Fisher Cat
New member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2007
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Though this hiking "week" was cut short due to a variety of reasons, it was still an enjoyable time. Day 1 consisted of hiking up Osseo Trail for our first installment of trailwork. Driving up Saturday (7hours) we then hit trail by 5PM, we hiked in to the switchbacks, then went off trail well over 200ft to set up camp. It was a bit gloomy out and had rained while packing up at Lincoln Woods, though it ceased by the time we left LW Lot and set-up time, later it was on and off again. Breakfast was on trail as we had the goal of completing all blazing. Osseo is an easy trail to follow during the 3-season time, however, the concern was for winter hikers who we noticed have mentioned the lack of it in their trip reports. Happy to report that all blazing is now complete. When one blazes you move pretty slow and notice more than normal. We finally found with certainty the old Osseo Trail entrance on the new trail. Once you go in several yards a trail corridor is readily seen and it has received a bare minimal amount of maintenance. There was also evidence it had been snowshoed this winter. Someday (if we have the time) it would be fun to follow. Spruce and birch are definitely the hardest to blaze, hence we try not to use them, balsalm is definitely the best. There was still an embankment of snow at the top of Flume Slide along with an ever-present mist released from melting snow into humid air. Good breeze at top of Flume, N-NW, temps in high 40's. Did an Alpine Flower Watch survey but there is really nothing out yet.Bilberry is budding and some diapensai looked like it wanted too. Dwarf birch buds were also swelling. Woodland flowers are abundant, trillium, lady slippers, the bluebead lily are budding. Pleased to report a little less trailside trash this year. But no thanks( and I know it was no one from these forums) to whoever left their "Lady J" portable urinal and its "contents" in a bag. Yes, we hauled it out, along with one water bottle, and several candy wrappers. Removed 10 blowdowns. Not much animal life, a few warblers, white-throated sparrows, set of moose tracks and scat, but no bears along our famed stratch of bear alley. On Day 2 after our work was done we returned to the Lot, repacked and headed for OBP. We hiked in about 1.5 m and again, following legal camping guidelines, set up camp. We saw about 15-20 people descending, the last a couple heading down at about 730PM. This night was much cooler, rainier, and windier then the night before. I didn't sleep worth a darn. The terrain dictated a night that was similar to sleeping on a water slide. It was cold, wet, and in the end you always ended up at the bottom, in this case the bottom was the bivy. Though I wasn't sore the next day, I was tired. My gear was soaked. We decided to get up to Greenleaf and see what to do from there. This was Day 3, June 2, and I was surprised the last weather update had been from May 30. We changed gear at the hut, where we found that inside our packs, thanks to rain, moisture, condensation, humidity, and the car-wash effect, all our clothing was soaked. The weather showed no signs of drying out so we could get a shot at drying out our gear. We put on our "driest" clothes, then our layers and went for Lafayette. Wind was steady, varying N, but mostly W, temps low-mid 40's, with little ice crystals on gloves and hat, visibilty 25-30ft. We made it to the top and I was able to get a boot picture with the USGS marker and then my batteries died. We had hoped to continue to Garfield and descend to 13 Falls Campsite via Franconia Brook and do Owl's Head the next day, but considering the weather and my clothes and gear being soaked, I decided I would call it quits. I wanted to do more summiting this week, but I was glad to get the trailwork done and get one peak. After all, I'm coming back in 25 days, well, 24 now. Bugs were out at low elevations and biting. I'm pleased that 2 products I used for the first time worked great for me, and both are organic. One is a citronella soap you bathe with a couple of nights before you leave, the other is also a citronella blend bar that you rub on your skin. (If anyone is interested, PM me and I can get you a link). On the way down we met an AMC Trail Crew heading up to clear blowdowns the length of Franconia Ridge and then down Osseo. We were pleased (and I think they were too) to inform them Osseo had just been taken care of the day before. Not too many pics, combined with cruddy weather and dead batteries didn't give too many opps, but what are ya gonna do? Happy hiking everyone and see ya on the trail again soon!
Some pics:
http://fishercat.smugmug.com/gallery/5094067_v27qP#307108869_W68Zo
Some pics:
http://fishercat.smugmug.com/gallery/5094067_v27qP#307108869_W68Zo
