Saddleback/Basin - What is the best approach?

[fior1212]

Is there a winter trail blazed? Is it possible to do a day hike? If so from what trailhead should I start. Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[Guinness]

I like the approach from the Garden, past Slant Rock then onto the Great Range Trail. Skip the Shorey Shortcut, not worth it. During winter months coming in from this direction puts the ascent of Basin and Saddleback in front of you which is a lot easier than descending. After Saddleback head out the Orebed Trail. While there, consider Haystack as you will go right by it.

 

[NYBRAD]

Chickencoop Brook

 

[mavs00]

I agree with Brad.

I've done CCB in summer (sorta, we went up the brook, then blazed up one of the offshoot slides to the right). It was nice nice summer route, but in IMO, It would be an even better winter approach. May not be broken out, but the distance saved is significant.

 

[percious]

I have to disagree with ADK, I like the shorey short cut. I have yet to do it in winter though... is it a different beast then?

-percious

 

[Guinness]

I did the Chicken Coop route during winter and I would suspect that with the lower snow levels this year, the route should be good even to break trail. When I went, it was deep snow and we camped half way up. It was a great time and I will do it again. To start, turn left off the main trail about 200-300 yards past the Bushnell Falls #2 Lean-to. Then followed the brook on the right side and shoot a straight line for the Col. I happened to think the Shorey ShitCut (sorry) was a pain in winter. To each their own.

 

[Mark]

Does Chickencoop Brook run just west of Gooseberry Mt? It looks like you end up in the col between Basin and Saddleback. Is that right? Is there any defined herd path? Is this approach possible in the summer?

 

[Guinness]

Does Chickencoop Brook run just west of Gooseberry Mt?

Yes it is. It puts you in the Col between Basin and Saddleback.

As for a summer approach, I only did it in winter. Mavs00 will probably chime in as he did it this past year. In winter it is completely different.

 

[Doc McPeak]

There are two cols between Basin and Saddleback. The farthest west (Between the Basin summit proper and the Basin false peak) is approached from Basin Brook, which is the brook after CCB, found farther up the same trail past Bushnell Falls. The CCB route reaches the col just beneath the cliffs of Saddleback. They are both great routes. CCB is a little milder, but both are pretty open ... if you know where you're going.

Unless you are going to do Haystack I can't see why you would climb up to Little Haystack and drop all the way back down to get to Basin? Shorey is not a short cut if you are going to Haystack, but it sure is if you are going to Basin, by about ~a mile and some ~1000' feet of climbing and descending. You will get enough of that as it is.

The only reason Shorey's gets slammed is because someone put "shortcut" in the name. Expectations are raised for an easy trail, but there are no easy trails on the upper range, and Shorey's works great for what it was intended.

 

[Beagle]

Saddleback / Basin

Even in the summer the trail from Saddleback to Basin is poorly marked (faded yellow markers) and treacherous. I would go up Basin to Saddleback and return via the Orebed trail.

 

[Tim Kase]

We did the Basin Brook route in Jan '04. There was deep snow and snow covered icy sections. Snowshoes and ice axe were used although it could be much different right now (crampons?). It's easily the most direct route to the Basin summit. At the top of the slide, you have to fight thru an area of thick balsam, but it dosen't last too long. It brings you to the trail right near the top. You can then climb the rocky area on Saddleback, the prefered direction, and then down the Orebed trail.
It's a good adventure, let us know if you do it.

 

[fior1212]

ChickenCoop Brook

Does anyone know if there is a defined trail up chickencoop brook? Has anyone been to Basin or Saddleback in the last week.

 

[mavs00]

As far as is it broken out right now. I DON'T KNOW. Unless you read in a TR that is was recently traveled, I'd assume it's not.

As for in summer, down low there is the start of a path. Someone got hurt back in there a couple of years ago and a "litter rescue" was reqired, so when I went last year, the lower 3/4 mile was not only cut back (to facilitate rescue), but FLAGGED as well. Needless to say, it's not flagged any more.

God, I love that mountain.

 

[Doc McPeak]

As for in summer, down low there is the start of a path. Someone got hurt back in there a couple of years ago and a "litter rescue" was reqired, so when I went last year, the lower 3/4 mile was not only cut back (to facilitate rescue), but FLAGGED as well. Needless to say, it's not flagged any more.

There is flagging down low, for it was not put there in regards to the rescue, but for a different reason. The snow was thin in February which made for easy travel, but the ice was also thin on the brook which kept us out of it. I would be careful if you go in the brook. The woods are pretty open, though there is more snow now.

Have fun.

 

[hillman1]

I did little haystack, then basin two weeks ago. The trail off of basin to saddleback was not broken out. As a matter of fact, it looked downright dangerous. Knee deep unconsolidated snow interspersed with sections of near vertical ice. We opted to go back down to catch the shorey shortcut. It was my first time on that trail, and I thought it was a nice hike. There was some good buttsliding. There was one section with a sharp left turn where I went out into some deep snow. It's all fun though. That trail could very well be broken out now though.

 

[shin murnane]

Saddleback & Basin

My son & I did them last year in early March. We took the Shorey shortcut, then up and over Basin and on to Saddleback. The weather was absolutely miserable & the trail had not been broken for awhile. To make a long story short, they kicked our butt but we did make it. The weather so bad at the top of Saddleback that we actually turned around & went back over Basin bacause we knew that we had at least broken that trail. It was one long day but we did do it. Good luck, I'm sure your weather will be better.

Shin

 

[Techrock]

Chicken Coop Brook approach to Saddleback and Basin

Does anyone have reliable directions for the summer Chicken Coup Bk. approach to the col between Basin and Saddleback, e.g. what are the critical junctures as far as which slide to take, etc? I used this bushwack approach about 20 years ago on the advice of a ranger, but as I, said that was 20 years ago! If memory serves me well it wasn't difficult. I don't want to head up the "wrong slide" as others have posted in the Slide Stories thread. I've done that too many times myself (e.g. Wanika Falls bushwack up to Street and Nye to mention one).

 

[mavs00]

Does anyone have reliable directions for the summer Chicken Coup Bk. approach to the col between Basin and Saddleback, e.g. what are the critical junctures as far as which slide to take, etc? I used this bushwack approach about 20 years ago on the advice of a ranger, but as I, said that was 20 years ago! If memory serves me well it wasn't difficult. I don't want to head up the "wrong slide" as others have posted in the Slide Stories thread. I've done that too many times myself (e.g. Wanika Falls bushwack up to Street and Nye to mention one).

I've gone up the wrong slide and it no big deal really. For the "normal" route, stay to the left (straight) by not veering to the right at any of a number of feeders flowing into CCB (no matter how inviting they look . You'll see the huge cliffs between Saddleback and Gooseberry above you to the left if you're on the right slide.

Even if you do go astray, in good visibility, you'll know where you need to go and there are no real huge hassles back in there. A little thick and steep above the slide, but if you angle left you'll hit the range trail near the "hump" between Basin and Saddleback.

 

[Doc McPeak]

Techrock, if you go straight up toward the col at the base of the Saddleback cliffs you won't climb any slides, just beautiful open woods. Most make the mistake (it happens on the majority of ridge approaches) of angling instead of heading up straight to the low point of the col. From there you can shoot up the cliffs to S, or glide along the Range trail to Basin. The Basin Brook route is steeper and scratchier, esp. in summer. Again, for that one, head straight and don't angle and you'll find it fairly pleasant.

As for Wanika Falls ... where did you end up on a slide? I've got beta on that route for my fall outings and haven't heard of any slides. (Other than the Nye Slide)

 

[Techrock]

Technically your are correct, there are no "slides" on the bushwack up from Wanika Falls. The approach is on the steam bed which is akin to a slide, but not as steep. At the first main "Y" about half way up the stream, make sure to go on the left arm even though the right one is more inviting. The first time I did this approach, I ended up on a false summit of Street in the middle of some of the worst ADK blowdown I've ever encountered. The second (successful) time we headed left and ended up in the col between Street and Nye. One caveat, these hikes were about 15-20 years ago. I climbed Street and Nye again from the Loj last fall and the col does not look anything like I remember it to be back then--the swamp seems to be gone, or perhaps it is further to the other sied of the col? I've been a 46er since 1991. #2966