Willey Range, 2/12/2011

[BIGEarl]

Hike: Willey Range Loop from Crawford Depot

Date: February 12, 2011

Saturday (2/12/2011) Sue and I are hiking the Willey Range. Anybody want to join the fun?

We’re planning on-trail target of 8:00am.

We hike a moderate pace, which is around book time or a little more. On the way through we may also take the short side-trip to visit the summit of Avalon.

If you’re interested in joining the fun or have any questions, please respond to this thread or by PM.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Hike: Willey Range Loop from Crawford Depot

Date: February 12, 2011

Saturday (2/12/2011) Sue and I are hiking the Willey Range. Anybody want to join the fun?

We’re planning on-trail target of 8:00am.

We hike a moderate pace, which is around book time or a little more. On the way through we may also take the short side-trip to visit the summit of Avalon.

If you’re interested in joining the fun or have any questions, please respond to this thread or by PM.

As of Monday, the Avalon to Field trail was unbroken, as was the path leading from Field to Willie. A-Z trail to junction with Range Trail, and Tom to Field was open.

Good luck!

 

[BIGEarl]

As of Monday, the Avalon to Field trail was unbroken, as was the path leading from Field to Willie. A-Z trail to junction with Range Trail, and Tom to Field was open.

Good luck!

Thanks Tom.

I'm pretty sure I read a report where somebody claimed to have broken the trails out two days earlier. Must be I'm confused, again.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Thanks Tom.

I'm pretty sure I read a report where somebody claimed to have broken the trails out two days earlier. Must be I'm confused, again.

Ya never know. It was visible as a faint track, and I could feel it was there, so it has been used - a while ago. I didn't want to try it, due to fatigue mostly, and I've heard it's hard to follow in Winter.

 

[BIGEarl]

Ya never know. It was visible as a faint track, and I could feel it was there, so it has been used - a while ago. I didn't want to try it, due to fatigue mostly, and I've heard it's hard to follow in Winter.

Breaking the trail from Field to Willey isn't too bad, usually. There's one place where it feels like the trail should head slightly left and uphill but in fact the trail goes slightly right and downhill. This is an area where I've been confused more than once. It's always been a relatively easy recovery.

I have also found the south side of the trees is where the blazes can often be found. Hiking from Field to Willey requires you to check over your shoulder occasionally for a blaze.

If the Avalon Trail isn't broken out we can hit Tom first, and then head down the ridge to Field, and then Willey. Breaking Avalon top down can be a lot of fun on snowshoes.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Breaking the trail from Field to Willey isn't too bad, usually. There's one place where it feels like the trail should head slightly left and uphill but in fact the trail goes slightly right and downhill. This is an area where I've been confused more than once. It's always been a relatively easy recovery.

I have also found the south side of the trees is where the blazes can often be found. Hiking from Field to Willey requires you to check over your shoulder occasionally for a blaze.

If the Avalon Trail isn't broken out we can hit Tom first, and then head down the ridge to Field, and then Willey. Breaking Avalon top down can be a lot of fun on snowshoes.

I noticed that wrt the blazes as well. None on the way up, several on the way down. Contrast that to Pierce where there are blazes every few feet!

The Avalon trail will be broken out big time, if it's like what we saw! It's after you get to the view point, and no one has gone any further, that you gnash your teeth, and wonder why you didn't go the other way!

I also noticed that a few boot-shaped holes were punched thru the stream crossings!

 

[BIGEarl]

.......
I also noticed that a few boot-shaped holes were punched thru the stream crossings!

I think the bare booters prefer the Crawford Notch area over everything else. Both sides of the highway get really beat up; Avalon & A-Z trails as well as Webster-Jackson Trail & Crawford Path.

I'm pretty sure they don't really enjoy it either.