Ed'n Lauky
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- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
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At the trailhead I took a quick look around and took the snowshoes off my backpack. It was obvious there was no need for them. There were some patches of snow in the woods but not much.
I was able to bareboot the entire length of the Express trail with just a few detours into the woods to get around the ice. At the base of the steep ledges where the Express trail joins the Mt. Major trail there was extensive ice. I put on the Hillsounds and went partway up the ledges. Took them off when the ledges were bare and barebooted the rest of the way to the summit.
The summit was bare. The Belknap Range Trail from the summit down to the Pond Trail was snow free and relatively ice free. I attempted to bareboot over to Straightback but after my first fall I put on the Hillsounds again and wore them to the summit of Straighback. The open ledges up on Straightback were realtively free of ice.
I decided to head back to the trailhead via the Brook Trail. The Brook trail was extremely icy. I would not recommend taking this trail without some kind of traction. With traction it was a very easy walk. Only the first pitch up from the trailhead was relatively free of ice.
There is one large downed tree on the Brook trail. A herd trail has formed around it.
There are two stream crossings on the Brook trail. The first coming up from the trailhead is the largest crossing and it did require going up in the woods a ways to get across. The second crossing was fairly easily done.
The only part of the Mt. Major trail I did was the part that leads up to the Brook Trail. That section had a fair amount of ice. At the junction where the Mt. Major trail turns left and heads up the trail was dry, but someone I met at the top told me there was quite a bit of ice on it.
The Express trail, if you know where to find it, may be the easiest approach right now.
The hike today with lots of ice and no snow was like a mid to late fall hike.
There were beautiful views from the top of both Major and Straightback with only a light breeze. The skies clouded up as we headed back.
The parking lot was mostly empty when we arrived and almost full when we got back. We did see a few people as we headed down but no where near as many as there were cars in the lot.
[email protected]
I was able to bareboot the entire length of the Express trail with just a few detours into the woods to get around the ice. At the base of the steep ledges where the Express trail joins the Mt. Major trail there was extensive ice. I put on the Hillsounds and went partway up the ledges. Took them off when the ledges were bare and barebooted the rest of the way to the summit.
The summit was bare. The Belknap Range Trail from the summit down to the Pond Trail was snow free and relatively ice free. I attempted to bareboot over to Straightback but after my first fall I put on the Hillsounds again and wore them to the summit of Straighback. The open ledges up on Straightback were realtively free of ice.
I decided to head back to the trailhead via the Brook Trail. The Brook trail was extremely icy. I would not recommend taking this trail without some kind of traction. With traction it was a very easy walk. Only the first pitch up from the trailhead was relatively free of ice.
There is one large downed tree on the Brook trail. A herd trail has formed around it.
There are two stream crossings on the Brook trail. The first coming up from the trailhead is the largest crossing and it did require going up in the woods a ways to get across. The second crossing was fairly easily done.
The only part of the Mt. Major trail I did was the part that leads up to the Brook Trail. That section had a fair amount of ice. At the junction where the Mt. Major trail turns left and heads up the trail was dry, but someone I met at the top told me there was quite a bit of ice on it.
The Express trail, if you know where to find it, may be the easiest approach right now.
The hike today with lots of ice and no snow was like a mid to late fall hike.
There were beautiful views from the top of both Major and Straightback with only a light breeze. The skies clouded up as we headed back.
The parking lot was mostly empty when we arrived and almost full when we got back. We did see a few people as we headed down but no where near as many as there were cars in the lot.
[email protected]
