1SlowHiker
New member
Rocky Branch Trail : Friday 2-22-13
Trail Condition (what I saw of it): Rocky Branch was only broken out to where it is shared by the ski trail, after that there were depressions for a while that I could follow and find the packed trail under the new snow. But after 1/2 mile there was really no sign of the trail and I could only somewhat stay on it by probing with poles and using a gps track I had downloaded. I gave up at less than half way to the Engine Hill (1.2 miles), after continually losing the trail and going knee deep with snow shoes several times.
Equipment needed: More floatation than I had. I have snowshoes with a bigger foot print but forgot to bring them and ony had MSR 25s that, for me, are really only good in several inches of new snow.
Comments: I met a hiker later that day on Madison that said he and 3-4 others were going to do Isolation the next day, and I have just seen a post on TrailsNH of 5 hikers that broke out the trail all the way up on Saturday that was probably them. So as of Saturday it sounds like it is now broken out. I try to avoid trail breaking but stuck with it until I realized I would never get close to Isolation by my turnaround time. I did turn around in time to still bag Madison for my #47 almost before dark.
Trail Condition (what I saw of it): Rocky Branch was only broken out to where it is shared by the ski trail, after that there were depressions for a while that I could follow and find the packed trail under the new snow. But after 1/2 mile there was really no sign of the trail and I could only somewhat stay on it by probing with poles and using a gps track I had downloaded. I gave up at less than half way to the Engine Hill (1.2 miles), after continually losing the trail and going knee deep with snow shoes several times.
Equipment needed: More floatation than I had. I have snowshoes with a bigger foot print but forgot to bring them and ony had MSR 25s that, for me, are really only good in several inches of new snow.
Comments: I met a hiker later that day on Madison that said he and 3-4 others were going to do Isolation the next day, and I have just seen a post on TrailsNH of 5 hikers that broke out the trail all the way up on Saturday that was probably them. So as of Saturday it sounds like it is now broken out. I try to avoid trail breaking but stuck with it until I realized I would never get close to Isolation by my turnaround time. I did turn around in time to still bag Madison for my #47 almost before dark.
