Date of Hike: 2/13/11
Rocky Branch Trail: 2.8 miles
Engine Hill Bushwhack: 1.3 miles
Isolation Trail / Bushwhack: 1.9 miles
Davis Path: .5 miles
Davis Path / Isolation / Rocky Branch / Bushwhacks: 6.5 miles
Total Miles: 13.0 (elevation gain 3,400 feet)
Click here for trail descriptions
Trip Report:
- Over the past month I kept watching the trail conditions hoping that Mount Isolation would be broken out but it never seemed like it was and not knowing the exact track of the standard winter route bushwhacks I stayed away from venturing to the isolated Isolation summit.
- However this weekend I was lucky enough to find out the Bob, Cathy, and Mike were planning on hiking it and the trail had been broken out on Friday and packed down really well on Saturday so I tagged along with the group and headed up to Isolation.
- On Trail at 10:15am, summit 2pm, finished 4:30pm, temps around twenty degrees, clear skies to socked in views above 4,400 feet, no wind.
- We made great time up to the Dry River / Presidential Range Wilderness boundary as Cathy set a real good pace. We all heated up really fast and had to shed layers because of the warmer winter temps and no wind.
- When we hit the Engine Hill Bushwhack I was really excited to get to hike through the open birch-glades. It was one of my favorite sections of the hike and really pretty eventhough this time the bushwhack didn't stay in the birch-glades as long as it usually does.
- The hike out and back of Mount Isolation is pretty long as far as miles go but the grades are gradual and since the trail was packed down we booked it up to the top with no problems. The only steep section is the last couple hundred feet to the bare summit where I expected high winds but there were none at all today.
- We stayed at the summit for a few minutes to take pictures and have a tasty brownie or two before butt sliding back down the Isolation Spur to the Davis Path.
- The hike back to the car was uneventful as it fast and furious and lots of fun! Back at the car it was time to get into warm clothes and start the long drive home where I would get pulled over for speeding by a state trooper. Congrats "Officer Krupke" for getting me, I consider myself the "Red Baron" of I-93, job well done...although next time I can do without the whole making me get out of my car, having me unzip my snow pants pockets and pull out the lining, being told that he has reason to believe I am hiding something, searching the back of my car and asking if I have done any drugs!
- Even with getting nailed for speeding it was another great trip and hike in the White Mountains and it was lots of fun to hike with Bob, Cathy, and Mike!
Pictures: Click here for all pictures
Rocky Branch Trail: 2.8 miles
Engine Hill Bushwhack: 1.3 miles
Isolation Trail / Bushwhack: 1.9 miles
Davis Path: .5 miles
Davis Path / Isolation / Rocky Branch / Bushwhacks: 6.5 miles
Total Miles: 13.0 (elevation gain 3,400 feet)
Click here for trail descriptions
Trip Report:
- Over the past month I kept watching the trail conditions hoping that Mount Isolation would be broken out but it never seemed like it was and not knowing the exact track of the standard winter route bushwhacks I stayed away from venturing to the isolated Isolation summit.
- However this weekend I was lucky enough to find out the Bob, Cathy, and Mike were planning on hiking it and the trail had been broken out on Friday and packed down really well on Saturday so I tagged along with the group and headed up to Isolation.
- On Trail at 10:15am, summit 2pm, finished 4:30pm, temps around twenty degrees, clear skies to socked in views above 4,400 feet, no wind.
- We made great time up to the Dry River / Presidential Range Wilderness boundary as Cathy set a real good pace. We all heated up really fast and had to shed layers because of the warmer winter temps and no wind.
- When we hit the Engine Hill Bushwhack I was really excited to get to hike through the open birch-glades. It was one of my favorite sections of the hike and really pretty eventhough this time the bushwhack didn't stay in the birch-glades as long as it usually does.
- The hike out and back of Mount Isolation is pretty long as far as miles go but the grades are gradual and since the trail was packed down we booked it up to the top with no problems. The only steep section is the last couple hundred feet to the bare summit where I expected high winds but there were none at all today.
- We stayed at the summit for a few minutes to take pictures and have a tasty brownie or two before butt sliding back down the Isolation Spur to the Davis Path.
- The hike back to the car was uneventful as it fast and furious and lots of fun! Back at the car it was time to get into warm clothes and start the long drive home where I would get pulled over for speeding by a state trooper. Congrats "Officer Krupke" for getting me, I consider myself the "Red Baron" of I-93, job well done...although next time I can do without the whole making me get out of my car, having me unzip my snow pants pockets and pull out the lining, being told that he has reason to believe I am hiding something, searching the back of my car and asking if I have done any drugs!
- Even with getting nailed for speeding it was another great trip and hike in the White Mountains and it was lots of fun to hike with Bob, Cathy, and Mike!
Pictures: Click here for all pictures
Engine Hill Bushwhack
Mount Isolation Summit
View towards Mount Pierce
Birch-glades
Nice trip report super hiker! Sorry to hear about getting caught speeding, happens to the best of us =)...to bad he was a jerk, most state cops aren't like that. What an ASS =X
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't to mean but he thought I was lying to him! I went to exit and he pulled me over, asked me why I was exiting if I was heading to RI, and I said I need gas, but just my luck it was the only exit I know of that didn't have a gas station and he then drilled me on this until I had enough and actually did lie and said You're right I don't need gas, sorry for speeding, but I don't know what else to tell you and that's when he made me get out of the car...FOR SPEEDING! ugh!
ReplyDeletethe next exit I went and got gas...and some cookies!