Hiking in the White Mountains: Isolation

Showing posts with label Isolation. Show all posts

Shoulder Season Sarge

During the first three weeks of November, Sarge and I took advantage of the dry and unseasonably warm weather and got out as much as possible, including three more rockpile romps on his march to 100, and knocking off twenty of twenty-five November G3 peaks for myself.

First up was a Saturday, November 2nd trip to Mount Carrigan. We started at first light before all the weekend warriors came rolling in so we had Sawyer River Road, closed from washouts of the December 2023 storm, and Signal Ridge Trail all to ourselves until halfway back down the mountain. Other than a little rime ice on the summit tower it was smooth sailing, unfortunately Signal Ridge and the summit was in the clouds, so no views were to be had which is a bummer since the summit tower has one of the best views in the White Mountains.

Sarge on an old skidder road which is off trail that cuts off a switchback about halfway up the mountain. Sarge on the summit tower

Sarge and I pushed the pace on Carrigain, finishing the 14-mile 4000' elevation gain in just over three hours so he got Sunday off while I headed to Lincoln to run Owl's Head. Another early start and trails all to myself following the standard route of Lincoln Woods, Black Pond, BP Bushwhack, Lincoln Brook, Brutus Bushwhack and Owl's Head Path. It was cold but comfortable and I was in cruise control enjoying my time alone in the wilderness not seeing a soul until almost back to the Black Pond Bushwhack. All in all it was a terrific morning covering the 16-mile 3250' elevation gain in just over three and a half hours.

Owl's Head as seen from Black Pond Trail

Monday, November 3rd Sarge and I started the week off with a pre-work rock hop up the Rockpile via the Sherburne Ski Trail and Tuckerman Ravine Trail. We started at 6AM and trail conditions were tame and easy with the temperature hovering around thirty degrees with barely any wind. As we passed HoJo's (Hermit Lake) Andrew Drummond caught up to us and we headed up to the summit and back down to the lip together before he speeded off and Sarge and I throttled down enjoying what would be our final Tuckerman Ravine Trail summit of the year!

Sarge heads up the John Sherburne Ski Trail under cotton candy clouds.

Tuckerman Ravine and the now frozen "Falls of a Thousand Streams" lining the headwall

Wednesday, November 6th we headed to Crawford Notch for a full-on Summertime greasy footing hike of Field, Willey, and Tom. We started at first light in a t-shirt and shorts as the temperature was in the mid-sixties and it did not cool off as we gained elevation. It was slow going as the unseasonable humidity made the rocks slippery, it was a good morning to work on staying upright which both of us were able to do!

Warm and humid morning in the Willey Range. Sarge waiting patiently in a small clearing just past Mount Avalon and Sarge taking in the views of Crawford Notch from the Mount Willey Outlook

Saturday, November 9th Sarge and I hiked a loop of Mount Passaconaway and Whiteface via Oliverian Brook Trail, Passaconaway Cutoff, Square Ledge Trail, Walden Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail, Rollins Trail, Kate Sleeper Trail, Downes Brook Trail, and X-Country ski trails. A nice 15 mile 4,000' elevation gained route over mostly easy to moderate grades. We got a later than usual start, 9am, to allow for the high winds to die down up high. Unlike the approach from Ferncroft the trails from the Kanc are lightly used and we didn't see anyone until just below the summit of Passaconaway and a few more along Rollins Trail on our way to Whiteface. It was cold but comfortable up high and mild down low as Sarge set a good pace for the day and we completed the loop in three and a half hours.

Sarge standing at the Sandwich Wilderness Boundary on Downes Brook Trail and running in the sun along the cross-country ski trails

Sunday, November 10th we headed to Mount Moosilauke for what was to be a group hike for my friend Ashley's birthday, but everyone dropped out, so it was just the Dood and me. Everyone missed out because it was a stunning morning on Mount Moosilauke. Views from the summit were crystal clear and we could spot the mountains of the Adirondacks in New York. Well worth the long drive from Gorham to have an easy no wind day on the usually windy Moosilauke over bone dry trails!

Sarge on the final approach to Mount Moosilauke's summit

Sarge on South Peak

Wednesday, November 13th, it was back to our usual first light starts as we hiked the Kinsmans from Easton via Mount Kinsman Trail and Kinsman Ridge Trail, 10 miles, 4,000' elevation gained. It was our first hike where we had to tap dance around some ice on both sounds of North Kinsman's summit cone but other than that it was another no traction November morning moving at a good clip along the trails with some decent views from the summits. It was cold above 4K early in the morning but comfortable down low where we ran into a few friendly locals who hike up to Bald Mountain routinely.

Sarge on South Kinsman's throne cairn. From this vantage point it looks like he has a turtle shell, teenage mutant ninja doodle!

Sarge on North Kinsman with Franconia Ridge behind him

Thursday, November 14th I took a PTO day and Sarge and I took the express way up to the Rockpile. Easy conditions as we hiked the swath next to the Cog Railway, no need for traction as we made our way up and down under abundant sunshine and no wind for the win!

The Dood checking out the views of the Northern Presidential Range (Jefferson, Adams, Madison)

Sarge with Mount Jefferson rising high above the Great Gulf

Saturday, November 16th was a day off for the Dood while I headed to Waterville Valley for a favorite loop of mine, Tecumsceolas, over Mount Tecumseh and the Osceola's via Waterville Valley Ski Trails, Mount Tecumseh Trail, Tripoli Road, Mount Osceola Trail, Greeley Ponds Trail, Livermore Trail, and Nordic ski trails. 17 miles and 5,650' elevation gained in just under four and a half hours.

Another early start to the day as I headed up the ski trails to shave off a half mile before ducking back into the woods at an outlook along the Mount Tecumseh Trail. I didn't see another hiker until I spooked someone on the summit, then crossed paths with a few more as I descended the backside of Mount Tecumseh. When I reached Tripoli Road I wasn't feeling great so I throttled down, refueled, and hydrated while keeping an easy pace to Mount Osceola Trailhead and along the first mile of the trail. As I gained elevation, I felt like my normal self again and made good time up over and down the Osceola's to the Greeley Ponds Trail junction.

Along the beautiful and secluded four mile stretch of the Greeley Ponds Trail, I jumped off trail for a mile and headed past an old logging campsite, #5, that was in use from 1915 to the early 1930's where I checked out some old rusted artifacts. This off trail excursion used to be part of the Greeley Ponds Trail before it was washed out just south of the campsite and rerouted up a PUD away from the Mad River

Beautiful morning from the lower slopes of Waterville Valley Ski Area. Mount Tecumseh on the left, Tripyramids on the right

Lower Greeley Ponds

Camp 5 artifacts

Sunday, November 17th Sarge and I headed over Pinkham Notch and down to the Rocky Branch Trailhead for an on and off trail hike of Mount Isolation. We made quick work of the Rocky Branch Trail to the height of land before hopping off trail at the "T" tree where we started the Engine Hill Bushwhack. During the whack we maintained a course along 3250' heading in and out of the many Birch Glades over the next mile. Along the way we saw a huge bull moose who luckily scampered uphill wanting nothing to do with us. After about a mile we dropped down and intersected the Isolation Trail and stayed on this until the Davis Path junction. The Isolation trail was a mix of bare ground, ice, and frozen mud. Unlike the western part of the trail that drops down into the Dry River Valley, the eastern section is not a very attractive or fun trail to travel. Because of this, after summiting we decided to take another bushwhack on the way out.

Isolation Express Bushwhack starts in a small col 0.25 miles from the summit. We were able to follow some tracks in the dusting of snow and once that petered out we were able to stay on course as there was a decent herd path to follow. However, somewhere along the lower half Sarge and I ventured off the normal route to the south and ended up hiking through a semi open plateau before stumbling upon the Rocky Branch where we easily crossed the river and then made our way up a steep embankment where we hooked onto the lower part of the Mount Isolation Trail. We probably saved a third of a mile doing this but saved no time at all. Once back on trail we decided to bypass the Engine Hill Bushwhack and stick to the trails on the way back making for an easy finish to the morning's hike covering the 13 miles and 3600' elevation gained in under four hours.

Sarge posing for a picture as we travel through one of many Birch glades off trail

Windy Mount Isolation Summit with Mount Washington and the Boott Sour in view

Tuesday, November 19th, Sarge and I did a quick hike up to Mount Garfield. Nothing too exciting on trail this day, the summit was windy and in the clouds so we didn't hang around. Trail conditions were pretty good with a dusting of snow starting at 3500' and a fresh couple of inches of snow over the last half mile. We made quick work of Garfield making it up and down before the start of the work day.

Sarge happy to be in the snow at the Mount Garfield / Garfield Ridge Trail junction and enjoying the windy summit of Mount Garfield

Wednesday, November 20th Sarge and I headed above the clouds for one last no gear hike up the Rockpile until Spring. We had incredible undercast as we headed along the Cog Railway, easy and straightforward hiking while taking in the views and enjoying the mild weather that was already hoovering around freezing. Sage set the pace and we motored up and down in just over two hours. It's been a helluva run on Washington since Memorial Day with Sarge getting up top weekly and we are already looking forward to 5AM June through August starts in t-shirt and shorts in 2025!

Twin Range floating above a sea of clouds

Sarge heads past the warming station where winter Cog riders can get a small taste of the elements

Sarge on trail with undercast blanketing Bretton Woods

Mount Clay and Jefferson

Crossing the tracks along the A.T.

Bright sunshine on the summit of Mount Washington

Sarge on the summit and next to the McAdams & Chadwick memorial cross a few hundred feet from the summit

Sarge basking in the sun on the observation deck

Looking north toward Gorham

One last picture of Sarge and the undercast

GW's Mad Isolated Owl . . . Madison, Washington, Isolation, Owl's Head Traverse

Date of Hike: 9/21/19

Valley Way: 3.8 miles / Appalachian Trail: 7.0 miles / Davis Path: 15.0 miles / Notch Inn Cutoff: 0.7 miles / Nancy Pond Trail: 6.0 miles / Carrigain Notch Trail: 1.5 miles / Wilderness Trail: 3.5 miles / Abandoned Wilderness Trail: 0.5 miles / Bondcliff Trail: 1.9 miles / Franconia Falls & Fisherman's Path: 2.0 miles / Lincoln Brook Trail: 2.1 miles / Brutus Bushwhack: 0.7 miles / Owl's Head Path: 1.8 miles / Lincoln Brook Trail: 2.5 miles / Black Pond Bushwhack & Trail: 2.0 miles / Lincoln Woods Trail: 2.0 miles
Total Miles: 53 miles (13,838 feet elevation gained)

Trip Report:
- It doesn't get much better than spending sunrise to sunset traveling through the spine of the White Mountains, fifty plus miles filled with rich history. Above treeline across the Appalachian Trail, descending back into the trees along the Davis Path to 302. Heading by the old site of Lucy Mill on the way to Norcross Pond. Dropping into the Pemigewasset Wilderness over the old railroad grades along Nancy Pond, Carrigain Notch and Wilderness trails from the J.E. Henry's days. Cruising through the wilderness with not another person seen for miles and miles before finally making my way over to Owl's Head via the deteriorating Fisherman's Path, Lincoln Brook, and Brutus Bushwhack, followed by an exhilarating/scary bear encounter on the way back to civilization!

- Started off at 4:50AM from Appalachia along the Valley Way passing by two dozen hikers on my way up to Madison Spring Hut and another dozen coming down from the summit cone as I made my way to Mount Madison. I was amazed about seeing this many people on trail at such an early hour in September, definitely shows the explosion in hiking/trail runners/weeble wobbles in the past couple of years.
- Thick fog and clouds blanketed everything above 4,500 feet so no spectacular sunrise from Mount Madison unfortunately. Fortunately, once I left Madison Spring Hut I was ahead of the hiking bubble and cruised across the Appalachian Trail to Washington with the trails all to myself. I made it to the summit of Washington just after 8AM with it all to myself.
- Next up, I dropped down to the Davis Path and made the long hike towards Isolation and then past it to Route 302. Clouds broke off quickly as I made my way past the Southside Trail junction following my favorite section of cairn construction above treeline in the White Mountains towards Boott Spur.
- Continuing along the Davis Path I headed to treeline passing by a few hikers before having the trail all to myself again over to Mount Isolation. From Isolation the Davis Path takes on a wild and remote feel as it passes by Mount Davis and Giant Stairs. Once past Stairs I started seeing a couple of hikers here and there and then I saw about fifty from Mount Crawford the Davis Path trailhead.
- 25 miles and just over 7 hours later I was filtering water from the Sacco River before walking across 302, by the Notchland Inn, and taking a spur trail from the inn through the woods over to the Nancy Pond Trail. It was now after 12PM and it was hot and humid, felt like the start of summer instead of the end.
- The hike up to Nancy Cascade was pretty quiet only seeing a handful of hikers, once past the cascade I would be all alone again for the next 10 miles. The hike above the cascade is a very steep half mile burst, it was a grind but well worth it for the view from Norcross Pond.
- At the edge of the pond is an outlet with an amazing view looking down into the Pemigewasset Wilderness, I was able to see most of the twenty + miles of my remaining route from this spot.
- Now came for the highlight of the day, I had not dropped down the sweet "ramp" of the old railroad grade to Stillwater Junction from Norcross this year so I was excited to be back on it. As always it did not disappoint with some early season foliage here and there as I passed Camp 19, the fern tunnel, and Desolation on my way into the valley. I filtered water at Stillwater and took a short break before heading on.
- Past Stillwater I continued onto the Wilderness Trail past Camp 20 as I jogged over to the old site of Trestle #17 / suspension bridge of the East Branch Pemigewasset River. I easily rock hopped across the river as the water levels were the lowest I've ever seen them. From here I strolled along a half mile section of the abandoned Wilderness Trail to the Black Brook Trestle before making my way to Camp 16 onto what is now the lower end of the Bondcliff Trail along the railroad grade.
- I was pretty beat up at this moment, 38 miles and just over 10 hours into my "run." I hoped to be jogging this stretch but the warm temps made it a quick hike to the wilderness boundary.
- I crossed over the Franconia Brook footbridge, banged a right onto the Franconia Falls Trail and then at the "End of Trail" sign continued on to the Fisherman's Path bushwhack. The past ten years have taken a toll on sections of this whack, it starts off on a well defined path but sputters out in places half way through before returning to a decently defined albeit narrow path.
- 42 miles and just over 11 hours in I'm on the Lincoln Brook Trail making the approach to the base of Owl's Head. I pass by a few late day hikers on my way to the start of the Brutus Bushwhack.
- At the least water crossing I fill up on water again before one last steep ascent. I slowly hike up the well defined herd path, stopping at one moment to cool myself off from a small runoff before the super steep burst that leaves from a drainage. After 0.7 miles I reach "Brutus Rock," and take a right onto Owl's Head Path, passing by a descending hiker and his dog while moseying up to the ridge followed by a semi jog to the summit of Owl's Head. 45 miles and just under 13 hours in I'm thrilled to be at the summit, now it's time for a nice and calm early evening hike back to Lincoln Woods . . . or so I thought!
- Just before the Owl's Head Path drops from the ridge I hear a hiker, he's banging his poles, he's talking loudly, my first though was sweet - a bear! But as soon as I got to him I knew this wasn't the norm for bear encounters up here, which are they speed off or look at you goofily and waddle away. No, this old male was used to people food from lazy or uninformed hikers/backpackers who leave their packs at the bottom of the slide or improperly hang food. Bad news for me is that I had 45 + miles of wrappers and smeared chocolate on my running vest!
- So I start clapping my hands and talking to the bear, after a minute the other hiker heads towards the summit, initially the bear follows him for a few feet off trail but then he stops turns around and follows me, now on the trail! I start slowly walking down the Owl's Head Path off the ridge, the bear is in step for step with me about ten to twenty feet away. I pick up a downed branch and bang trees every few seconds, when I stop the bear does eventually stop, five feet away each time. I then start walking backwards downhill and when I'm twenty to thirty feet ahead it starts following me, when I turn around and start to hike a little faster the bear makes sure to come back to within five feet of me right away.
- So I make the decision that I will not go down Brutus Bushwhack, I'll head down the slide. Once I reach Brutus Rock, I yell at the bear and bang my branch into the ground and pick up and throw a rock near him, he stops, I'm able to walk backwards without him coming towards me, I get thirty feet of distance between us and knowing I am closing in on the top of the slide with plenty of rocks, plus I'd feel more comfortable in the open space of the slide, I make the sprint down to the top of it. I look back and don't see him running towards me, I continue to the middle, look back and don't see him, I sprint to the lower part of the slide and see the hiker with his dog. I tell him a bear will be coming along and that I'll continue down with him, but this hiker is with the other hiker who I met on the ridge, and says he's going to wait here for him. I had my fill of hanging out with the bear for half a mile so I was not going to stick around to keep talking to a bear until it gets bored and finally goes away.
- From here I jet down the remaining tenth of a mile to the Lincoln Brook Trail and trail run for another mile or so. I catch up with two hikers making their way out, and they told me that a bear took someones pack who left it at the bottom of the slide path! Poor bear, I feel bad for him, especially if he leaves the wilderness and starts dumpster diving, his days will be numbered. As for the experience, not going to lie, it was kind of terrifying at times...
- My adrenaline finally started to drop quickly as I made it to the Black Pond bushwhack, now I was noticing how sore I was from the impromptu trail run, my legs were getting really tight, luckily the small uphill part of the BP BW helped stretch a few things out.
- I turned my headlamp on as I passed by Black Pond as the woods were quickly getting dark. The remaining 2.5 miles to the suspension bridge was quiet and went by semi quickly.
- After 53 miles and 14 hours and 50 minutes, I reached the end as the stars were starting to come out. It was quite the day with a little bit of everything, the way I sum it up . . . it was a perfect bookend to a great summer of rock hopping!