NH_Mtn_Hiker
New member
I set out this morning to finish what I started last weekend, to break out the trails to Isolation. Last Saturday morning another solo hiker and myself broke trail to the top of Engine Hill. The trail breaking was extremely difficult due to the dense snow on top and very light powder underneath. In roughly 24 inches of snow we were post holing, with snowshoes, 20-24 inches. I bailed just short of the top of Engine Hill and another hiker who had caught up to me earlier, Mike, bailed shortly after reaching the height-of-land.
Other groups later in the day advanced the trail to within a half mile of the Rocky Branch river. On Sunday and Monday other hikers, including Mike on Monday, advanced the broken trail across the Rocky Branch, between the first and second crossings, and up the side of the ridge about half a mile.
I arrived at the trailhead this morning just after 8am. There were four other cars there and I hoped they had all carpooled.
About 20 minutes up the trail I caught up to Mike going for his third attempt on Isolation. 45 minutes later we were making our way across the flats on Engine Hill where we caught up to Sam. From here the loose knit threesome hiked on and reached the Rocky Branch around 10ish. From there we followed the tracks uphill. After a while Mike pointed out where the tracks had ended on Monday and from here it was obvious the tracks we were following had just been put there this morning.
About a quarter mile further we caught up to a group of four younger hikers taking a break at he base of a steep ledge. They indicated one other hiker had gone ahead. When asked which way he went, we were informed he went right up the ledge. Humm..I thought. So we've got one of those extreme hardcore hikers out in front of us. With some difficulty I got up over the ledge and continued following the tracks up hill. As the spruce trees got denser I began pulling away from Mike and the others, but I couldn't close on the solo hiker ahead of me. At this point I figured it was probably Frodo or some similar extreme type hiker who does crazy things like bushwhacking across the Pemi.
As the spruce trees were getting denser I reached a junction. It appeared this other hiker had first gone to the left, doubled back, and was now headed down hill. At first, I was going to wait for the others to see what people wanted to do, but those tracks to the left intrigued me. What had turned this hardcore hiker around. I had to go check it out. About a hundred feet further I emerged out onto what appeared to be a ledge, but as I climbed up onto it I realized I was on a summit. The summit of WHAT though? I turned towards the north and there was Mt. Isolation over a mile away. I was on Mt. Davis. For the second time this winter I had successfully summited the wrong darn mountain.
When I returned to the junction the others had arrived, and the extreme whacker had returned from his down hill route. I recognized him immediately from the 1 1/2 inch icicles hanging from his mustache. It was fellow VFTT'er and hardcore hiking, Pemi bushwhacking Oncoman. He had tried to bushwhack across the col to Isolation, but returned because it was too thick.
After a brief debate we decided to return to the summit of Davis to find the spur trail over to the Davis Path. After about a 15 minute search in 50-60 mph winds we decided to just head west towards the trail which we knew was only about a thousand feet away. It was at about this point that the group of younger hikers bailed and headed back down. Myself and the other three solo'ers reached the Davis Path just after 11:30 and we wasted no time trekking up the wind packed trail towards Isolation which we summited at high noon.
We regrouped at the spur junction and I managed to talk them into helping me break out the Isolation Trail down to where we had crossed the river. We followed the Davis Path north till we reached the col just south of the east fork of the Isolation Trail. From here we bushwhacked through open woods reaching the Isolation Trail about a quarter mile later just west of the big blowdown patch. The trail was nearly blowdown free as were the other trails. The crossings were all manageable though there is still some thin ice here and there. When Sam and I arrived at the parking area at 3:30 Oncoman and Mike were already gone, so we had to eat an Elvios pizza all by ourselves.
Note:
If you're headed to Isolation any time soon I recommend; Rocky Branch Trail to bushwhack over to the Isolation Trail, follow Isolation Trail north to just beyond the blowdown patch, which is well beyond the fifth crossing. The blowdown patch looks like a stand of dead trees as the blowdowns have been cleared. From just beyond the blowdown patch follow the drainage, a bit left of the actual trail, straight up to the Davis Path...then turn left and head for Isolation. It's all broke out for you.
Edit:
Pics are here.
Other groups later in the day advanced the trail to within a half mile of the Rocky Branch river. On Sunday and Monday other hikers, including Mike on Monday, advanced the broken trail across the Rocky Branch, between the first and second crossings, and up the side of the ridge about half a mile.
I arrived at the trailhead this morning just after 8am. There were four other cars there and I hoped they had all carpooled.
About 20 minutes up the trail I caught up to Mike going for his third attempt on Isolation. 45 minutes later we were making our way across the flats on Engine Hill where we caught up to Sam. From here the loose knit threesome hiked on and reached the Rocky Branch around 10ish. From there we followed the tracks uphill. After a while Mike pointed out where the tracks had ended on Monday and from here it was obvious the tracks we were following had just been put there this morning. About a quarter mile further we caught up to a group of four younger hikers taking a break at he base of a steep ledge. They indicated one other hiker had gone ahead. When asked which way he went, we were informed he went right up the ledge. Humm..I thought. So we've got one of those extreme hardcore hikers out in front of us.
With some difficulty I got up over the ledge and continued following the tracks up hill. As the spruce trees got denser I began pulling away from Mike and the others, but I couldn't close on the solo hiker ahead of me. At this point I figured it was probably Frodo or some similar extreme type hiker who does crazy things like bushwhacking across the Pemi. As the spruce trees were getting denser I reached a junction. It appeared this other hiker had first gone to the left, doubled back, and was now headed down hill. At first, I was going to wait for the others to see what people wanted to do, but those tracks to the left intrigued me. What had turned this hardcore hiker around. I had to go check it out. About a hundred feet further I emerged out onto what appeared to be a ledge, but as I climbed up onto it I realized I was on a summit. The summit of WHAT though? I turned towards the north and there was Mt. Isolation over a mile away. I was on Mt. Davis. For the second time this winter I had successfully summited the wrong darn mountain.
When I returned to the junction the others had arrived, and the extreme whacker had returned from his down hill route. I recognized him immediately from the 1 1/2 inch icicles hanging from his mustache. It was fellow VFTT'er and hardcore hiking, Pemi bushwhacking Oncoman. He had tried to bushwhack across the col to Isolation, but returned because it was too thick.
After a brief debate we decided to return to the summit of Davis to find the spur trail over to the Davis Path. After about a 15 minute search in 50-60 mph winds we decided to just head west towards the trail which we knew was only about a thousand feet away. It was at about this point that the group of younger hikers bailed and headed back down. Myself and the other three solo'ers reached the Davis Path just after 11:30 and we wasted no time trekking up the wind packed trail towards Isolation which we summited at high noon.
We regrouped at the spur junction and I managed to talk them into helping me break out the Isolation Trail down to where we had crossed the river. We followed the Davis Path north till we reached the col just south of the east fork of the Isolation Trail. From here we bushwhacked through open woods reaching the Isolation Trail about a quarter mile later just west of the big blowdown patch. The trail was nearly blowdown free as were the other trails. The crossings were all manageable though there is still some thin ice here and there. When Sam and I arrived at the parking area at 3:30 Oncoman and Mike were already gone, so we had to eat an Elvios pizza all by ourselves.
Note:
If you're headed to Isolation any time soon I recommend; Rocky Branch Trail to bushwhack over to the Isolation Trail, follow Isolation Trail north to just beyond the blowdown patch, which is well beyond the fifth crossing. The blowdown patch looks like a stand of dead trees as the blowdowns have been cleared. From just beyond the blowdown patch follow the drainage, a bit left of the actual trail, straight up to the Davis Path...then turn left and head for Isolation. It's all broke out for you.
Edit:
Pics are here.
Last edited:
