U
Unregistered
Guest
Left afternoon of the 26th. Zack and Helen snowshoed up to Stair Mt. Col and camped between Stair Mountain and Davis on the 1st night w/out tent. Trail conditions were good, although no sign of any other hikers. Conditions were clear. Left mid-morning next to try to find the loop trail back down to the Rocky Branch Trail before reaching Mt Davis, but missed the trail and decided to go for the whole loop up past Isolation Mountain and down Rocky Branch and all the way back along Rocky Branch to our car parked on Jericho Rd. Snowed all day, but Davis Trail was passable, although the pines were in your face the whole way and there was no visibility of the Presidentials. Made it to isolation just before dark, didn't summit, but followed the nice partially bushwhacked trail that Dr. D. and company left (thank YOU!) well into dark until we were thoroughly cold and wet. Got a few inches of snow that night, then proceeded to hike down Rocky Branch Trail past shelter #2 and all the way to Shelter #1 making the first two (of 4) remaining river crossings. River was really not crossable after that point so we bushwhacked along the steep slopes on the West side of the Rocky Branch until we met up with the trail again and skipped river crossings 3 and 4 between shelter #2 and #1. It was slow and hard going, with no other broken path to follow other than the bushwhacked portion between isolation trail and rocky branch trail. Approx. 5 miles day 1, 7 miles day two, and 7 miles day 3. Got out just before dark. Not an easy hike, not to be taken lightly, probably the most physically strenuous backpacking trip I have done.
Lessons learned: Waterproof pants are underrated, it's gonna be cold without them. Clothes and sleeping bags should be waterproofed in plastic sacks too, and some tarps are not waterproof be warned. I don't recommend fiberglass tent poles, one of ours broke, leaving us cold on night two (night of the 27th), with an only partially functional tent and tarp and snow and gusty winds.
Equipment needed: Tent, Snowshoes, waterproof everything, campstove for boiling snow for water, closed foam pads for sleeping.
Lessons learned: Waterproof pants are underrated, it's gonna be cold without them. Clothes and sleeping bags should be waterproofed in plastic sacks too, and some tarps are not waterproof be warned. I don't recommend fiberglass tent poles, one of ours broke, leaving us cold on night two (night of the 27th), with an only partially functional tent and tarp and snow and gusty winds.
Equipment needed: Tent, Snowshoes, waterproof everything, campstove for boiling snow for water, closed foam pads for sleeping.
