BIGEarl
Well-known member
February 25, 2007: Eisenhower, Pierce, Jackson
Trails: Crawford Path, Eisenhower Loop, Webster Cliff Trail, Jackson Branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail
Distance – Elevation: 12.2 miles, 3,700 feet
Jennifer and I arrived in the Crawford Notch area a little early for our planned 8:30 start to hike the Southern Presidentials so we paid a visit to the AMC Highland Center. I needed to purchase an annual White Mountain Parking Pass and the center sells them. After finishing this small task we headed to the Crawford Path trailhead parking near the end of the Mt. Clinton Road, geared-up, and headed off on the Crawford Connector to the Crawford Path. It was cold, 0 degrees, but the air was calm and the sky completely clear.
We started off with snowshoes right from the lot. The trail was broken and well packed but there was an occasional posthole on the side of the trail and we didn’t want to add more. We quietly hiked to the Crawford Path and beyond getting up to temperature and adjusting layers trying to find a comfortable combination. Along the way I stopped several times to snap some pictures of the beautiful winter conditions. A short distance below the Mizpah Spring Cutoff we were passed by a solo hiker bare booting his hike. A while later a solo woman hiker with a golden retriever went past, both bare booting as well. These hikers were moving well and doing no damage to the trail. We decided to abandon the snowshoes, at least for a while. Soon we met a solo hiker heading out after camping the night before.
When we reached the Mizpah Spring Cutoff the sun was breaking through the cover and it was a warm comfortable spot for a quick snack, Jennifer enjoyed some hot tea. We continued on with great hiking conditions to the junction with the Webster Cliff Trail, which we would follow on our hike out. We decided to head directly to Eisenhower and work back from there. Before heading off to Eisenhower we pulled out additional layers and prepared for the wind and exposure. The forecast for the high summits was west wind between 30 mph and 45 mph during the day. I believe we were experiencing the low end of this range. This was certainly enough to be uncomfortable without proper protection.
The Crawford Path above Mount Pierce was a mix of ice/crust on the exposed ledge and drifts in the spruce. Many times, the drifts were deep but there was little evidence of anything but bare booting hikers, and an occasionally crampons. We continued bare booting to Eisenhower. Along the way we met additional hikers on their way south. Just before the Crawford Path – Eisenhower Loop split we met the first solo hiker that had passed us early in the hike. He was returning from the summit and heading for Pierce. We continued to the summit ourselves. Additional traction was not needed. The trail is in great shape with only a few small patches of ice. We hit the summit, snapped some pictures, enjoyed the view, and headed back down. The wind was coming across the summit quite strong and the only limited shelter from it was the summit cairn. Back at the Crawford Path – Eisenhower Loop split we stopped for some food and drink before heading south to the Webster Cliff Trail, Mount Pierce and then Jackson.
We worked our way back across the ridge to the Webster Cliff Trail and headed for the summit of Mount Pierce. The trail is very well packed to the summit. Except for the summit area of Jackson, this would generally be the end of our exposed hiking for the day.
This would also be the start of our side trip to hell! And, we were heading down Main Street.
The Webster Cliff Trail from Mount Pierce south is a mess. Evidently, a group of three or four hikers bare-booted this trail and managed to posthole the full distance leaving incredibly poor hiking conditions. There was no sign of snowshoe traffic, just endless postholes. Prior to moving into this area we pulled our snowshoes out hoping they would help. The trail was in such a state of destruction from the postholes left by this group of hikers the snowshoes were little help at times. Trailbreaking a virgin trail after a storm would have been much less unpleasant. The hike down to the Mizpah Spring Hut wasn’t bad probably due to the steepness of the trail. We arrived at the hut and took a brief break before the final hike to Jackson.
Off we went to Jackson with endless postholes. At times we were fighting to maintain balance while trying to smooth the trail as much as two hikers could accomplish. These conditions burned our final energy. We found ourselves hiking for a couple hundred feet and then stop for a quick rest, and then repeat – over and over again. We reached the bog area just north of Mount Jackson and saw some fresh tracks. A hiker apparently wearing MSR snowshoes made it to the bog from the south and turned around. Perhaps he had reached his limit with the trail conditions. We continued on to Jackson. Upon reaching the point where the climb becomes steep I believe we found slightly improved conditions due to the hiker that had u-turned at the bog and headed back south. We reached the summit, snapped some pictures, and prepared to head out. It was getting late and we were beat.
The hike out was uneventful. The postholes continued but there had been a good amount of traffic to Jackson from Crawford Notch which helped smooth the trail. There are some interesting steep sections of the Jackson branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail and Jennifer decided glissading was the best approach. At the junction with the Webster branch we stopped to pull out our headlights, it was too dark to safely hike. A little over a mile, and a little more glissading, and we reached the highway. As we were removing our snowshoes a couple ice climbers were leaving the trailhead lot across the road. They asked if we could use a ride and we gladly accepted the offer. They delivered us to our waiting truck in the trailhead lot for the Crawford Path. It was a short, but much appreciated ride. As I said, we were beat.
We quickly packed and headed off. This time, Fabyan’s provided Jennifer’s post-hike coffee.
BIGEarl's Pictures
Trails: Crawford Path, Eisenhower Loop, Webster Cliff Trail, Jackson Branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail
Distance – Elevation: 12.2 miles, 3,700 feet
Jennifer and I arrived in the Crawford Notch area a little early for our planned 8:30 start to hike the Southern Presidentials so we paid a visit to the AMC Highland Center. I needed to purchase an annual White Mountain Parking Pass and the center sells them. After finishing this small task we headed to the Crawford Path trailhead parking near the end of the Mt. Clinton Road, geared-up, and headed off on the Crawford Connector to the Crawford Path. It was cold, 0 degrees, but the air was calm and the sky completely clear.
We started off with snowshoes right from the lot. The trail was broken and well packed but there was an occasional posthole on the side of the trail and we didn’t want to add more. We quietly hiked to the Crawford Path and beyond getting up to temperature and adjusting layers trying to find a comfortable combination. Along the way I stopped several times to snap some pictures of the beautiful winter conditions. A short distance below the Mizpah Spring Cutoff we were passed by a solo hiker bare booting his hike. A while later a solo woman hiker with a golden retriever went past, both bare booting as well. These hikers were moving well and doing no damage to the trail. We decided to abandon the snowshoes, at least for a while. Soon we met a solo hiker heading out after camping the night before.
When we reached the Mizpah Spring Cutoff the sun was breaking through the cover and it was a warm comfortable spot for a quick snack, Jennifer enjoyed some hot tea. We continued on with great hiking conditions to the junction with the Webster Cliff Trail, which we would follow on our hike out. We decided to head directly to Eisenhower and work back from there. Before heading off to Eisenhower we pulled out additional layers and prepared for the wind and exposure. The forecast for the high summits was west wind between 30 mph and 45 mph during the day. I believe we were experiencing the low end of this range. This was certainly enough to be uncomfortable without proper protection.
The Crawford Path above Mount Pierce was a mix of ice/crust on the exposed ledge and drifts in the spruce. Many times, the drifts were deep but there was little evidence of anything but bare booting hikers, and an occasionally crampons. We continued bare booting to Eisenhower. Along the way we met additional hikers on their way south. Just before the Crawford Path – Eisenhower Loop split we met the first solo hiker that had passed us early in the hike. He was returning from the summit and heading for Pierce. We continued to the summit ourselves. Additional traction was not needed. The trail is in great shape with only a few small patches of ice. We hit the summit, snapped some pictures, enjoyed the view, and headed back down. The wind was coming across the summit quite strong and the only limited shelter from it was the summit cairn. Back at the Crawford Path – Eisenhower Loop split we stopped for some food and drink before heading south to the Webster Cliff Trail, Mount Pierce and then Jackson.
We worked our way back across the ridge to the Webster Cliff Trail and headed for the summit of Mount Pierce. The trail is very well packed to the summit. Except for the summit area of Jackson, this would generally be the end of our exposed hiking for the day.
This would also be the start of our side trip to hell! And, we were heading down Main Street.
The Webster Cliff Trail from Mount Pierce south is a mess. Evidently, a group of three or four hikers bare-booted this trail and managed to posthole the full distance leaving incredibly poor hiking conditions. There was no sign of snowshoe traffic, just endless postholes. Prior to moving into this area we pulled our snowshoes out hoping they would help. The trail was in such a state of destruction from the postholes left by this group of hikers the snowshoes were little help at times. Trailbreaking a virgin trail after a storm would have been much less unpleasant. The hike down to the Mizpah Spring Hut wasn’t bad probably due to the steepness of the trail. We arrived at the hut and took a brief break before the final hike to Jackson.
Off we went to Jackson with endless postholes. At times we were fighting to maintain balance while trying to smooth the trail as much as two hikers could accomplish. These conditions burned our final energy. We found ourselves hiking for a couple hundred feet and then stop for a quick rest, and then repeat – over and over again. We reached the bog area just north of Mount Jackson and saw some fresh tracks. A hiker apparently wearing MSR snowshoes made it to the bog from the south and turned around. Perhaps he had reached his limit with the trail conditions. We continued on to Jackson. Upon reaching the point where the climb becomes steep I believe we found slightly improved conditions due to the hiker that had u-turned at the bog and headed back south. We reached the summit, snapped some pictures, and prepared to head out. It was getting late and we were beat.
The hike out was uneventful. The postholes continued but there had been a good amount of traffic to Jackson from Crawford Notch which helped smooth the trail. There are some interesting steep sections of the Jackson branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail and Jennifer decided glissading was the best approach. At the junction with the Webster branch we stopped to pull out our headlights, it was too dark to safely hike. A little over a mile, and a little more glissading, and we reached the highway. As we were removing our snowshoes a couple ice climbers were leaving the trailhead lot across the road. They asked if we could use a ride and we gladly accepted the offer. They delivered us to our waiting truck in the trailhead lot for the Crawford Path. It was a short, but much appreciated ride. As I said, we were beat.
We quickly packed and headed off. This time, Fabyan’s provided Jennifer’s post-hike coffee.
BIGEarl's Pictures
