Moriahs from Wild River?

[SherpaKroto]

Have a plan of doing the Moriahs Saturday or Sunday up Moriah Brook Trail across the ridge hitting Moriah, Middle and Shelburne Moriah along the way, then coming back via Shelburne Trail. Haven't done my homework so I have some quick questions:
1) How are the stream crossings from Wild River road? Wade or Bridge? Condition?
2) Will we have any issues through Moriah Gorge at high water?
3) Any other concerns?

I know, seems a bit odd to be hiking through a gorge when it's rained so hard, but no one ever said I was real bright
Thanks in advance!

 

[Gris]

You may have bitten off more than you can chew (swim). I'd go up Shelburne & back down the same way.

 

[el-bagr]

1) How are the stream crossings from Wild River road? Wade or Bridge? Condition?

Bridge for the Moriah Brook trail, just west of the road's end. Minor streams above there, but no big deal.

2) Will we have any issues through Moriah Gorge at high water?
Can't imagine you would -- the gorge is channelized, and I don't remember the major crossings (one at the gorge, the other fairly high up) being too high during a high water period two springs ago. Decent swimming holes!

3) Any other concerns?
No. It's a fine loop. Miehoff (is he still around?) did it a few years ago while we did a Moriah Brook / Black Angel loop.

 

[jfb]

I hiked the Moriah Brook trail a few Augusts ago when water was low and remember one stream crossing that I wouldn't want to do in high water. I don't remember the trail going through the gorge itself, I thought the trail stayed well above the gorge on the north side.

Here's the challenging crossing: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=4908565&e=331271&s=50&size=s&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

 

[--M.]

Hey.

I did it last Labor Day: WET!

==Just above the gorge (maybe 100 yards upstream of the trail crossing), there is a crossing that the smarter people were using. I can't speak to it otherwise, as I wasn't 'smarter' until after I'd crossed. Crossing at the trail (where I did) had one tricky part: miss & you're over the gorge. As I was under a laughably heavy pack, this was of some concern.

==There's another crossing at the "cascades," around the 550-meter elevation. It was a bit tricky then (moderate water) and I'd imagine it to be more so now.

==Above there, it's just kind of boggy, all the way to the top. It wasn't impassable; just wet. This spring, who knows?

That said, it was a pleasant and beautiful walk! Not that you're going there, but getting to Imp Shelter was real nice! Have fun.

--Mike.

 

[HAMTERO]

We will be there

Sherpa
Suebiscuit and I are planning an overnite on that loop this weekend. We are going up Carter-Moriah and around Kenduskeag/Shelburne/Highwater/Moriah Brook with a side up North and Middle Carter. Planning on camping on Moriah Brook somewhere. Maybe we will see you.

 

[Dalraida]

Info

Hi Paul, This is my old stomping ground. I was the adopter of Black Angel Trail 1982 - 87. In a word, look for a very soggy time in there. Moriah Brook is big enough to have quite a lot of good trout fishing above the Gorge. The crossing above the Gorge is likely to be very high water. By the way, the crossing above the Gorge was the location of one of the Whites' major logging train accidents. The boiler of one of the old logging trains blew just as it was crossing the brook above the Gorge. You can still see the iron bars for the trestle sticking out of the rocks. Above the crossing there are quite a few places where the brook is right beside the trail. With this wet Spring I would anticipate a lot of flooding. If you get in there keep an eye out for the giant beaver dams that enclose the valley in places. They are so very old that now they are part of the forest and look like little meandering eskers. Must be hundreds of years old.
There is a suspension bridge over Wild River just a little way up the old road from the campground. You then will make the first crossing of Moriah Brook above the Gorge.
Have fun, TomW

 

[SherpaKroto]

Thanks for helpful comments! Looks like we will head up and tread carefully. Knowing that the bridge across the Wild is still there is great!

I had a chance to do more research and it looks like crossing the Wild on return is our biggest issue. I guess the best option is to head up the Highwater Trail, then cross on the bridge.

el-bagr: doubt we'll do much swimming. I hope not anyway I had enough 40 degree water when I put my water line in 2 weeks ago.

Hamtero: hope to run into you and Sue, and hope you stay dry! We plan to hike on Saturday. I'll be the slow wet guy Doubt we'll see you though as we will be looping around behind you.

Dalraida/Todd: we need to get out again! I'll be spending a lot of time in Maine this summer (mostly July, late August)

It will be real good to get out again

 

[audrey]

Sherpa, we did the Moriah Brook Trail last summer in the rain. Not big rain like this has been. The crossing just above the gorge was easily jumpable, except for a friend's skittish dog. They crossed just upstream, on small unstable rocks. Several hours later, on our return, it was much faster and higher and the rocks upstream were pretty much submerged. The dog was carried, under protest. If you take sandals and like to wade, that ought to ensure success. There are several other crossings that might also give pause. It's a beautiful brook and trail, but we didn't get to explore the gorge.

 

[HikerBob]

Hopefully this....

Near intersection of Wild River and Black Angel trails Spider Bridge, 2.7 miles beyond the Wild River Campground. This was a major, 86’ long, 4-span bridge high above the river. Spans 3 and 4 (the north end) of the bridge are gone. The Forest is asking that the public stay off spans 1 and 2, which are still in place but may be unstable. Crossing very difficult and impossible during runoff flows.

... is not the bridge you have in mind.

From the WMNF bridge status web page

Bob

 

[SherpaKroto]

HikerBob: Nope. That one I knew about which gave my pause for concern on the other one.

Audrey: I don't care how skittish Gris is - he'll have to get across on his own power

I just wish it was going to be sunny ...

 

[Raymond]

I hope this isn't the bridge...

"Spider Bridge, 2.7 miles beyond the Wild River Campground. This was a major, 86’ long, 4-span bridge high above the river. Spans 3 and 4 (the north end) of the bridge are gone. The Forest is asking that the public stay off spans 1 and 2, which are still in place but may be unstable. Crossing very difficult and impossible during runoff flows."

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/white/bridge_status.html

I remember when we did this hike back in ’01, we followed the trail out of Wild River Campground for what seemed to be quite a distance, and finally gave up looking for any bridge and just bushwhacked (so to speak) across the river, then followed a path on the western side back and forth until we found the trail we were looking for. All was fine after that, but I never did see any bridge.

 

[MichaelJ]

There are two bridges. One is the Moriah Brook Trail and is very close to the campground. The other, "Spider Bridge", is several miles down the Wild River Trail, and is in fact where the Black Angel Trail comes in and cross the river with the WRT. Shortly thereafter, BAT heads up towards Carter and WRT continues past Spruce Brook (and the shelter) up into the valley.

Spider Bridge is currently out. I wouldn't try to cross there above a few hundred cfs.

Cypress Brook (on the Highwater Trail between the WRT at Spider Bridge and the Moriah Brook Trail) will stop you after heavy rains, and Spruce Brook will stop you after very heavy rains.

Don't be in there during 4" of rain. However, it does drain quickly; I recall looking at the USGS flow charts after my 5000cfs morning experience and the levels were down to about 1000cfs by the afternoon.

 

[Suebiscuit]

Human chain

Hey Sherpa -

It is likely that we'll be ahead of you, but if we encounter a dicey crossing, we'll wait for you so we can form a human bridge, or build a catapult/slingshot. I'll bring the bike inner tube.

Have a good trip!

Sue

 

[askus3]

I have done this hike twice. Once in Sept. and the other time in end of June. Outstanding circular and the way I would do Moriah. Approaching Moriah form the east is a joy. The gorge is beautiful. Shelburne Moriah is a surprise treat and once you are on the Shelburne Trail the last couple of miles is a walk in the woods. There are two crossings of Moriah Brook on the way up that aren't that bad when I climbed up, but at highwater can be tricky, I am sure.

As for the Wild River - this is the key. When you cross over it at the start take a good look from the suspension bridge. How high is the water & how fast is it flowing. Say to yourself - if the bridge is not here can I cross this river safely? Remember when you come out almost to the road you will have 15 miles under your belt and you will have to ford this thing. Another thing to be aware of. When you descend the Shelburne Trail and you are at the bottom, after crossing the Highwater Trail, you first cross a small side channel but both times I went you have to wade thru that, both times were easy. Then you go 50 yards and come to the main river. You can't see the Wild River without first crossing this smaller channel. So once you bothered taking off your boots and wading thru the first channel, you sort of made the commitment to go for it. Ottherwise you have to wade back thru that channel and add an extra 2 miles to your hike walking north to the Moriah Brook Trail suspension bridge nothwest of the Wild River CG. Another idea is to check out the Wild River crossing on the Shelburne Trail from the road side before the hike by parking at the trailhead, walk the 60 yards toward the River and check it out, so you know what you are dealing with at the end of the hike. Depending on your feelings toward river fording, crossing the Wild River can be fun or a pain in the butt. But the river changes on a dailybasis, so check it out for yourself and decide if you can cross it. Once you remove your boots for the small channel crossing, you have made the commitment. The second time, at least I knew what I was doing, I knew that when I removed the boots, I was able to walk the remaining stretch including the half mile road walk to the car at Wild River Camp in my old wet sneakers. At least you know there is no need to put on your boots again.

By the way, one other option that you have is a car spot, by taking the Shelburne Trail to the north to US 2, if you want to do this hike of both Moriah's without the river ford. Again, this hike is a joy and If you can get thru Moriah Gorge, you should have fun. Look forward to your trip report!

Sunday, June 30, 2002. Sunny 80. Group of 8.

Of course when it is 80, you don't mind a river ford at the end of the hike and a few stream crossings on the way up.

0.0 1150 8:20 AM Start of Hike - Wild River Campground
0.3 1180 8:35 AM Wild River Bridge
0.7 1300 8:45 AM Jct. Highwater Trail - 2nd junction - we go right
1.7 1530 9:10-9:20 cross Moriah Brook
3.1 1760 9:55-10:00 cross Moriah Brook - 2nd time
3.5 2480 10:50-11:00 Moriah Gorge
5.8 3130 11:45-11:50 Jct. Carter-Moriah Trail
--- 3560 12:15-12:45 view east from ledges
7.2 4049 1:30-1:50 Mt. Moriah
8.7 3300 2:35-2:55 Jct. Rattle River Trail
10.0 3735 3:40-4:00 Mt. Shelburne-Moriah
11.4 2750 4:55-5:05 Jct. Shelburne Trail
14.4 1100 6:15 Jct. Highwater Trail
14.6 1080 6:30 Shelburne Trailhead on Wild River road
15.2 1150 6:40 End of Hike - Wild River Campground

Also, I would do the hike clockwise from Wild River Campground, as if you do it the other way and you have a mishap in the river the day is shot before you get started. Also, you will be fresh to make a rash decision to add two miles to your hike which might not be necessary. Also, if you have a problem in Moriah Gorge, you could alter your plans whereas on the return thru the Gorge towards the end of the hike you will be too tired to appreciate the Gorge and it would be anti-claimactic. Shelburne-Moriah has great open views to the Baldfaces, Mahoosucs, Waumbek, Gorham, Moriah and North Carter. Take your time to enjoy that mountain. I really love that mountain.

 

[askus3]

I don't know if you saw my last post before you took off, but I read your version of the trip report as part of HAMTERO's Wild River trip thread. So I wondered was the first channel there or you just waded it thru the dark not even aware of it and was it pictch dark and that is when you crossed the Wild River. That has got top be scary or plain nuts - wading in the dark in waist high river flowing with a steady current in a lightning storm. But you can see (maybe) why that circular in my opinion is definitely the way to go to do Moriah!

 

[SherpaKroto]

Not plain nuts, but we did stop and think about it. Wading is something that does not bother me much. I take my time. Gris is a surfer, so he can swim

The small stream was high enough that I thought it was the Wild when we crossed it. We had stopped in on the way up to check the river, and decided that it was too high, so we did not leave a car there. When we got there at night, I was just not in the mood to hike the Highwater (which was hard to find in the dark), so we checked the river, and it had dropped quite a bit. The T-Storms were 2-3 miles away when we reached the river, but we knew taking the Highwater would almost guarantee that we'd be in them. So we made the decision to cross. Other than a little slip by Gris it was uneventful. Cold, but uneventful