the superb view back down at Scott's Pond (on the way up there were superb morning views, and now there were equally superb evening views!), then switched back into sneakers for the easy walk back along the Indian Pass Trail.
Late Afternoon at Scott's Clearing
We arrived back at Heart Lake and walked along the shore back to the High Peaks Information Center. What a truly beautiful day it had been! And for MacNaughton - what of it? I find most of the pleasure in the trip to MacNaughton is the gentle beauty of the approach - some nice low-elevation trail walking, pretty clearings, ponds, and small meadows. The summit is not without some small charms, in the form of a couple of lookouts, but it is the approach which does most of the job.
Interactive Trackmap & Photo Points - MacNaughton Mtn - Click map to expand
Start Time:
7:44a.m.
End Time:
5:21p.m.
Duration:
9h36m
Distance:
25.5 km
(15.84 mi)
Average Speed:
2.7 km/hr
(1.7 mph)
Start Elevation:
2166ft
(660m)
*
Max Elevation:
4026ft
(1227m)
*
Min Elevation:
2087ft
(636m)
*
End Elevation:
2224ft
(678m)
*
* : +/- 75 feet
Total Elevation Gain:
2691ft
(820m)
*
Total Elevation Loss:
2678ft
(816m)
*
* : +/- 75 feet
Elevation Graph
So, is MacNaughton really a 4,000-footer, or not? To try and add another data point to the mix, I've carefully analyzed my GPS track. I had my barometric pressure cross-filter on my elevation reading turned on, and after I returned home, I calibrated my track to a known nearby elevation point: Upper Wallface Pond, which is at an elevation of 3110 feet (948m). I then adjusted my summit elevation by the difference between my GPS reading at Wallface Pond and the official elevation of Wallface Pond. The end result? My raw elevation reading at the top of MacNaughton was 4026 feet. Calibrating to the lake's level brought that down by 23 feet to 4003 feet! Whoa - talk about close! Is it an accurate enough reading? probably not, but it is another data point.
