Water in Bigelow col

[askus3]

On the weekend of August 20-21: I am doing two day hikes as part of my trip.
Saturday: Hiking southbound on AT from East Flagstaff Road over Little Bigelow and on to Avery Peak and then descending via Safford Brook Trail where a car will be spotted.
Sunday: Traditional loop up Firewarden Trail to Avery Peak then across the Bigelows, Horns and down completing the loop.

Now the question: I have two members of my party that are planning on being with us but are combining the two hikes and staying overnight at Bigelow col. What is the water situation there? I have heard that it could be dry in that location. Also any specific campsite you would recommend when up there? It is weekend, but I imagine if they arrive there around 3 PM, they should have no problem having a choice of sites.

 

[ChrisB]

Yes and Yes

In Avery Col (between Avery and West Avery) there are several tent platforms. In addition, about 0.2 out of the col heading east up Avery Peak, there is a box spring that is pretty reliable.

Given this summer's rain fall, I'd be confident that water would be available there.

cb

 

[AntlerPeak]

There is a spring near the lean-to on the Firewardens Trail. It has been reliable in all but the driest of seasons. There is another spring on the AT past the wardens cabin on the way up Avery. I don't recall how far up but it was boxed in and visible from the trail. It would be best to play it safe and haul up water as the next "sure water would be east over Avery down at Safford Brook. Perhaps someone who has been up there recently may have better up to date info. See some of the trip reports perhaps they mention this.

 

[askus3]

I know the Avery Shelter was removed - what other shelter is on the Firewarden's Trail? (is there another spring at the campsite?) OK - 2 mentions of the box spring going up Avery - any recent reports on this seasons reliability around now?

 

[AntlerPeak]

I did not know they removed the lean-to. But there is an old spring just below the site where the shelter was. As there are tent platforms there may be signs directing to the spring if not there is the one on Avery.

 

[Crooker]

I overnighted at Bigelow Col a couple weekends ago. The boxed in spring up the trail toward Avery had some water...not a lot and in drier times I could see it being unreliable. You'll want to filter for sure.

I did not see another spring or signs, but also wasn't looking too hard.

 

[MichaelJ]

In Avery Col, between Avery Peak and West Peak, there is a campsite with several tent platforms, some tent clearings, and a caretakers' building that was being used at the time I was there by a trail crew, not by a caretaker. There is no longer a lean-to. This was the last weekend in June.

There are three springs, to my understanding. I have seen two of them. One of them is a box spring, a wooden box with a lid, a few minutes up the AT towards Avery Peak. One of them is an open pool spring, which can be found by going from the AT past the caretakers' building (south) and where you would split to the right to go to the tent platforms, go left and follow the path down to the water. I am told there is a third spring over on the Firewarden's Trail. I remember a sign at thcampsite showing the three locations of water.

 

[SteveHiker]

I was there July 23rd. I saw some people getting water at the Fire Warden's trail spring, but I didn't go over there myself. The box spring partway up Avery had water in it, but it looked pretty nasty.

 

[TJ aka Teej]

Aug 4&5 report

Springs at Bigelow Col: they are mapped on a poster on the AT as you enter the site from the south, and signed too, if I remember. Most of the water sources I used were low, except for the box spring just north of Horns Pond.
The other shelter on Firewarden's is a newer campsite that's a *long* mile downhill called Moose Brook Falls, which is just a tent platform, a larger tentsite, and stinky privy.
When I was up there Thursday and Friday two (a pair?) Peregrine Falcons were doing a swooping, racing, and chattering air show between Bigelow and Avery. 'Twas beautiful to behold.

 

[injektilo]

The other shelter on Firewarden's is a newer campsite that's a *long* mile downhill called Moose Brook Falls

I'll add that it's a VERY long and STEEP mile...

 

[TenPeaks]

Well, the spring question was answered rather throughly so I'll make a recommendation at a camping spot. I would recommend one of the platforms near the outhouse. There are a couple on the uphill side that have a great view looking across the valley toward Sugarloaf. They probably have the best view of any platform I've seen in New England. If you want some privacy from the other campers there's a large platform set back in the woods a bit where the AT intersects the Firewarden's trail.