Ed'n Lauky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
- Messages
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This was my fourth trip up there. The first three times I went up from the Kanc as I come through Conway to get there. Yesterday's rain gave me the excuse I needed to make the long trip around to Waterville Valley. It turned out to be a very good choice.
We took Livermore rd to Scaur Ridge trail hooking up eventually with the Pine Bend Brook trail up on the ridge.
After yesterday's rain the good news is that this route had no stream crossings. The trail was mostly dry from start to finish. The second good news is how smooth the trail was right up to the last 600 vertical feet up to the north peak. The trail from the north peak over to the middle peak was also fairly smooth. This route is about two miles longer one way than the Pine Bend Brook trail but the unusually smooth footing more than makes up for this difference.
The only down side were the three really bad trail blocking blowdowns on the Scaur Ridge trail. In each case the trees fell the length of the trail rather than across. The banks are very steep in that section so getting around them took some work.
On my return from the middle to the north peak I met a fellow who had come up the Sabbady Brook trail. He said the river crossings were thigh deep. I also met on that peak two fellows who had come up the Pine Bend Brook trail. They said the crossings were very difficult but doable. The river crossing to the south slide looked to be one that would be well over ones boots.
When I arrived at the parking lot there were three other cars there. When I returned the very large lot was full. Nevertheless I met only a handful of people on the lower Livermore rd and no one else up on the mountain who had come from the Livermore side.
Miles 13
Elevation gain about 3150'
[email protected]
We took Livermore rd to Scaur Ridge trail hooking up eventually with the Pine Bend Brook trail up on the ridge.
After yesterday's rain the good news is that this route had no stream crossings. The trail was mostly dry from start to finish. The second good news is how smooth the trail was right up to the last 600 vertical feet up to the north peak. The trail from the north peak over to the middle peak was also fairly smooth. This route is about two miles longer one way than the Pine Bend Brook trail but the unusually smooth footing more than makes up for this difference.
The only down side were the three really bad trail blocking blowdowns on the Scaur Ridge trail. In each case the trees fell the length of the trail rather than across. The banks are very steep in that section so getting around them took some work.
On my return from the middle to the north peak I met a fellow who had come up the Sabbady Brook trail. He said the river crossings were thigh deep. I also met on that peak two fellows who had come up the Pine Bend Brook trail. They said the crossings were very difficult but doable. The river crossing to the south slide looked to be one that would be well over ones boots.
When I arrived at the parking lot there were three other cars there. When I returned the very large lot was full. Nevertheless I met only a handful of people on the lower Livermore rd and no one else up on the mountain who had come from the Livermore side.
Miles 13
Elevation gain about 3150'
[email protected]
