Herd path from S. Crocker to Redington?

[Double Bow]

I've heard that there is a herd path that is almost a trail from S. Crocker to Redington. Can anyone give me any fairly recent (past year) information about this? Is there such a path? Is it more like a trail or a 'whack? Is it easy to find?

 

[sli74]

I asked the same question last October and got some great responses, I will try and find that thread and post it for you in a minute. Bobandgeru and PapaBear were both very helpful. I found it to be a bushwhack for the middle part. The initial herdpath was very easy to follow but it petered out after a while and we crawled through in the thick of things for a long while and then finally we just headed Westish and got to the clearing and followed that uphill for a while until we found another more tromped down herdpath to a trail to the summit. If I can do it anyone can probably do it. I will find my old thread for you in a minute. Good Luck !!


Here is the old thread with all kinds of info. Hope it helps.
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3741

sli74

 

[poison ivy]

I hiked this along with BobandGeri, MEB and MichaelJ this summer. As Seema says the trail is easy to follow at first and then it kind of disappears. To me, it was a real bushwhack but everyone else (more experienced in these matters) said it barely qualified as a bushwhack because it was too easy.

If you're heading west, it's really hard to miss the clearning because it's huge. We did tie a bandana to a tree in the spot where we reached the clearing just to be sure we'd know where to head back, since the clearing is so large. I found the trip back to South Crocker easier.

- Ivy

 

[SteveHiker]

Double Bow,

when are you planning on going?

AMSTony and I are planning a trip up there in the near future, as in next weekend (20th - 21st)

 

[Double Bow]

Seema, thanks for getting me started in the right direction!

Double Bow,

when are you planning on going?

AMSTony and I are planning a trip up there in the near future, as in next weekend (20th - 21st)

Steve, I'm planning on doing this around Labor Day. Please let me know how it goes for you.

Mike, thanks for sending the link! I checked that out as well as Bob & Geri's reports from their trips up there this year and in 2004 as well as Papa Bear's 2002 trip.

It's kind of interesting to see the changes in sentiment about the level of difficulty from 2002 to present. Obviously, the path has improved but, according to Ivy and Seema, it's not quite at the Nancy level! Shamie doesn't bushwhack but, I'm thinking that I might chance it and have us give it a go. It makes more sense than doing the Crockers and Redington as seperate trips.

 

[MichaelJ]

What Poison Ivy said ... it's very easy to start on the path off S. Crocker. It crosses a land boundary clearing (which looks pretty weird), then descends, and the further it goes the less distinct it is. We lost it by the end and had to do some honest bushwhacking to get to the big slash clearing. From there, up to the top right was easy, and there was the logging road, and then another turn onto an easy-to-follow herd path went right up to meet the "trail" to the summit (that comes from the same logging road, but on the other side of the height of land).

As long as you have a good idea where you're going, you won't get lost. Stay on the same flank of the mountain that the identifiable path takes you down and don't drift too low. You will have to hit either the slash clearing or the logging road.

 

[bobandgeri]

We have done this trip twice and not really had an issue either time. The 2nd time we did this, we found that the herd path was overgrown and harder to follow that the 1st trip.

After leaving S Crocker you will come to a few splits in the trail almost right away. I believe we went left then right. In about 10 minutes you will come to a clear cut swath that you want to go straight across - when we were there last we found a tree across the path that hid it.

As you follow the herd path down to the col, you will come to a large clearing. Mark where you come out, then proceed across and to the left until you come to an old logging road. Go left on the road to the height of land, take a right and head up to the summit. You will come to another logging road near the summit - take a right. On the return trip be sure to nake this turn if you are going to go back up to S Crocker! If you miss it you will come down to the logging roads and head back to the CVP road and the AT crossing that way. If you plan on doing this, bring comfortable shoes! The one advantage of doing the return via the logging road is teh pond you can stop at and cool off.

 

[Double Bow]

Thanks Bob & Geri! I was thinking of coming down from Redington to the road and walking back, doing a loop. That seems easier, especially with someone who is not a fan of bushwhacking!

 

[Papa Bear]

...
In about 10 minutes you will come to a clear cut swath that you want to go straight across - when we were there last we found a tree across the path that hid it.

I believe that this straight line open cut is the boundary line of the Appalachian Trail Corridor (The land surrounding it is I believe paper company land). There also appears to be a township boundary which cuts across the top of Redington, but I didn't notice that when I was there.

When I did it in 2002 with my daughter we thought it was a good workout. By the standards of some routes I have done more recently (like last Sunday ), Redington was a walk in the park.

But getting to a peak is always a pleasure, so don't worry if someone (even me) says "Oh, that's an easy one". When you get there, relax and celebrate your achievement. Or as we like to say, HYOH (BYOB).

 

[askus3]

I will be there Monday, August 22. Doing an AT hike from Stratton Brook Road to Caribou Valley Road with a spur bushwack to Reddington. If Stevehiker & AMSTony have special problems or concerns, with the bushwack the only way, I know you can convey that to my group (which would be greatly appreciated) would be to leave a note under a rock at the summit of South Crocker (and that is if you return that route) otherwise where the AT crosses Caribou Valley Road. If all goes well, and everything is straightforward, I will just look for your sign-in at the Reddington register box.

 

[SteveHiker]

actually Aaron, we haven't decided exactly what we're going to do. We may drive all the way in and go up that way since we've already been to Crocker. I was actually just looking to see if anyone else would be there at the same time. I figured the bigger the group the harder it would be to get lost.

all that bouncing around on CVR fixed whatever was wrong with the jeep the last time I was there. Instead of getting it serviced I thought I'd just take it back there.

 

[MichaelJ]

The cut, and the clearing.

Enjoy!

 

[bobandgeri]

Our Trip Report from the June 4th hike showing a couple of views of the herd path, clearing, and most importantly - the snow!

 

[Double Bow]

Bob & Geri, out of curiousity, why did you opt to to back to S. Crocker from Redington, rather than doing the loop like you did on your earlier trip?

 

[bobandgeri]

We had left a car at the AT junction with Route 27 - Poison Ivy wanted to do the section of the AT from North Crocker to Route 27. FYI - unless you are section hiking the AT - I'd suggest running over to N Crocker, then returning to S. Crocker.

If you do this on a warm day - I'd suggest returning to your car via the logging roads and stopping at the pond. If a cool or wet day - return via the bushwack to S. Crocker and down to your car so you are under trees most of the way.

 

[poison ivy]

We had left a car at the AT junction with Route 27 - Poison Ivy wanted to do the section of the AT from North Crocker to Route 27. FYI - unless you are section hiking the AT - I'd suggest running over to N Crocker, then returning to S. Crocker.

Indeed it was all my fault! Definitely don't follow the AT over the north side of North Crocker to Route 27 unless you are AT-obsessed like me!

- Ivy

 

[Mad Townie]

Steve, I may be interested in joining you next weekend if the family stars line up correctly. If so, we can probably meet somewhere and take my Explorer in the road. After all, that's why I bought the thing!

 

[Mike P.]

FWIW, I'm planning on doing the "trail" from CVR up & back on the 17th. I'll have an update on CVR afterwards

 

[Eric Savage]

Indeed it was all my fault! Definitely don't follow the AT over the north side of North Crocker to Route 27 unless you are AT-obsessed like me!

- Ivy

Don't knock that section, it's beautiful and certainly less strenuous that the CVR approach. Sure it's a bit long and I would spot cars rather than including the long road walk to make a loop but I'm always looking for an alternative to up and back if I can avoid it. You never know what you might find.

 

[amstony]

Steve,

I'll be up for that area too........Reddington if possible, probably some of the others. Keep me posted.

Tony