Wachipauka Pond Pre-storm Hike 2-22

[grouseking]

Finally! I made it to Wachipauka Pond! And from the look of things, I need to head back there, because Webster Slide Mountain looks amazing.

We got to the north side of the trail head around 10am, and were surprised that the trail had not been broken at all. I guess this is a trail that is mainly used by thru hikers. Snow had already started, but it wasn't a big deal. Actually, it added to the charm of the hike. We had a feeling that there would be few people out there today because of the forecast, and we saw no one the entire hike.

One surprise: The steep hill that led up towards the pond....it kind of took me by surprise, and we had someone (my sister) who wasn't very experienced with winter hiking, so it was a slow go, and I felt bad. But she did great and we made it up the slow slowly and methodically. Meanwhile, we brought the dog, Bentley with us, and he was doing laps back and forth, and responded to every whistle that was blown. He was a good dog!

Dog


Pic of the hill letting up



More doggie





Suffice to say, when we got back to the car, this particular dog passed out for the entire ride home.

As we approached the pond, I saw glimpses of Webster Slide Mountain. It looks very impressive and imposing. If I had a little more time that day, I might have tried to head up the trail. Perhaps next spring, or at least before I move to DC....

When we got a view of the pond, we bushwhacked off trail down to the water. Actually, I think we might have briefly ventured off trail anyways. All the way up the trail was a little difficult to follow and when we got to the pond, I couldn't tell if where it was. But it didn't matter, we were at the pond, and it was time to take a break, and get some pictures.



]






By this point, the snow had started in earnest, at least up at the pond. So I decided to put the camera away, and we headed back to the car, wondering how bad the roads would be. Well, once we were back down in the lower elevations, the snow almost completely stopped, and the temps warmed above freezing. In fact, the sun was in and out of the clouds. We were definitely in a "shadow" zone thanks to the mountains. In fact, the roads were completely clear when we got back. They remained clear almost all the way back. Snow was almost nonexistent till we got south of Fairlee VT, where it started in earnest, and it didn't stick till we got back to my apt. So it was an easy trip home.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/570226962OXcbNw

Hope you like!

grouseking

 

[Mattl]

Nice pictures! That was the first time Bentley was off of his leash, and he did very well, I was proud of him. Yeah I would like to get up to Webster Slide, and it would have been cool that day because of the wind up there.

 

[David Metsky]

Webster Slide is a cool place. There used to be a shelter up there, and it's still a cool place to camp.

 

[1HappyHiker]

The steep hill that led up towards the pond....it kind of took me by surprise, and we had someone (my sister) who wasn't very experienced with winter hiking, so it was a slow go, and I felt bad. But she did great and we made it up the slow slowly and methodically.

As we approached the pond, I saw glimpses of Webster Slide Mountain. It looks very impressive and imposing. If I had a little more time that day, I might have tried to head up the trail.

Nice TR! And, yes that steep climb shortly beyond the trailhead is a real killer. I recall meeting a southbound AT through hiker on that steep stretch. He was struggling a bit, even after all that he’d come through on his long journey down from Maine.

Anyway, like Dave says, Webster-Slide Mountain is a really cool place and you should definitely pay it a visit sometime. However, just as an FYI, here’s an alternative that I once did when hiking with someone who wasn’t overly keen on slogging up to Webster-Slide Mountain. We continued south on the Wachipauka Pond Trail (past the turn-off for the Webster-SlideTrail). After maybe 0.3 mile (or less), there’s a very short spur trail that heads east (the entire spur trail is only a few hundred feet). At the end of the spur is a view similar to that on Webster-Slide Mountain (albeit a bit more restricted by trees).

 

[bikehikeskifish]

For comparison, here is the same trip (including a view from Webster Slide Peak) in mid-October:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25719

I have to say that if it was July or August I'd be in the pond in a heartbeat.

Tim

 

[grouseking]

For comparison, here is the same trip (including a view from Webster Slide Peak) in mid-October:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25719

I have to say that if it was July or August I'd be in the pond in a heartbeat.

Tim

Hope I'm around here during July or August. Moving soon....

I need to get as much hiking in over the next few months.

I remember looking at those pics months ago. Nice to look at them again!

grouseking

 

[grouseking]

Nice TR! And, yes that steep climb shortly beyond the trailhead is a real killer. I recall meeting a southbound AT through hiker on that steep stretch. He was struggling a bit, even after all that he’d come through on his long journey down from Maine.

Anyway, like Dave says, Webster-Slide Mountain is a really cool place and you should definitely pay it a visit sometime. However, just as an FYI, here’s an alternative that I once did when hiking with someone who wasn’t overly keen on slogging up to Webster-Slide Mountain. We continued south on the Wachipauka Pond Trail (past the turn-off for the Webster-SlideTrail). After maybe 0.3 mile (or less), there’s a very short spur trail that heads east (the entire spur trail is only a few hundred feet). At the end of the spur is a view similar to that on Webster-Slide Mountain (albeit a bit more restricted by trees).

Thanks for the advice. I'll def remember that. If I get back up there, it will be in the summer or fall, so I'll be able to tramp around a little bit, without a couple feet of snow on the ground.

Yeah the hill did take me by surprise. That AT really doesn't care about switchbacks. It was prob one of the millions of PUD's that thru hikers complain so much about.

grouseking