5.19.2008

Memorial Day!

I'll leave this a bare-bones post for now. tMail, what was it you wanted to do? Isolation the hard way? Post your suggestions in the comments and I'll paste them here and edit this post as we go. Any comments on MadDog's beaver can go to the previous (Willey Range) post.

13 comments:

  1. tMail, do you have a particular Isolation route in mind? Based on the amount of snow MadDog and I encountered we should expect icy/slushy piles of it in protected areas until mid-June.

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  2. Yes we can start at Moriah...how does that sound?

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  3. No I am not serious HA HA HA...Glen Boulder we get the 5,050 feet of elevation gain for training purposes...I don't have the map with me at work...park at PNVC?

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  4. Glen Boulder has its own parking lot. It's the same lot we parked in for the Carter Traverse. Recall we crossed under Rte 16 to take the Wildcat trail. Glen Boulder is basically the Wildcat Ridge Trail on the west side of Rte 16. Check the map when you get a chance because one option is to return via the Isolation Trail to the Rocky Branch Trail and back to 16 about 4 miles south of the Glen Boulder trailhead. It adds about a mile and means spotting a car, but it saves climbing back up to Boott Spur.... not that that's such a big deal, but ... i'm just sayin'...

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  5. Its called the Memorial Day Massacre for a reason...we climb back up Boott Spur!!!!

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  6. There may be MD attending the Massacre on Monday...MZ I will look at the map tonight...long term weather forecasts (subject to change) are looking sweet for Monday...

    ***Please note at any point the mileage for this Massacre may get extended either prior to or during the hike, bring your spray bottles.***

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  7. You're a freak.

    And don't forget, a great route is a loop up the Rocky Branch from 302 up to the Isolation Trail, back down the Davis Path to Stairs Mtn trail.

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  8. Bushwack-like stream trail! Dense vegetation and lots of water after a couple of miles. Hannah found a HUGE Moose Antler, which I propped up on a tree by the trail for everyone to admire. Bear and Moose scat. Any more water and we would have needed a Canoe. Snow at 3000 ft. Barebooted. I thought this was fabulous fun, because I have really good old waterproof boots and super-gaitors, I enjoy wandering around, and Hannah's FAVORITE activity is running thru muddy streams (she's the dog). Great weather, no bugs. We stopped at Rocky Branch Shelter #2.

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  9. Planned Route: From NH-16, Rocky Branch Trail, Isolation Trail, Davis Path to Isolation summit, and back via same route

    Trail conditions: Rocky Branch Trail was snow-free with only a micropatch or two at its max elevation (around 3100 feet), but more than 50% of this trail had a stream flowing down it involving constant rock hopping.

    This planned route crosses the Rocky Branch of the Saco River five times. The water level was high, so I bushwacked along the river, thereby eliminating four crossings. Unfortunately, the fifth crossing was still too dangerous for me, so I had to abort my hike and turn around at that point. Rock hopping was impossible, so options included fording (but it was raining, so I figured the water level would rise even higher for my return) or an extensive bushwack (but the snowpack was pretty intact in those dense woods).

    Isolation Trail was extremely wet, with many soft snow patches up to 3 feet deep.

    Comments: Overall, one of the most miserable hikes I ever did.

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  10. tMail, that last trip report was for the Rocky Branch Trail heading north from Jericho Road in Glen, NH off 302 (Just before the turn for Rte 16), not the Rocky Branch Trail heading West/South from 16 which doesn't cross the Rocky Branch River.

    I did that route in the fall and the water crossings were hard. It's good to do in low water conditions. If we go in sneakers/trail runners we'll just wade it.

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  11. I am still sold on Boott Spur NOAA.GOV is saying Gorham is expected to be 75 degrees with 40% chance of showers...I think being above the ravines will be a good work out and better prep for Wyoming and Jay...depending on our speed and time we can poke around above the ravines...i am taking tomorrow off but I will have my blackberry we can finalize plans this weekend...

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  12. Regardless of route, you pussies better be wearing your WY packs...

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  13. I'm packing light. There's no way I can keep up with you animals.... half man, half robot ... it's like wrestling a house.

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