bryan
New member
date: 4/27/13
trails: rocky branch trail, bushwack
conditions: the continuous snow line on rocky branch trail was at about 2500 ft. some stretches below that as well, but with lots of bare ground in between. otherwise a mix of dry and wet trail up to that point. snow was wet and soft with a crumbling monorail early. more solid a bit higher. some bare ground where the trail levels off and then full coverage with at least a couple feet of snow remaining up towards the height of land. i started my bushwack a bit below 3k and kept below the ridge to the east where the best woods seemed to be. still plenty of snow, mostly stable with a wet and soft top layer, but some rotten patches too. woods were generally open with some glades and decent going. i crept up onto the ridge and the going got thicker with fir and spruce taking over, but it really never got bad. the summit plateau is pretty broad and i wandered around a bit to find the highpoint which has some nice view ledges just to the east. i continued south maybe 100 yards to a blowdown patch which had some more good views to stairs, resolution, etc. on the descent i immediately dropped to the east below the ridge and found open woods and plentiful glades almost all the way back to the rocky branch trail hitting it right above the wilderness boundary. none of the small brooks along the way were a problem to cross.
equipment: snowshoes are still pretty essential at elevation unless you like knee to thigh deep postholing or tip toeing along an unstable monorail.
comments: i wanted to hike this summit on a nice day as i had heard there were some good view ledges near the top. today was perfect and the views to isolation and the montalban ridge and up to monroe and washington were fanstastic. the east facing birch glades also provided panoramas from baldface down to kearsarge north. with the warm temps the snow in the open woods was melting fast, but i would still plan on flotation if headed to this peak or to isolation in the near future. great to be out.
bryan
[email protected]
trails: rocky branch trail, bushwack
conditions: the continuous snow line on rocky branch trail was at about 2500 ft. some stretches below that as well, but with lots of bare ground in between. otherwise a mix of dry and wet trail up to that point. snow was wet and soft with a crumbling monorail early. more solid a bit higher. some bare ground where the trail levels off and then full coverage with at least a couple feet of snow remaining up towards the height of land. i started my bushwack a bit below 3k and kept below the ridge to the east where the best woods seemed to be. still plenty of snow, mostly stable with a wet and soft top layer, but some rotten patches too. woods were generally open with some glades and decent going. i crept up onto the ridge and the going got thicker with fir and spruce taking over, but it really never got bad. the summit plateau is pretty broad and i wandered around a bit to find the highpoint which has some nice view ledges just to the east. i continued south maybe 100 yards to a blowdown patch which had some more good views to stairs, resolution, etc. on the descent i immediately dropped to the east below the ridge and found open woods and plentiful glades almost all the way back to the rocky branch trail hitting it right above the wilderness boundary. none of the small brooks along the way were a problem to cross.
equipment: snowshoes are still pretty essential at elevation unless you like knee to thigh deep postholing or tip toeing along an unstable monorail.
comments: i wanted to hike this summit on a nice day as i had heard there were some good view ledges near the top. today was perfect and the views to isolation and the montalban ridge and up to monroe and washington were fanstastic. the east facing birch glades also provided panoramas from baldface down to kearsarge north. with the warm temps the snow in the open woods was melting fast, but i would still plan on flotation if headed to this peak or to isolation in the near future. great to be out.
bryan
[email protected]
