Haystack 2.28.09

The route into JBL and up to Bushnell Falls was perfect conditions for stabilicers, hard packed trail, icy in many spots. On the way into JBL, patches of woods were completely bare of snow. The warm temps and heavy rains on Friday had all the brooks running high, with water running over the ice. We had to use the high water bridge at the crossing just before Bushnell Falls. There were 2 water crossings that required a bit of a detour to use a log to cross, one was just before Slant Rock and the other a bit north of SR. At the Shorey Shortcut trail, I noticed another wide open water crossing. Given the rain on Friday and then the freezing temps I was concerned about ice on the rocks, but the worst part was at the very beginning going up Little Hay, once past that it wasn’t bad at all. The south side of Little Hay was almost completely bare and going up Haystack was mostly crusty snow, with some icy spots here and there. The views, they went on forever, with low winds and temp around 9, we were able to stay at the top for 20 minutes and enjoy it all.