NeoAkela
Active member
Date of Hike: 5/8/2013
Trail Conditions:
Austin Brook trail wide and dry up to intersection with Dryad Fall trail, then narrower and wet in areas to beaver pond below Gentian Pond. Ledgy scramble to pond where the first snow appeared.
Mahoosuc Trail north of Gentian Pond wet and ledgy. Trace ice and snow over the three "bumps" before the trail attacks the main side of Success. Last 1.5 miles of trail to summit switched between icy flows on ledges, 1-2 foot snow drifts, and thousands of feet of rotting deep monorail balanced on sunken bog bridges. Wet feet were not avoidable. Summit of Success mostly clear of snow with only occasional patches.
Herd path to DC crash somewhat obscure with all the snow. Border swath easy enough to follow even while postholing.
On the way back was making good time, so decided to loop around Upper Gentian and Dream Lake, then back to the Austin Brook trail, just for a change in scenery (and an extra 3 miles).
Mahoosuc Trail to Dream Lake: Wet and snow-flecked but otherwise fine to shore of Upper Gentian. At this point, it appeared that a war of giants had taken place in this spot. Huge pine trees are splintered everywhere, cris-crossing the trail and making forward motion difficult at best. Lost track of the fallen trees after 30 or so, and lost the trail on several occasions before finding it again. At this point, it started sleeting, just to add to the fun.
All the way to Dream Lake found blowdown after blowdown of huge trees obscuring the trail. And snow, sometimes a few feet deep. Was quite happy to finally see the lake ahead - I was tempted to simply bushwhack toward it and forget trying to keep finding the trail.
Dryad Falls Trail - thank goodness, though this trail was wet, wet, wet, and practically a muddy stream, someone had chipped away any trees and the path was clear. Thank you, whoever you are! Lower half of this trail follows an old logging road so was pleasant to walk on.
Special Equipment Required: Barebooted the whole way. Microspikes would have only been useful on a handful of occasions - was easy enough to pull up over ice flows by holding onto trees. Snowshoes would not have helped in the long stretches of rotten snow. A few black flies, and not a single tick!
Comments: Optional - Great two-stick lolipop loop despite the changing conditions. Started the day in the hot sun and blue sky, ended with a drizzle with sleet somewhere in the middle. Punching through several feet of snow with shorts, t-shirt and sunscreen & was still hot. Gotta love New England in May.
Your name: NeoAkela
Trail Conditions:
Austin Brook trail wide and dry up to intersection with Dryad Fall trail, then narrower and wet in areas to beaver pond below Gentian Pond. Ledgy scramble to pond where the first snow appeared.
Mahoosuc Trail north of Gentian Pond wet and ledgy. Trace ice and snow over the three "bumps" before the trail attacks the main side of Success. Last 1.5 miles of trail to summit switched between icy flows on ledges, 1-2 foot snow drifts, and thousands of feet of rotting deep monorail balanced on sunken bog bridges. Wet feet were not avoidable. Summit of Success mostly clear of snow with only occasional patches.
Herd path to DC crash somewhat obscure with all the snow. Border swath easy enough to follow even while postholing.
On the way back was making good time, so decided to loop around Upper Gentian and Dream Lake, then back to the Austin Brook trail, just for a change in scenery (and an extra 3 miles).
Mahoosuc Trail to Dream Lake: Wet and snow-flecked but otherwise fine to shore of Upper Gentian. At this point, it appeared that a war of giants had taken place in this spot. Huge pine trees are splintered everywhere, cris-crossing the trail and making forward motion difficult at best. Lost track of the fallen trees after 30 or so, and lost the trail on several occasions before finding it again. At this point, it started sleeting, just to add to the fun.
All the way to Dream Lake found blowdown after blowdown of huge trees obscuring the trail. And snow, sometimes a few feet deep. Was quite happy to finally see the lake ahead - I was tempted to simply bushwhack toward it and forget trying to keep finding the trail.
Dryad Falls Trail - thank goodness, though this trail was wet, wet, wet, and practically a muddy stream, someone had chipped away any trees and the path was clear. Thank you, whoever you are! Lower half of this trail follows an old logging road so was pleasant to walk on.
Special Equipment Required: Barebooted the whole way. Microspikes would have only been useful on a handful of occasions - was easy enough to pull up over ice flows by holding onto trees. Snowshoes would not have helped in the long stretches of rotten snow. A few black flies, and not a single tick!
Comments: Optional - Great two-stick lolipop loop despite the changing conditions. Started the day in the hot sun and blue sky, ended with a drizzle with sleet somewhere in the middle. Punching through several feet of snow with shorts, t-shirt and sunscreen & was still hot. Gotta love New England in May.
Your name: NeoAkela
