Jewell, Gulfside, Cornice, Castle Ravine, Link, Caps Ridge, Boundary Line 7/2/2017

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RichS

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2013
Messages
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Location
Westford, MA
How many nasty trails can you link together in one hike?

With very heavy rains the day before, I chose a route with minimal stream crossings.
Lower Jewell was easy, but the clouds/fog above treeline made it moderately difficult to follow. North on Gulfside was an easy walk.
The Cornice is not so much a trail as a string of cairns slabbing a boulder field. Tag one and make a beeline to the next one, trying not to shred your boots or your palms on the rough boulders. Views below began opening up here.
Castle Ravine down the headwall was an exercise in care. Going up would have been easier, but it was nice having the ravine view in front all the time. Views were excellent by now. Between Roof Rock and The Link are four stream crossings. The first two are mentioned in the 29th WMG. The second pair are even closer together and there is an RMC temporary trail sign there. I was too tired to bushwhack back to see why this pair was necessary.
The Link to Caps Ridge was slippery due to the rains. It would have been fun earlier in the day.
Then there’s The Link west of Jefferson, aptly renamed The Dink on trail signs at either end. The first third to the west viewpoint is absolutely horrible, as advertised. You’re lucky to get two steps in a row without an obstacle. One bottleneck required getting three feet off the ground to a narrow V between boulders, then dropping four feet to a narrow ledge and another four feet to the trail. I whacked around that after a failed attempt to get to the ledge. The second third of The Link was noticeably easier, and the final third easier still but no cake walk.
Lower Caps Ridge seemed like an ADA accessible pathway after the previous five miles.
I picked up a ride down Jefferson Notch Road to the Boundary Line Trail. This was sometimes difficult to follow when the straight-arrow trail jogged at stream crossings.
13.9 miles, 4150 feet, book time 9:00. My time 11:02. Add 30 minutes without the ride. My time for long hikes is typically 85-100% of book time. This one was 122%.

Blackflies are still nasty, but past peak.
 
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