Pine Knob Loop 08/31/2011
Trail is now in good shape after the hurricane. Crossing of Hatch Brook at the start of the loop, the water is at the top of some of the stepping stones, but you ought to be able to keep your feet dry. The AT also crosses Hatch Brook just a few steps from where it meets the South loop, I checked it out, there should be no difficulty.
A little buggy, bring the insect repellant.
Needed to stretch my legs, so off to the local hill. A lot of nuts on the trail, shag bark hickory, I think. The hurricane had sent a number of sticks into random parts of the trail, which I sent into random parts off the trail. Encountered two blowdowns in the section that parallels RT7, but near the ledges below the North Knob, I heard a chainsaw. A few minutes later I encountered an AMC volunteer carrying a chainsaw and other trail maintenance tools. I told him about the two blowdowns below. When I finished the loop, I went back to the first one, in case he needed a hand, but he'd already cleared it. Changing out of my boots at the trail head, I met him again, he asked about the Southern part of the loop. I told him it was fine. Apparently he had come up the Mohawk Trail over Breadloaf, North on the AT and down the Northern section of the Pine Knob Loop, so I expect that those trails are in good shape as well. I thanked him for his work. Found that I had busted a seam on my boots, so they are now at the cobbler for a week
TomK
Trail is now in good shape after the hurricane. Crossing of Hatch Brook at the start of the loop, the water is at the top of some of the stepping stones, but you ought to be able to keep your feet dry. The AT also crosses Hatch Brook just a few steps from where it meets the South loop, I checked it out, there should be no difficulty.
A little buggy, bring the insect repellant.
Needed to stretch my legs, so off to the local hill. A lot of nuts on the trail, shag bark hickory, I think. The hurricane had sent a number of sticks into random parts of the trail, which I sent into random parts off the trail. Encountered two blowdowns in the section that parallels RT7, but near the ledges below the North Knob, I heard a chainsaw. A few minutes later I encountered an AMC volunteer carrying a chainsaw and other trail maintenance tools. I told him about the two blowdowns below. When I finished the loop, I went back to the first one, in case he needed a hand, but he'd already cleared it. Changing out of my boots at the trail head, I met him again, he asked about the Southern part of the loop. I told him it was fine. Apparently he had come up the Mohawk Trail over Breadloaf, North on the AT and down the Northern section of the Pine Knob Loop, so I expect that those trails are in good shape as well. I thanked him for his work. Found that I had busted a seam on my boots, so they are now at the cobbler for a week
TomK
