Saddleback and The Horn via Grey Ghost and Tri-Color Ski Trails and AT (traverse) July 5, 2012.
Saddleback Ski Area trails are steep and gravely in spots but the hiker trail is grassless. The connector trail is short and easy to follow. Conditions on the saddle to The Horn were very wet which slowed our progress more in the mossy areas than on the scrambles. AT down to Route 4 is very wet and gnarly with an old set of stairs rotting and unsafe, and many bog bridges that have seen better days.
No special equipment needed.
Both summits were socked in with fog until about noon. As clouds cleared and wind picked up the rocks dried in the exposed areas.
I thought hiking the trail up the ski slope would be unpleasant. I did it to cut my distance and time to the peak, which it did significantly (from car to the summit in just over an hour). Actually, it was quite nice for the most part; large colorful lupine lined the route and there is a pretty little pond at the start of the connector trail.
Saddleback Ski Area trails are steep and gravely in spots but the hiker trail is grassless. The connector trail is short and easy to follow. Conditions on the saddle to The Horn were very wet which slowed our progress more in the mossy areas than on the scrambles. AT down to Route 4 is very wet and gnarly with an old set of stairs rotting and unsafe, and many bog bridges that have seen better days.
No special equipment needed.
Both summits were socked in with fog until about noon. As clouds cleared and wind picked up the rocks dried in the exposed areas.
I thought hiking the trail up the ski slope would be unpleasant. I did it to cut my distance and time to the peak, which it did significantly (from car to the summit in just over an hour). Actually, it was quite nice for the most part; large colorful lupine lined the route and there is a pretty little pond at the start of the connector trail.
