Status of Cedar Brook Crossings (Hiking the Hancocks)

I plan to hike the Hancocks this coming Sunday and the WMG suggests stream crossings along the Cedar Brook Trail may be difficult (though possibly avoidable) during periods of high water. I was wondering if anyone has any information regarding current conditions. I want to avoid long bushwhacks (as I had to do on the Sabbaday Brook Trail a few weeks ago).

Also, I was thinking of doing the loop trail clockwise so as to ascend the lengthiest steep sections. Would this be the best way? Advice, suggestions?

Thanks.
Mike

I haven't been there recently, so YMMV. But I have a hard time imagining it will be an issue this week, given our continuing lack of moisture. That particular warning is more appropriate for heavy spring melt or heavy downpours, IMO. Unless the folks at the National Weather Service have overlooked a chance for a gully washer in this weekend's forecast, I think you'd be just fine.

Ascending the steeps is a good idea, I think, especially in wet/icy conditions. Overnight lows will be hanging around the freezing mark if the forecast holds.

That's sort of what I was thinking, and had heard from a hiker who went last weekend (via Facebook), but the weather says some possible rain up there, as the other hiker also warned, so I didn't want to assume too much.

The reason I asked about the loop's best direction is that despite the description and contour lines on the map indicating a clockwise would be best direction, the WMG noted that the South Link is "unrelievably steep." Sometimes I wonder about the guide's wording, and in this case that made-up "unrelievably" word made me do a double take.

Thanks sardog1.

Mike

Note that the herd path to bypass the first 2 CB crossings is pretty much the official route now

Irene really scoured out the trail bed and you may find a lot of deep puddles

I prefer the loop clockwise because otherwise you wind up with a nasty .1 climb on the return

I dont think you will find to much water on that trail Saturday and it wouldnt be a long bushwack to bypass if the water is high. As the loop goes I did it clockwise and it was fine. Both sides are steep but not to scary at all. It was pouring the day I did them and didnt feel scared at all( and I do get shakey when a trail steep and exposed). Have fun with the hike and let us all know how it went.

If memory serves, there is a short segment of the Cedar Brook trail that was recently (meaning: since the 28th ed was printed) relocated to skip the first 2 water crossings that are probably the ones that the WMG says can be difficult. Recollection from last fall was that it was blazed and brushed out, so wasn't just a herd path. The ones farther upstream are a bit easier, but can be an issue at high water.

Clockwise appears to be the more common direction on the loop. In this direction, it actually starts by going down, and then up. So there' more elevation gain from the junction to N than from the junction to S.

My son, a friend and I went on 3/31/12 to the Hancocks and while that's old news as far as trail conditions are concerned, the water crossings were low and easy, and the path skipping two of the crossings is well-established and easy to follow as the other posters have stated. Regarding the direction to hike the loop, we decided to go up South first although it is shorter and thus steeper. Due to the direction the trail faces, it has been my experience and my partner's experience that the South side gets and stays icier, while the North portion of the loop has more sun exposure, sometimes making it less icy and softer for descending. At the end of the day, we were happy with the decision to hike the loop counterclockwise and ascend the hard ice rather than try to descend it. YMMV, of course. Our full trip report here.

By the way, the lack of moisture previously mentioned is highly variable, the north country North of RT2 has been getting a lot of rain and precip this week.

And the trail down from south still has snow and ice (monorail) - you will very likely want or need traction (I saw a recent photo set on FB and you can clearly see the mostly-white trail leading down from South from the ridge.) Most people do clockwise, and I think everyone does clockwise in winter because the route down from south is prime butt sliding and nobody wants to get taken out while going up.

Tim

Thank you everyone. What a fantastic wealth of information. Back in the day when I used to hike (I'm just getting back into it after a couple of decades) there was no Internet. It was all done by the seat of one's pants

I wouldn't expect enough snow melt to change the brook crossings but it's been snowing on and off up here all week. Nothing sticking on the smaller peaks, we did Welch-Dickey loop today and it snowed at 2700 feet but nothing sticking. Ice & snow visible on the higher peaks though. Our crossing was real easy.

An Update...

Again, thank you everyone. As expected, all stream crossings were easy. A very enjoyable hike. Full conditions report here for those interested.

Mike