trailbagger
New member
Traversed from the Ravine Lodge, via the Hurricane Trail, to the Glencliff Trail head, then road walked to the Tunnel Brook Trail and traversed that to the gate at the north end of Tunnel Brook Road. Great day for low-elevation red-lining!
The Hurricane Trail is dry with the exception of a few ice pockets near the height of land (~3000 ft). A few patches of rotten ice on a steep section were tricky, but the bigger problem was following the trail over its western half. Very light treadway with essentially no blazing: the few blazes that do exist are too faded to see from more than 20 feet away. Lots of blowdowns, but only a couple required bushwhacking around them.
The road to the Tunnel Brook trailhead is not yet open. The Tunnel Brook Trail itself is entirely free of snow and ice, although it is quite wet and muddy in places, as you would expect this time of year. Beautiful section of trail along the Mud Pond stretch. All stream crossings were a challenge, and generally required finding the rocks that were least submerged, and in the weakest current, and then standing on them. One section of trail is flooded by beaver activity, but if you back up fifty feet there is a herd-path to take you around it.
The 2.4 mile road walk from the end of Tunnel Brook trail to the gate is an obstacle course. Much work has been done to repair Irene damage, but a lot of work remains. There are sections of partially rebuilt road that are "paved" with tree trunks and branches, laid perpendicular to the road, that require considerable effort to traverse.
I encountered no other hikers, but did hear some voices coming from the Glencliff trail.
The Hurricane Trail is dry with the exception of a few ice pockets near the height of land (~3000 ft). A few patches of rotten ice on a steep section were tricky, but the bigger problem was following the trail over its western half. Very light treadway with essentially no blazing: the few blazes that do exist are too faded to see from more than 20 feet away. Lots of blowdowns, but only a couple required bushwhacking around them.
The road to the Tunnel Brook trailhead is not yet open. The Tunnel Brook Trail itself is entirely free of snow and ice, although it is quite wet and muddy in places, as you would expect this time of year. Beautiful section of trail along the Mud Pond stretch. All stream crossings were a challenge, and generally required finding the rocks that were least submerged, and in the weakest current, and then standing on them. One section of trail is flooded by beaver activity, but if you back up fifty feet there is a herd-path to take you around it.
The 2.4 mile road walk from the end of Tunnel Brook trail to the gate is an obstacle course. Much work has been done to repair Irene damage, but a lot of work remains. There are sections of partially rebuilt road that are "paved" with tree trunks and branches, laid perpendicular to the road, that require considerable effort to traverse.
I encountered no other hikers, but did hear some voices coming from the Glencliff trail.
