The Kinsmen -- Kinsman Pond vs Fishin Jimmy

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Today I once again hiked to Kinsman Pond by the Kinsman Pond Trail, all trails solid, used microspikes the whole way. This is the third time I have been to the pond by that trail, and I found it broken out all three times. For a report of my 2007 trip see Kinsman Pond Trail.

In the winter of 2001 I was on a trip that did the Kinsmen from the Basin, using the Basin-Cascade, Cascade Brook, Kinsman Pond and Kinsman Ridge trails. On the way back we bushwhacked from the col between the two peaks down to the Kinsman Pond Trail. The bushwhack was, as I recall, quite easy, through fairly open woods. Navigation was trivial: we went downwards

Steve Smith and Mike Dickerman have this to say about that approach (minus the bushwhack) in their excellent book, The 4000-Footers of the White Mountains:

This is a scenic, longer and less-used route to the Kinsmans, with fine waterfall scenery along Cascade Brook, cascades and beautiful boreal forests on Kinsman Pond Trail, and spectacular shoreline views at Kinsman Pond. However, parts of the Basin-Cascade Trail are rough, and the upper mile of Kinsman Pond Trail has very rough, wet footing, often in a brookbed, which is particularly tedious on the descent.

In winter the rough sections are conveniently buried in snow, so the advantages of that route remain, while the disadvantages disappear.

Try it, you'll like it!

 

[RoySwkr]

I've done the Kinsman col bushwhack twice in winter back when you could still park at the AT crossing, the Basin-Cascades Trail is still rough for my taste even in snowshoes.

I've also done the bushwhack a couple times in non-winter, but it's less appealing with the junk on the forest floor.

 

[wardsgirl]

It's amazing how winter snows erase the unappealing parts!

 

[TDawg]

Why the bad rep?

Maybe it's because I'm young, but I didn't find Basin-Cascades overly rough at all that I remember. There are a lot of roots along the cascades at times, is that the problem? I found that the flowing water, cascades, Kinsman and Rocky Glen falls made it a great trail to just take in nature on, something cool around every corner. I love trails following nice streams.

And I agree the woods on the Kinsman Pond Tr. are gorgeous. I haven't done it in winter but I remember it was very green with moss in late spring. Pretty wet though, it wouldn't be my choice of decent from that area. I guess the lesser of two evils would still be the "F-in Jimmy Tr" for decent.

 

[griffin]

Basin-Cascades (as opposed to Cascade Brook) has a couple of rocky water crossings lower down - I don't find them all that challenging, either, but I suppose it depends on how you feel about rock-hopping.

Personally, I much prefer the Kinsman Pond trail to Fishin' Jimmy ("F-in Jimmy"? love it!) - I'll take a wet trail over the constant up and down and down and up, even in the warmer months. And it is very beautiful.