Rocky Branch/Isolation/Davis Path Loop

Out of control! tMail, I know you need Isolation and I'll go back with you, but I was passing by it so no point in pretending I didn't stop and say 'hi'.

From the Jericho Rd Trailhead to Isolation Summit: 9.6mi, 5hr. (1.9 mi/hr)
From Isolation Summit back to Jericho Rd (via Davis Path/Stairs Col): 10.5mi, 3.5hr (3 mi/hr)

Why the big difference if the first 6 miles or so of the Rocky Branch trail is so damned flat? It's not because of ascent vs. descent. It's those brook crossings I was warned about in The Book; holy crap. The rocks were all iced over and even if they weren't, finding a crossing meant wandering up and down the banks looking for a place. I avoided two of them by taking the most ferocious bushwack ever. Not sure which was worse.

I will say that I didn't see another person until about 2 hrs before getting back to the car (a group of 4 through-hikers coming from Stairs Mtn on the Davis Path). Until I saw them, I didn't even see a human footprint!

The weather was great and it was fun to be in the snow. Pics are posted here.

Highlights:

• Temperatures were in the high 20's lower down, and in the teens up top - but the winds were never above 5mph. I put on my yellow wind-breaker on Isolation after most of the pics but before eating my sandwich. The sun helped.
  
• Crossing the brook meant, in all cases, a full two-feet-landing jump over fast water. The pools were as much as 4 or 5 ft deep and the water between boulders was voluminous. The complication, once you found a route and ignored the rushing water, was that the rocks were iced over where the water splashed. Once tested with the pole tip, the risk was not slipping, it was landing on a rock and finding that the other side was iced so you can't get to the next rock and you can't get back because the landing site on the rock you launched from was iced. Amazingly, the only time I got a submerged boot was on a tributary crossing over 5inch deep water when a 'stable' rock flipped over.
• The bushwack: oh my. Because of the rugged nature of the narrow valley, I didn't want to get trapped between cliff and brook, so I worked my way up. The gain in elevation was on a steep, eroded hillside that had exceeded it's angle of repose. It was also covered in thick balsam, prickers, saplings and downed trees from the collapsing earth. It was not a good place if you are either afraid of heights, claustrophobic (pulling you and your pack vertically up through branches that are dense enough to almost hold you in place while your feet feel like they're dangling in space) or generally disturbed by whole trunks giving way, slope collapsing under your feet and sending rocks, trees, branches and dirt down in showers of mini-slides. I'm really glad I did the loop 'clockwise'. Hitting those brooks/bushwack in the gloaming with plummeting temps would suck. Interestingly, the gain in elevation wasn't wasted effort. I only lost about 1/3 of it after joining up with the brook again.
  
• Bear Print! Oh yeh. I got pics.
• The lack of evidence of humans and the palpable feeling of remoteness lead to a profound sense of isolation. Somehow the transitions of the Rocky Branch trail - which starts as an actual, working, high-quality logging road and ends in snow-covered, confusing, narrow alpine terrain where it joins the Isolation Trail, enhances that experience. In spite of my multiple forays into the heart of the Pemi, this was in another league entirely. I don't think a summer loop would be anything like it.
• The Stairs Col trail looks like it was just built and has never been used. No erosion, no signs of other feet, and completely undisturbed beds of leaves in the birch groves. I had the 'where the hell is everybody???' experience.
• No Mount Davis. I never saw a sign or a side trail. Nothing.
  

The Torture Test

So, I doubt anybody would be up for this, but I'm kinda thinkin' of kicking up the Rocky Branch trail to Isolation and back down the Montalban Ridge to Stairs col. It's about 20 miles and includes what the book describes as 4 major brook crossings that result in 'wading' unless the water is low. The water isn't low. There are one or two bushwacks described to avoid water crossings. The Rocky Branch trail is rocky, overgrown and slow going (I hear). This would be a huge day out. Anyone? Hello? Bueller?

A Google Earth View of the Davis Path Hike

Last weekend's hike (Click on picture to zoom)

A New View North

One consequence of our trek yesterday was a damned interesting perspective from Mt. Crawford. It's a view I've never seen before. In one sweep you can see, from a little south of west to north: Carrigain, The Bonds (w/ Lafayette peeking over), The Twins, Crawford Notch, the southern Presi's to Washington, right up Oakes Gulf. The panorama I constructed here is from Crawford Notch to Mt. Washington. I didn't have enough overlap to stich the three pics well, but that's a minor technical problem. The view makes the point. Click the picture to zoom. (Resolution is the hump disappearing off the right edge, rising in front of Mt. Stairs ... I think).
[Update 11/5]: Pics are now posted. [Link]

Terrific Day on the Davis Path

No tMail, no Maddog, but we sucked it up and had a great day on the Davis Path. Mtns Crawford, Resolution & Stair are off the list. More will be posted later and when I get the PM's pics we'll get them all cranked up as usual. I have to shower and change for a party.

Some Notes:

• It was beautiful weather. The rain never came and the front blew some beautiful chilly air in along with some fast clouds.
• The Davis Path is very easy footing, although the initial ascent is steep.
• The PM created a cairn made of the fermented remnants of Friday night's revelry. g-$$$ and I just stayed up-wind and pretended to ignore the screaming. But how can you ignore "Ahhhhrrrrg! Damn You IPA... aaaarrrhhhh, my colon!"
• This hike opened up a number of possibilities for future treks, like the entire Montalban Ridge from 302 to The Bad Boy and then back down the Crawford Path to the AMC hut. Or for some new challenges, at Lake of the Clouds drop down into the Dry River Wilderness where tMail and I explored last summer.
  
• Another terrific looking speed loop would be at the end of Jericho Road, taking the Rocky Branch Trail north to the Isolation Trail, then back down the Davis Path for the entire Montalban back to Stairs Mtn. Col, etc. Just under 20 miles including the side trail to Mt. Davis.
  

Nov 3rd: The Plot Thickens

It looks like the PM and I are staring at the maps. Naturally I've been on a kick to do new things and check out new trails. Sometimes there will be overlap, but here are a few trails for fun and frolic:

1. Beaver Brook Trail up to Asquam Ridge (to Moosilauke) - features handholds and/or ladders I think.
2. Davis Path to Mtns Crawford, Resolution & Stairs.
3. Israel Ridge Path up to Edmands Col. (Up the Castellated Ridge, Down Israel Ridge?)
   
4. Up Wildcat Ridge Trail to Carter Notch Hut, return to 2nd car at Hall's Ledge Trail by taking Wildcat River Trail south to Carter Notch Road, right on road a bit, then Hall's Ledge Trail back to Rte 16.
5. Downes Brook Trail south to Kate Sleeper Trail, hit East/West Sleeper, return via Sabbaday Brook Trail (hitting South/Middle Tri and avoiding The Fool Killer).
6. Sandwich Dome & Black Mountain (via Sandwich Mtn & Algonquin trails, return via Algonquin & Drake's Brook).
7. Chocorua - any of it. The closest I've been is Wonalancet. Maybe up Champney Falls Tr, then across the Bee Line Tr., Lawrence Tr. and pick up the Oliverian Brook Trail in Paugus Pass?

[Update 10/31: Happy Holloween]
It looks like trip #2 is the choice du jour. And for the icing on the proverbial cake, g-$$$ may be filling in for the long-lost tMail who will be taking off in a few days for the other side of the planet. The weather is looking fine, although it will likely be a chilly start to a bright, sunny day. The leaves are off most of the trees so the woods should be bright and the views tremendous with the clear, dry air. I can't wait.

[Update 11/2: Uh Oh]
Rain's a comin'. From the National Weather Service for Lincoln, NH:

AN INTENSE EXTROPICAL LOW WILL TRACK TO THE EAST OF CAPE COD
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND MOVE INTO NOVA SCOTIA CANADA SATURDAY
EVENING. GUSTY WINDS AND RAIN ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

At Last: The Long Awaited Plot

Time profile of hike last weekend to Stillwater Junction. For those of you who thought this was a level-trail, feast your eyeballs on this baby..... although an interesting characteristic of the profile is that my ascent and descent rates are pretty uniform in terms of vertical feet per minute (I slow down on steeper parts).

[Update 10/28/07]
Well, the winds are touching 100mph on the summit of Mt. Washington. The heavy rains have let up and the temperatures are dropping. I'm caulking, insulating and scraping today (no big adventure) but while breakfast is settling thought I'd post a hike analysis. I'm trying to combine distance, elevation and time in an informative display and chose the image posted at right. The symmetry is, of course, due to the fact that the return trip from Stillwater Junction was via the same route (up and over the notch where Nancy and Norcross Ponds are). I've divided the hike into three stages and posted the times and average pace for each section. The middle 'flat' section by itself was close to 4mph (about a 15min pace) but I liked the idea of including the entire section from Norcross Pond to Stillwater Jct and back. If you go there, you'll see why - the terrain in and out of the valley is different from the ascent from 302.

The times are total hiking time (including stops for pictures, lunch, etc.).

Oh yeh, Summit of Mt. Washington at 2pm: 18°F, 75mph winds, -10° wind chill, and the pic at right shows the observation deck.

[Minor Update 10/28, 8pm]
I harvested all my remaining hot peppers and made the last batches of my annual 'hot sauce'. It's pretty hot - although what was interesting was not that the sauce was so hot, but that handling and cooking the peppers nearly destroyed everything near and dear to me, including my nasal mucosa. The normal precautions of wearing a respirator and latex gloves are for people who learn their lessons easily. This is the fourth time I've made pepper sauce and the fourth time I've declined to wear protection. Next time I'll do it, I swear. One quick anecdote: I dried about 60 peppers earlier in the season and spent about 20 minutes picking them out of a paper back, cutting the stems off with scissors and tossing them in an otherwise empty pot. Merely handling the dried peppers caused all sorts of full-body reactions (including sweating and other symptoms that pepper-eaters get to know). Now I've got lots of pepper sauce.

Plans for Saturday

I've got a company party Saturday (actually my wife's employer, but it'll be a rocking good time) but that's not until 5pm or thereabouts in Montpelier. I just need enough time to get home, get showered and changed and be fashionably late. The PM's on the road I think, but he's got a hankerin' for a day out in the wilds. tMail is packing his bags, g-$$$ is training Evan for olympics, Spanky hasn't been tested on more than a few level miles and Maddog is getting outfitted with bionic legs to replace his bionic legs. I just spend two days putting away about 200 bales of hay so I don't feel like doing anything, especially if it involves hay.

PM, if you're still up for an adventure, post some ideas.

[Update 10/25 11:30am]
The forecast for Saturday is for heavy rain - Sunday is looking better.


[Update 10/26 5pm]
Did I say heavy rain? I meant very heavy rain... tonight, all Saturday, into Saturday night and rain mixed w/ snow on Sunday. This isn't looking good. Maybe it's time I repainted the dining room ceiling where the upstairs radiator leaked last spring.

Countdown To Bangalore

Things are quieting down this weekend as we prep for Banglore, travel to Maine, attend Company dinners, watch movies and ride out the rains and storms.

It's good to have a weekend off from time to time, even though if the rains subside I'll probably head out anyway. In the warm fall weather I want to test my new light day-pack (I returned the LaFuma I wrote about a week ago).

While tMail heads to bangalore in a week or so I may do some more exploring. I had such a great time on Kinsman Ridge that I'm still enthusiastic about exploring more in the Whites without hitting the high summits. It's a little wet out there, but nothing a pair of gaiters can't handle.

[Update 10/21 5:30pm]
What a day! I didn't stress my credit card but man, my first metatarsal is aching! Just about 18 miles today but the trails were much easier than the Carter Traverse. tMail and I took about 13 hours to do about 18 miles. I did the same distance (+/- 0.5 miles) and it took exactly 7 hours. I did Nancy Pond trail to Carrigain Notch to Stillwater Junction and then back again by the same route. The weather was outstanding and the route was highly scenic. Once again I've reinforced the idea (for myself) that there are some gorgeous trails in the Whites that don't hit the 4k-ers. The Nancy Pond Trail starts off like the Tuckerman Ravine trail, but not as steep. It then transitions into Falling Water, except a LOT more water coming down the falls. At the top are two ponds: Nancy Pond and Norcross Pond, which appear to drain in opposite directions. Because of all the heavy rains lately, things were mighty wet - in fact the trail around the ponds was completely submerged in spots. Brook crossings were mostly manageable except for one over Norcross Brook, which required that I take my boots off and cross barefoot. It was pretty refreshing and never over my knees. The brook was only about 25ft across. The weather was so nice I actually walked about 200 yards barefoot - enjoying the soft earth and sunshine.

I met one group on the way in, around Nancy Pond, and two couples heading up to Nancy Pond on my way down. The Pemi was entirely quiet, except for the wind in the trees and the sound of rushing water.

Heard it on the mountain - Special Edition (featuring muthaZ's trail induced hypnosis and inability to carry on a conversation):

A group of overnight hikers approached. One guy asked "are the brooks still as hard to cross?". I should've said "How the fuck would I know. It's not like I cross them twice a fucking day every day of the week!". What I said was "... uh, I guess...".

A couple approached on my way down from Nancy Pond. The guy was topless. He said "wow, it's too hot out for my blood!". I should've said "maybe that's because you're a douche-bag.". What I said was "yeh, it's a nice day."

Another couple approached about a mile below Nancy Pond, on the steep ascent up above Nancy Cascade. The wife asks "How much longer to Nancy Pond?". I should've said "yeh, because I have a video camera with a gps and speedometer jammed up your ass and because I have nothing better to do I've been measuring your pace for the last 4 hours, and frankly, I don't think you or your pale-blue boyfriend are going to make it. you better kill yourselves right now." What I said was "...uh, I don't know...". She replied "oh, this doesn't go to Nancy's Pond?". I should've said "no, you stupid cow, it comes FROM Nancy's Pond." What I said was "...uh, yeh, it does... I just haven't been paying attention to the time... maybe another hour...".

Unbelievable foliage pics - posted later tonight or tomorrow. Pic at right was from Nancy Pond Trail.

3-Stooges Pic #2: Sunrise Through My Neighbor's Yard

My driveway points east across the Danville-Peacham road, toward the driveway of my neighbor Frank.

I went out to bring in my miniature roses because of the impending hard frost tonight and saw the sun rising through the fog (the valleys up here are pretty foggy in the fall mornings). I ran back up to the office deck in my 3-Stooges pants to snap this shot through the power/phone lines, looking down on Frank's car.

I don't know what the light vertical banding is.