Isolation (via Engine Hill bushwhack) 3-16-13

There is still a LOT of snow up on the mountains, and that's before anything that gets dumped tonight.

Half of the Rocky Branch parking lot had a smattering of snow on it Saturday morning, and I walked to the snowy half before putting on my microspikes. Fortunately, 18 AMC members had already started up the trail, which was nicely packed down to the height of land at Engine Hill.

Some very bad person has carved a letter "T" (looks like a T from the Boston subway system) into a tree at the entrance to the bushwhack, which, alas, meanders like a drunkards walk. Still, was able to follow it in just microspikes, which is pretty darn amazing given how much snow is still up there. Once back on trail, the trail is packed down very nicely all the way to the summit.

Got back to the parking lot to discover all the snow that had been on it had disappeared!

Everything may change with today's (3-16-13) predicted snow storm, but the underlying trail is packed down nicely, and given how much snow is up there, may be there for quite a while.

All the best,


Brian

B the Hiker said:

Fortunately, 18 AMC members had already started up the trail, which was nicely packed down to the height of land at Engine Hill.

Click to expand...

Sounds like some folks need reminding that groups are not to exceed 10 persons in designated Wilderness areas (and Mt. Isolation is within the Presidential Range Dry River Wilderness). Feeling grumpy about this because on our Wildcat-Moriah Traverse yesterday, there were about 25 members of another AMC group clogging the trail and overlook at Wildcat A. What's up with these huge groups?

Actually, there were two groups and they started a half hour apart so as to be separate in fact and not just technically, and they hiked back separately as well. Truth be told, it was rather nice having them pack the trail down!


Brian