Howker Ridge Trail

[sapblatt]

Anyone been on this lately (Howker Ridge)? Nothing in trail conditions...
I seem to recall hearing that it can need a canoe in the spring...
May get out there in a couple of weeks and I am wondering what ot expect.
Thanks.

 

[peakbagger]

Howker tends to keep snow late into the season especially in between the bumps. Probably better to wait a while

 

[sapblatt]

Howker tends to keep snow late into the season especially in between the bumps. Probably better to wait a while

Thanks Dennis -
Don't really care about the snow - just want an idea of what to expect!

 

[arghman]

Can't comment on the Howks, but the waterfall crossing in the lower section (Hitchcock Falls on Bumpus Brook) was kind of fierce late June last year & I would expect it might be a nasty crossing right now.

 

[KenC]

The Howks are Great and well worth a visit. As long as you don;t mind the UD's ( i can't call the howks PUD's cause they aren;t pointless). I've always had good weather but above treeline in bad weather the trail might be harder to follow. Worst case pick up Osgood. I've also done the Pine Link route from Howker around and that's a nice walk also. I'd also expect a fair amount of snow held in certain areas and it's not a heavily traveled trail. I've seen no one either time i've hiked it.

 

[LivesToHike]

Great trail...

It was full of blow-downs back on March 18th, but I still like this trail! It's full of good scenery, quiet and a nice walk. The small water falls area at the beginning has enough beauty to get anyone motivated to continue up the ridge and to Madison summit.

I would agree that the stream crossing after Devil's Kitchen and before the Bear Pit is probably challenging in Spring. If it's anything like the Dry River crossing on the way to Isolation... ...still it's a great trail.

- LTH

PS Oh, wait a minute, did I just convince folks to use this trail?
No, it's the worst trail in the White Mtns, laden with thick, muddy bogs, brambles, wolves, white mtn 'gators, slippery, moss covered rocks and logs, huge steam vents, lava flows, and a hungry rabbit with big, nasty teeth. Don't ever go there.

 

[chipc]

Did the Howker Ridge Trail a few years ago with the follow route beginning from Pinkham B: Howker Ridge trail to Kelton Trail to Brookside to Lower Bruin to Valley Way to Upper Bruin to Airline to the hut. Then up Mt. Madison and down Howker Ridge Trail bact to Pinkham B.

This was in August, so wetness was not an issue. The views from the Howks were neat and it was cool how you dip into the woods and then pop up for a view. (Oh I forgot - there were no views ). One point I did write in my notes was that compared to other ~10 mile hikes we'd done this one was certainly one of the most tiring. In fact, with about a mile or two to go, my wife was ready to "lay down and wait for the coyotes" and swore "I'm not hiking again!" Oh wait - that's for another thread.

 

[sapblatt]

PS Oh, wait a minute, did I just convince folks to use this trail?
No, it's the worst trail in the White Mtns, laden with thick, muddy bogs, brambles, wolves, white mtn 'gators, slippery, moss covered rocks and logs, huge steam vents, lava flows, and a hungry rabbit with big, nasty teeth. Don't ever go there.

Oh I had no intentions of ever going anywhere near there - was just curious.
Sounds terrible.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Mike -

Once you make the stream crossings lower down, there's very little water per se on Howker Ridge as it follows a spine/buttress up Madison. As others have said - it is a bit sheltered in places so it holds the snow. Plus, it's not done much in the winter, so the trail usually doesn't get packed down solid, making for abrupt postholing almost up to your crotch sometimes.

I don't know about you, but postholing is springtime always seems much more disagreeable in spring than in, say Februrary. Maybe because the corn snow is so wet? Maybe because it's unexpected? Or just sick of rotten snow and want it to go away?

Kevin