BAX-TAH Beta request

[ctsparrow]

Two requests:

1). Any recent beta on the Fort whack? Am familiar with Marston to No Brother. Heading up next week.

2). My son and an age appropriate friend will be doing Knifes Edge. We have been to both Hamlin and Baxter Peaks counter clockwise from Chimney Pond. Was figuring they will be going clockwise from Roaring Brook, Helen Taylor thru to saddle. Does anyone strongly recc. clockwise vs counter clockwise. We have a DUPR for Sat of Labor Day weekend, so the trails will be 'crowded'. If they are feeling strong and based on weather we may shoot for Friday instead.

Thanks in advance.
Ctsparrow, Sue

 

[peakbagger]

Fort whack is a pretty well established herd path.

CW is my choice as it gets them up and over Knife Edge early in the day. The earlier you can start the better.

 

[RoySwkr]

1). Any recent beta on the Fort whack? Am familiar with Marston to No Brother. Heading up next week.

2). My son and an age appropriate friend will be doing Knifes Edge. We have been to both Hamlin and Baxter Peaks counter clockwise from Chimney Pond. Was figuring they will be going clockwise from Roaring Brook, Helen Taylor thru to saddle. Does anyone strongly recc. clockwise vs counter clockwise.

1) Biggest issue with herd path is finding start as of course there's no sign

2) Strongly agree with clockwise, tough stuff is better uphill and you're under cover from afternoon storms sooner

 

[peakbagger]

BY the way, I had a reservation in the park a few labor days ago, the line at the gate in the morning despite the DUPR was pretty much continuous, folks would get in dayhiking, drive out and get back in line

 

[marty]

Hiked to North Brother on Monday:

1. When I did Fort several years ago, I followed a few cairns going down off the summit of North Brother and then to the left, which took me to where the Fort herd path begins. I did see a few of those cairns on Monday, but was unable to determine if all were there, due to thick fog.

2. Warning: The Marston Trail above the upper trail junction is now almost a herd path. Needs major brushing and trail work. Monday was wet and it was like going through a car wash.

Good luck!
Marty

 

[ctsparrow]

Thanks all for the heads up. Plan on being at the gate Saturday ridiculously early, prob 5 am, I m going to hike So Turner then head into Chimney Pond to meet them on the way out. I plan on having them start as soon as the rangers will let us in to drive to the trailhead. Surprised about the Marston being so bad up high, it sounds definitely degraded since my last visit 2010, we are planning on typical bushwhack clothing, may need to add full legs before we get to North Bro, demands for trail maintenance are high everywhere. My son spent 7 weeks doing trail crew in Vermont with VYCC this summer, I highly recc conservation crews to all high school/college kids as an excellent summer endeavor, some of them pay the kids a stipend-a decent chunk of change to take back to college.

Thanks!! hoping the weather holds out, but after all...it is Bax-tah!!

 

[marty]

Surprised about the Marston being so bad up high, it sounds definitely degraded since my last visit 2010, we are planning on typical bushwhack clothing, may need to add full legs before we get to North Bro, demands for trail maintenance are high everywhere.

You probably won't need long pants to N. Brother if it is dry, as the branches are mostly balsam. We stayed in shorts to the summit. We weren't cut, but we were totally soaked. Switched to rain pants on the summit because it was cool and windy. Kept them on to a bit below the upper Mt. Coe trail junction.

Marty

 

[madmattd]

A few of us did the Coe-Brothers-Fort loop earlier this month. Honestly, I thought the Martson Trail above the upper junction was less brushy but more eroded than 2 years ago. But that could be my poor memory about such things. The Fort herd path was fine, and actually easier to follow though no less brushy than 2 years ago. Get to North Brother, follow the small cairns down the ledges, enter the scrub. After a short stretch, the path pops back out of the scrub for a short spot and hooks left on some rocks (a rlighfainter path continues straight, but believe me it's terrible!), and hooks right again a few dozen feet later. It braids a couple of times to get around blowdowns, but it all meets up again quickly, you should be fine. But I definitely suggest pants for Fort (not a problem to N. Brother), and even eye protection. The path is there, but very brushy, so keep an eye on your feet if in doubt, and you will see the footbed.

 

[Tim Horn]

Hit Fort a month ago or so. If you go without pants you will return bleeding from the Fort "trail". At least I did.