B
Barkingcat
Guest
Date Hiked: Friday, April 26
Trail Conditions: We chose to walk in along Zealand Road to the Hale Brook trailhead to see what the road conditions were like. The road is entirely clear; I would think it might even open soon, once the logging operations are complete.
First half of trail has some low-key snow patches alternating with dry trail and some wet/muddy spots. Barebooting this part of the trail was the way to go.
Upper half of trail, though, was another story -- the monorail lives, with plenty of rotten snow on either side. Snowshoes were helpful here, to say the least, but it still makes for some slow moving due to extra-careful steps. In some parts of trail about a half mile from the summit, the monorail is over two feet tall (yikes!) and only a foot wide. Also, as one would suspect, near water channels is undermined and collapsing snow -- in one spot, I slid off the monorail and postholed, in snowshoes, through a foot of snow and ice almost three feet down to a water channel. That snowshoe is now nice and clean.
Water crossings were not a problem.
Summit is almost entirely clear of snow but ground is very soft and muddy in some spots. See photographs of summit area here: www.barkingcat31.spaces.live.com
Special Equipment Required: In addition to snowshoes, poles are helpful. Bug spray, too -- mosquitoes are out, even on the summit (a few were peakbagging).
Comments: A beautiful, warm day. We saw no one else all day except for a few people on Zealand Road, coming back from the hut. Spring is certainly here. Saw plenty of robins, juncos and a few woodpeckers. Waterstriders are on the vernal pools along Zealand Road. Spring peepers are everywhere. Lime-green new leaves are on the trees. Also, saw plenty of trillium -- not in bloom but the first leaves just poking through the forest floor. Again, more butterflies at lower elevations; Questionmarks, Commas and Mourningcloaks.
Barkingcat
Your E-mail address: [email protected]
Trail Conditions: We chose to walk in along Zealand Road to the Hale Brook trailhead to see what the road conditions were like. The road is entirely clear; I would think it might even open soon, once the logging operations are complete.
First half of trail has some low-key snow patches alternating with dry trail and some wet/muddy spots. Barebooting this part of the trail was the way to go.
Upper half of trail, though, was another story -- the monorail lives, with plenty of rotten snow on either side. Snowshoes were helpful here, to say the least, but it still makes for some slow moving due to extra-careful steps. In some parts of trail about a half mile from the summit, the monorail is over two feet tall (yikes!) and only a foot wide. Also, as one would suspect, near water channels is undermined and collapsing snow -- in one spot, I slid off the monorail and postholed, in snowshoes, through a foot of snow and ice almost three feet down to a water channel. That snowshoe is now nice and clean.
Water crossings were not a problem.
Summit is almost entirely clear of snow but ground is very soft and muddy in some spots. See photographs of summit area here: www.barkingcat31.spaces.live.com
Special Equipment Required: In addition to snowshoes, poles are helpful. Bug spray, too -- mosquitoes are out, even on the summit (a few were peakbagging).
Comments: A beautiful, warm day. We saw no one else all day except for a few people on Zealand Road, coming back from the hut. Spring is certainly here. Saw plenty of robins, juncos and a few woodpeckers. Waterstriders are on the vernal pools along Zealand Road. Spring peepers are everywhere. Lime-green new leaves are on the trees. Also, saw plenty of trillium -- not in bloom but the first leaves just poking through the forest floor. Again, more butterflies at lower elevations; Questionmarks, Commas and Mourningcloaks.
Barkingcat
Your E-mail address: [email protected]
