Esther - June 25

[nundagao]

From the ASRC trailhead to the junction the W'face trail was in excellent condition with very little mud and only a couple of small trees across the trail. (Reminder to self: transfer folding saw from winter gear to summer daypack!) After the junction, which has a most impressive recently constructed hoodoo, the path to Esther had LOTS of mudholes as usual, especially beyond the boardwalk (an excellent piece of work!). BTW, don't bother trying to circumvent the mudholes. It's SO much easier to just slosh right on through. It saves steps, it's easier on the plant life, and after the hike you can stop at the Wilmington flume and hang your feet in the water. The river will do a better job of cleaning your boots than you can do yourself. Just watch out for the poison ivy - it's lush along the river.