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Absolutely perfect day in the southern Presidentials. Hiked up Ammonoosuc Ravine Tr. to hut. Less snow than last week- put on crampons about a mile from the hut. Cool and breezy up there early. Up and over Monroe, then south on the Crawford Path to Franklin. My initial goal was to descend and climb an attractive snow gully dropping into Dry Basin from Mt. Franklin to see if it is skiable, then hike back and descend Monroe Brook snow gully, but after dropping 800' into the Basin, then climbing back out, the weather was so awesome, I decided to keep heading south and descend Edmunds Path. For what it's worth, the gully off Mt. Franklin, while attractive last week from Boott Spur, was a disappointment. I called it 'Franklin's Folly'. A 50' class 4 cliff half way up would make skiing it an adventure. The Crawford Path was snow free all the way to Edmunds Path but a frozen stream early.
Edmunds Path still had many feet of snow near the top, which continued to about 1.5 miles down from the junction with Crawford Path. No 'trail rail' but awkward side hill traversing. No postholing, just a nice boottrack the whole way. Many downed trees a mile or so up from the trailhead.
The walk back to my car was a tedious forced march but who could complain on this kind of day.
Chuck Woodman
Lincoln, NH
[email protected]
Edmunds Path still had many feet of snow near the top, which continued to about 1.5 miles down from the junction with Crawford Path. No 'trail rail' but awkward side hill traversing. No postholing, just a nice boottrack the whole way. Many downed trees a mile or so up from the trailhead.
The walk back to my car was a tedious forced march but who could complain on this kind of day.
Chuck Woodman
Lincoln, NH
[email protected]
