bryan
New member
date: 8/30/12
trails: indian pass trail, wallface ponds trail, bushwack, herd path
conditions: indian pass trail was in great shape and mostly dry to scott clearing. the trail to wallface ponds was more rough and eroded and wet/muddy in the vicinity of the ponds. in spots you have to look for the trail markers as there isn't a defined trail corridor. the crossing of indian pass brook was low. once at the end of the trail i followed a herd path that led to the former beaver dam location between the upper and lower wallface ponds. there was hardly a trickle going through and crossing was easy to an obvious herd path on the other side. i followed this for a bit until it turned off my bearing then headed for macnaughton hoping to hit the ridge south of the southeast summit (the central one marked on most maps). a small boggy area before the start of the climb was dry enough to walk across without issue. i hit good woods almost all of the way with a couple steep spots and stumbled onto a pretty continuous herd path the last couple hundred vertical. there is a clear herd path on the ridge that leads over the southeast summit and on to the northwest summit, which has the sign and is the recognized highpoint. on the descent a direct line from the southeast summit led into some blowdown before getting back onto pretty much the same line i ascended which was smooth going until overshooting towards the lower pond and getting into some real thick stuff before correcting back to the brook between the ponds.
equipment: navigational tools of your choice.
comments: the peak bagger in me won out and i decided i couldn't feel ok about completing the 46 without a trip to macnaughton as well. with this in mind i drove up early from nh under a nearly full moon and then got to enjoy some great cool hiking temps early on in the day. it was actually a pretty pleasant hike for the most part with great walking to scott clearing then some beautiful scenery around the ponds. some filtered views from both summits on macnaughton and from spots on the ascent/descent. was nice to run into trail boss and pathgrinder up on the ridge to join forces on the bushwack down and for nice conversation on the walk back out. great day.
bryan
[email protected]
trails: indian pass trail, wallface ponds trail, bushwack, herd path
conditions: indian pass trail was in great shape and mostly dry to scott clearing. the trail to wallface ponds was more rough and eroded and wet/muddy in the vicinity of the ponds. in spots you have to look for the trail markers as there isn't a defined trail corridor. the crossing of indian pass brook was low. once at the end of the trail i followed a herd path that led to the former beaver dam location between the upper and lower wallface ponds. there was hardly a trickle going through and crossing was easy to an obvious herd path on the other side. i followed this for a bit until it turned off my bearing then headed for macnaughton hoping to hit the ridge south of the southeast summit (the central one marked on most maps). a small boggy area before the start of the climb was dry enough to walk across without issue. i hit good woods almost all of the way with a couple steep spots and stumbled onto a pretty continuous herd path the last couple hundred vertical. there is a clear herd path on the ridge that leads over the southeast summit and on to the northwest summit, which has the sign and is the recognized highpoint. on the descent a direct line from the southeast summit led into some blowdown before getting back onto pretty much the same line i ascended which was smooth going until overshooting towards the lower pond and getting into some real thick stuff before correcting back to the brook between the ponds.
equipment: navigational tools of your choice.
comments: the peak bagger in me won out and i decided i couldn't feel ok about completing the 46 without a trip to macnaughton as well. with this in mind i drove up early from nh under a nearly full moon and then got to enjoy some great cool hiking temps early on in the day. it was actually a pretty pleasant hike for the most part with great walking to scott clearing then some beautiful scenery around the ponds. some filtered views from both summits on macnaughton and from spots on the ascent/descent. was nice to run into trail boss and pathgrinder up on the ridge to join forces on the bushwack down and for nice conversation on the walk back out. great day.
bryan
[email protected]
