Trail condition predictions for Isolation this coming friday (2/22/13) or weekend

I haven't seen any recent trail conditions for Isolation. I assume with all the wind lateley that the bushwack might be blown over.
I need Isolation for #47 (hoping to save Madison for #48). Friday looks like a perfect day for me (I have to start early and finish late ) With out the bushwack or with too much trail breaking (anything over 2-3") it may be too tough for me. My next option would be to wait for Sunday or Monday and hope for weekend traffic. Would appreciate any insight, predictions, or actual trail conditions. I'm driving from RI so need a pretty good feel for conditions before blowing my gas money. I have downloaded GPS tracks of the EH bushwack so I feel fairley confident in following the EH BW if there isnt too much fresh snow. - Thanks

I saw a note about 'the huge blowdown at the Davis cutoff' from someone wondering what happened to their trail condition report (I could not find evidence it ever existed.)

Tim

For what it's worth, I'm likely to be heading in there with my contingent (family of four) on Monday, hoping also for some weekend traffic.

When I did Isolation in early January, the blowdowns from Irene were no longer an issue in terms of doing Isolation - about the usual number of blowdowns you'd expect on any winter hike. However, going north on the Davis Path from the intersection with the Rocky Branch trail - towards Glen Boulder - was a different matter. Few, if any, of the blowdowns from Irene had been cleared north of that intersection.

Last time I hiked Isolation, a couple of months ago (after Sandy), we did it from Davis Path and there is a massive blowdown section a little bit before the summit. We went out via Rocky Branch and the trail was clear. I had done the Glen Boulder route the time before that, prior to Sandy, and it was clear. From what I'm reading that has changed now? I ask because I'm planning on Isolation as my W48 finisher and was thinking about going in via GB again.

This is the conditions report for that hike:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthre...h-(in)-Isolation-and-Rocky-Branch-(out)-11-29

A note of caution about sunday/monday. They are forecasting a decent snow storm down here in MA. The Weather channel is also forecasting some amount of snow in the area up north. Friday would look to be the better of the bets if you cant break out more than a few inches of snow. Of course that forecast could change, however it is worth watching.

thegibba said:

A note of caution about sunday/monday. They are forecasting a decent snow storm down here in MA. The Weather channel is also forecasting some amount of snow in the area up north. Friday would look to be the better of the bets if you cant break out more than a few inches of snow. Of course that forecast could change, however it is worth watching.

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I've heard the same. Since I have to drive through Mass, I'm leaning towards Friday. Still considering the option of doing Madison instead. Might be a good idea of getting here on a warm winter day.

As of 3 weeks ago, the EH bushwhack was clear (no blowdowns), as was the Isolation trail. Once you turn onto Davis path, there is one large blowdown that is not that difficult to get around on route to the summit. Enjoy!

Figured I report in after attempting Isolation Friday. If you see my trail report you'll see it turned out that it wasnt broken out and I didnt get too far. I should have realized this since there were no recent reports. May have been for the better since I did do Madison on a great day.

mirabela said:

For what it's worth, I'm likely to be heading in there with my contingent (family of four) on Monday, hoping also for some weekend traffic.

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Good Luck Monday. RB Trail was not broken out Saturady, but per a TrailsNH post it was broken out on Saturday. I still need ISO for my 48th, maybe I can break away and try Tuesday and meet you on the way out. Pack it nice and hard for me. As far as I did get, I only saw one blowdown that might give you trouble with a polk (are you still planning to pull one), but it would just be a matter of unhitching stepping over and pulling it under. Actually I might have done better with a pulk by taking some weight off my shoes.

1SlowHiker said:

Good Luck Monday. RB Trail was not broken out Saturady, but per a TrailsNH post it was broken out on Saturday. I still need ISO for my 48th, maybe I can break away and try Tuesday and meet you on the way out. Pack it nice and hard for me. As far as I did get, I only saw one blowdown that might give you trouble with a polk (are you still planning to pull one), but it would just be a matter of unhitching stepping over and pulling it under. Actually I might have done better with a pulk by taking some weight off my shoes.

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I meant: it wasn't broken out Friday, but probably was was Saturday.

Any trail conditions from this weekend will be worthless tomorrow. It has snowed here in Littleton all day so plan on trailbreaking the entire way if you are headed to out tomorrow. It will be a very heavy snow.

Yowzers ... we're going in, but expecting it to be tough. Current flight plan is to try to make it to camp near where the 'whack intersects the Iso trail, and head up for the summit Tuesday morning early. Hoping for the best ...

Greg, hope to see you out there!

mirabela said:

Yowzers ... we're going in, but expecting it to be tough. Current flight plan is to try to make it to camp near where the 'whack intersects the Iso trail, and head up for the summit Tuesday morning early. Hoping for the best ...

Greg, hope to see you out there!

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Did you end up doing isolation like you planned (2/25-2/26). How was it? I had to bag on my plans for ISO because of work. I was wonding if the trail was still broken out from the weekend, so I can be more mad that i missed it. I'm going to reschedule for the end of next weekend if i think it's broken out after new snow.

We did Isolation yesterday and met the mirabela family out there on their way down from the summit (nice to meet you guys!). As of yesterday everything was a beautiful snowshoe highway! Rocky Branch, EH bushwhack (which starts about 150' past the normal "marked" intersection, Isolation and Davis Path were all perfect. With the snow coming over the next few days who knows what it will be like. We had no summit views but the trail was gorgeous with all the new snow on the trees. I'll have my trip report and pics up tonight or tomorrow.

^^ Nice to meet you too! That was a fun day out there.

I put up a few comments on the bushwhack on NETC [link].