Sunday August 16 was a scorcher of a day, high 80s in the valleys, haze and not much of a breeze. It was my one day off this week and while I originally planned to go fishing, that didn't work out, so I fell back to plan B. At the top of my NH48 re-do list was Isolation. Last time was August of 2007, and it had been relatively dry now for a bit so I figured stream crossing would not be a problem. I left my car at Rocky Branch and rode my MTB to Glen Boulder (3.25 miles and 760'+). At least I was warmed up when I set off on the immediately steep Glen Boulder Trail. I was greeted shortly by a rather disheartened couple who lamented "If you're looking for the falls, it isn't up here." I told them where to find the sign with directions.
Brook on Glen Boulder Trail, Glen Boulder
Half way to Glen Boulder, the trail passes close by, or over, a gurgling brook several times. I took a short break here and wondered how far the 5 liters of water I was carrying would last. I knew that water was scarce from Glen Boulder, along the Davis Path, until at least the Isolation Trail Jct. Shortly after I got moving again, a backpacking couple were descending and they inquired about water. "You're not very far from several very pumpable pools." Presently I emerged from the trees and onto the ledge below Glen Boulder. Given that it was visible from route 16 while cycling I figured it would be bigger than it actually was. Still, it is impressively perched there, surviving the erosive forces of wind, water and ice, and the occasional hiker posing underneath, pretending to hold it up. Some hikers might even use it as a soapbox. Not anyone we know, certainly, and not a member of this board.
This gives an idea of its actual size
Glen Boulder, while an interesting destination in its own right, was just an early marker on a longer journey and so I left bound for Slide Peak. Above the boulder, the scrambling continues here and there and then it is back into the trees for a short while. There is a certain environment here, one which is found along Signal Ridge, between the Tripyramids, and along the Rollins Trail, where the trees are only so big, and it smells like spruce, and for some reason, there are a lot of flies. Of the entire 13+ miles, through here was the narrowest stretch of trail. Slide Peak, while insignificant from a prominence point of view, offers some pretty nice views itself. To the south it was quite hazy, but to the northwest (with the sun behind me) the views across the Gulf of Slides and up to Boott Spur were very nice.
Boott Spur above Gulf of Slides, Davis Path at Dry River Wilderness boundary
Above Slide Peak looms Boott Spur and on the way my next destination - the Davis Path junction. Even from Slide Peak, you can make out the enormous cairns coming across and down from the ridge. At the junction, they continue down towards Montalbahn Ridge and Isolation, the trail disappearing into the trees across a rocky alpine meadow. Through the haze I can just make out the ledge face on Isolation, three bumps away. Following the Davis Path, the tops of the southern Presidential range are visible on the right. The drop from Franklin into Oakes Gulf and then in to the Dry River is very impressive.
View towards Washington, Bob and Geri's group (including Trail Trotter and Rocket21)
At the junction of the Davis Path and the Isolation Trail (to Dry River), I met a man who was awaiting the return of his kids. They were off tagging Isolation, having come from Mizpah. I asked if he had seen a group of 9 or 10 come by and he hadn't (I knew Bob & Geri had a group trip planned for this day.) Not far before the Isolation spur trail, I ran into KevinMac, who was searching for his group of 9 or 10, believing they had already gone by. After a brief chat, he continued onward in search of his group. I would soon learn that he was well ahead of them.
How My Wilderness Experience Was Ruined*
When I got to the sub-summit, I found it deserted. I went to the actual top to tag the cairn and found two other people there. Not wanting to ruin their Wilderness experience, I returned to the sub-summit and its slightly better views and camped out on a convenient rock "bench" (If you have been to Isolation, you know what I mean.) Not 3 minutes later and I hear shouting and laughing. Very shortly after my Wilderness Experience was invaded by Rocket21. Great, I thought, now I'm going to have to call F&G for a rescue. This was worse than an injured thumb! Luckily the situation was mitigated soon thereafter by the arrival of Bob & Geri, and Trail Trotter and company.
I politely turned down an offer to return via Dry River and a ride back to my car, and everyone else left (after a big group shot.) I had the summit to myself for a while longer. While I didn't have to be home at any particular time, I didn't want to start the 150 mile drive home too late, so I packed up and headed back via Isolation Trail to Rocky Branch. I was definitely getting dehydrated at this point and I tried to ration my water out to last me until the Rocky Branch crossings. By the fifth and final crossing, I had finished all five liters I brought with me (1L of Gatorade), and I walked downstream a bit to a quiet pool and pumped 4 more liters, and drank a fifth. All told, 10 liters were consumed during the hike.
Aster (Aster puniceus), Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
I remember from last August that there were large patches of Asters and Turtleheads along the very wet and very muddy Rocky Branch Trail. Sure enough it wasn't long before I stumbled upon them again. The Asters are at peak right now, or perhaps just past peak, while the Turtleheads are just before peak. The best patches of each are literally just north of the junction of Rocky Branch and the Isolation Trail (after the 5th crossing heading TO Isolation.)
Upon returning to the car, I had consumed 5 liters I carried, plus another 5 that I had pumped. I mixed up another liter of Gatorade, and took two full Nalgenes of water with me on the drive home. By bedtime, I had consumed 13+ liters of fluids - almost 3-and-one-half gallons.
Isolation summit panorama
All Photos
Tim
*Of course my Wilderness Experience was not ruined. This is just the continuation of a long-running exchange of jokes.
Brook on Glen Boulder Trail, Glen Boulder
Half way to Glen Boulder, the trail passes close by, or over, a gurgling brook several times. I took a short break here and wondered how far the 5 liters of water I was carrying would last. I knew that water was scarce from Glen Boulder, along the Davis Path, until at least the Isolation Trail Jct. Shortly after I got moving again, a backpacking couple were descending and they inquired about water. "You're not very far from several very pumpable pools." Presently I emerged from the trees and onto the ledge below Glen Boulder. Given that it was visible from route 16 while cycling I figured it would be bigger than it actually was. Still, it is impressively perched there, surviving the erosive forces of wind, water and ice, and the occasional hiker posing underneath, pretending to hold it up. Some hikers might even use it as a soapbox. Not anyone we know, certainly, and not a member of this board.
This gives an idea of its actual size
Glen Boulder, while an interesting destination in its own right, was just an early marker on a longer journey and so I left bound for Slide Peak. Above the boulder, the scrambling continues here and there and then it is back into the trees for a short while. There is a certain environment here, one which is found along Signal Ridge, between the Tripyramids, and along the Rollins Trail, where the trees are only so big, and it smells like spruce, and for some reason, there are a lot of flies. Of the entire 13+ miles, through here was the narrowest stretch of trail. Slide Peak, while insignificant from a prominence point of view, offers some pretty nice views itself. To the south it was quite hazy, but to the northwest (with the sun behind me) the views across the Gulf of Slides and up to Boott Spur were very nice.
Boott Spur above Gulf of Slides, Davis Path at Dry River Wilderness boundary
Above Slide Peak looms Boott Spur and on the way my next destination - the Davis Path junction. Even from Slide Peak, you can make out the enormous cairns coming across and down from the ridge. At the junction, they continue down towards Montalbahn Ridge and Isolation, the trail disappearing into the trees across a rocky alpine meadow. Through the haze I can just make out the ledge face on Isolation, three bumps away. Following the Davis Path, the tops of the southern Presidential range are visible on the right. The drop from Franklin into Oakes Gulf and then in to the Dry River is very impressive.
View towards Washington, Bob and Geri's group (including Trail Trotter and Rocket21)
At the junction of the Davis Path and the Isolation Trail (to Dry River), I met a man who was awaiting the return of his kids. They were off tagging Isolation, having come from Mizpah. I asked if he had seen a group of 9 or 10 come by and he hadn't (I knew Bob & Geri had a group trip planned for this day.) Not far before the Isolation spur trail, I ran into KevinMac, who was searching for his group of 9 or 10, believing they had already gone by. After a brief chat, he continued onward in search of his group. I would soon learn that he was well ahead of them.
How My Wilderness Experience Was Ruined*
When I got to the sub-summit, I found it deserted. I went to the actual top to tag the cairn and found two other people there. Not wanting to ruin their Wilderness experience, I returned to the sub-summit and its slightly better views and camped out on a convenient rock "bench" (If you have been to Isolation, you know what I mean.) Not 3 minutes later and I hear shouting and laughing. Very shortly after my Wilderness Experience was invaded by Rocket21. Great, I thought, now I'm going to have to call F&G for a rescue. This was worse than an injured thumb! Luckily the situation was mitigated soon thereafter by the arrival of Bob & Geri, and Trail Trotter and company.
I politely turned down an offer to return via Dry River and a ride back to my car, and everyone else left (after a big group shot.) I had the summit to myself for a while longer. While I didn't have to be home at any particular time, I didn't want to start the 150 mile drive home too late, so I packed up and headed back via Isolation Trail to Rocky Branch. I was definitely getting dehydrated at this point and I tried to ration my water out to last me until the Rocky Branch crossings. By the fifth and final crossing, I had finished all five liters I brought with me (1L of Gatorade), and I walked downstream a bit to a quiet pool and pumped 4 more liters, and drank a fifth. All told, 10 liters were consumed during the hike.
Aster (Aster puniceus), Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
I remember from last August that there were large patches of Asters and Turtleheads along the very wet and very muddy Rocky Branch Trail. Sure enough it wasn't long before I stumbled upon them again. The Asters are at peak right now, or perhaps just past peak, while the Turtleheads are just before peak. The best patches of each are literally just north of the junction of Rocky Branch and the Isolation Trail (after the 5th crossing heading TO Isolation.)
Upon returning to the car, I had consumed 5 liters I carried, plus another 5 that I had pumped. I mixed up another liter of Gatorade, and took two full Nalgenes of water with me on the drive home. By bedtime, I had consumed 13+ liters of fluids - almost 3-and-one-half gallons.
Isolation summit panorama
All Photos
Tim
*Of course my Wilderness Experience was not ruined. This is just the continuation of a long-running exchange of jokes.
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