Jewell Spur

[SherpaTom]

Has anyone hiked the Jewell Spur to Jewell (thus cutting off the traditional Jewell Trail to the Ammo parking lot). I know a few years ago I hiked a bit up the cog and saw pink ribbons which gave us spot to cut in. Is this still in view? Also, anyone hike up the cog rail in recent days? Thanks

 

[jniehof]

The traditional Jewell Trail is what's now called the Jewell Spur, so pardon if I'm answering the wrong question; I assume you're talking about starting from the cog parking lot. The tricky part is getting across the Ammo: the bridge is gone, the rock-hopping can be tricky, and the Cog is discouraging/forbidding/blocking the former detour up the service road and over the bridge and tracks. Still perfectly possible to follow the trail and join up with the mainline once you get across the river.

 

[SherpaTom]

This is the trail I was looking for

 

[peakbagger]

Since the winter USFS lot is not plowed, the only way reasonable way to access the Jewell is via the trail on the map. I would expect that if is not marked that someone will have established a trail

I expect that this may change in the future as the Cog owner retaliates against opposition to his hotel project. I expect the USFS lot was built in response to the Cog charging for hiker parking in the past. It was interesting to note that the Cog owner was quite careful to point out that he graciously was allowing free hiker parking at the cog at the planning board meetings.

 

[jniehof]

The cutover from the "Jewell Spur" to the cog is pretty opaque right now. Although the sign blocking the way is snowed in, you won't wind up on it by accident, and looks like the flagging is down. It does look like a few folks have still used it.

The Ammo at the Jewell Spur TH has really solid ice bridges, for now.

 

[Jazzbo]

Interesting coincidence. I just hiked the jewel trail yesterday and noticed a rope nearly buried in snow stretched across what appeared to be trail in the location your map describes. It looked like it had not been used for some time. No tracks buried or otherwise. I did see many back country skiers were on the cog. One skier I spoke with was bemoaning lack snow for skiing the cog.