NH Tramper
Member
Mt. Isolation via Glen Boulder, Davis Path, Mt. Isolation Tr., Rocky Branch, & 2BWs
Date of Hike: Jul 21, 2012
Trail Conditions: Dry and summer-normal for the most part. There was one patch of mud on the Glen Boulder Trail where I started. I then did the Slide Peak Bushwhack. Minus one push-through conifer blowdown, Davis Path was in great shape. Mt. Isolation Trail was muddy/soupy/wet and had lots of blowdowns. Most were easy-over/under, but a few were more difficult. From Mt. Isolation Trail I Bushwhacked to Rocky Branch saving about a mile. Rocky Branch Trail, where I finished, was also muddy/soupy/wet for much of it and had a few blowdowns as well, but it got a lot nicer closer to the highway. I got a ride back to my truck from a fellow hiker I met along the way (details under comments). All stream crossings were easy. I stopped by Glen Ellis Falls before heading out and I could even cross at the base of the main falls!
Special Equipment Required: None, though low gaiters if you wear shorts might help keep mud and debris out of your boots. I wear the stretchy ones from OR in the summer and find them really helpful. Trekking poles might also help with rock-hopping on the wet trails mentioned. I certainly found them helpful.
Bugs: I encountered a couple of deer flies later in the day, but mostly I saw black flies... still. What's up with that? None of those critters were bad at all, though. No Deet or stickyhats needed.
Comments: Met some nice folks, mostly young people, a nice older couple from Mass, plus a very young 48th-finisher-to-be in the lot at the start of the day, but I never saw him and his posse after that. Hopefully he made it and completed his quest. Go kid! Ran into, chatted, and hit it off with a "Gridiot" named Robie. Really nice guy. Since we seemed to hit it off so well we hiked the rest of the day together. The second bushwhack, in fact, was his idea. And a good one at that (the whole hike was less than six hours). Since we didn't start together, and he had begun on Glen Boulder as well, he decided he'd hitch back and come get me and give me a ride up to my truck. Pretty cool of him to do that -- thanks Robie; you're all right, man. We hikers got each other's back, yeah!
Awesome hike on an awesome day! Great views on Isolation, Slide Peak, and much of the Glen Boulder Trail. A very nice loop indeed. It's how I'd like to do it again, next time.
ETA: Oh, the blueberries on Glen Boulder Trail are ripe. Plan on spending some time gorging yourself along the way if you enjoy those sweet treats.
Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
Date of Hike: Jul 21, 2012
Trail Conditions: Dry and summer-normal for the most part. There was one patch of mud on the Glen Boulder Trail where I started. I then did the Slide Peak Bushwhack. Minus one push-through conifer blowdown, Davis Path was in great shape. Mt. Isolation Trail was muddy/soupy/wet and had lots of blowdowns. Most were easy-over/under, but a few were more difficult. From Mt. Isolation Trail I Bushwhacked to Rocky Branch saving about a mile. Rocky Branch Trail, where I finished, was also muddy/soupy/wet for much of it and had a few blowdowns as well, but it got a lot nicer closer to the highway. I got a ride back to my truck from a fellow hiker I met along the way (details under comments). All stream crossings were easy. I stopped by Glen Ellis Falls before heading out and I could even cross at the base of the main falls!
Special Equipment Required: None, though low gaiters if you wear shorts might help keep mud and debris out of your boots. I wear the stretchy ones from OR in the summer and find them really helpful. Trekking poles might also help with rock-hopping on the wet trails mentioned. I certainly found them helpful.
Bugs: I encountered a couple of deer flies later in the day, but mostly I saw black flies... still. What's up with that? None of those critters were bad at all, though. No Deet or stickyhats needed.
Comments: Met some nice folks, mostly young people, a nice older couple from Mass, plus a very young 48th-finisher-to-be in the lot at the start of the day, but I never saw him and his posse after that. Hopefully he made it and completed his quest. Go kid! Ran into, chatted, and hit it off with a "Gridiot" named Robie. Really nice guy. Since we seemed to hit it off so well we hiked the rest of the day together. The second bushwhack, in fact, was his idea. And a good one at that (the whole hike was less than six hours). Since we didn't start together, and he had begun on Glen Boulder as well, he decided he'd hitch back and come get me and give me a ride up to my truck. Pretty cool of him to do that -- thanks Robie; you're all right, man. We hikers got each other's back, yeah!
Awesome hike on an awesome day! Great views on Isolation, Slide Peak, and much of the Glen Boulder Trail. A very nice loop indeed. It's how I'd like to do it again, next time.
ETA: Oh, the blueberries on Glen Boulder Trail are ripe. Plan on spending some time gorging yourself along the way if you enjoy those sweet treats.
Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
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