Mt Madison via Valley Way and Osgood Trails - 5/29

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NH Tramper

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
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Location
North Conway, NH Avatar: Cannon Mtn.
Date of Hike: May 29, 2014

Trail Conditions: The Lower Half of Valley Way started dry but got muddier as it rose. There were several blowdowns and the drainages really need some work. One of the blowdowns had a herd path around it, but a descending FS employee had a saw and made the blowdown an easy-under and he brushed in the herd path. Crossings were easy. The Upper Half of Valley Way -- from the Scar Trail junction to the MS Hut -- was the reason I was up there: trail maintenance; it was a BIG day (details below). As I left it. There are no blowdowns except two way up high. I'll get them next winter when reachable. There was some mud up there, but not much. Too rocky. There was a lot of wet trail -- some I can do nothing about -- but hopefully after today's effort, Valley Way will be a lot less wet in the future. Perhaps the ice floes next winter will be more moderate as well; I know a lot of people spoke of them this past winter. Speaking of ice, there was tiny bit up there at the higher elevations, but it was super easy to pass by, on-trail. Crossings were easy. The Osgood Trail was easy climbing to the summit, all dry rock, love it.

Special Equipment Used: I brought a single trekking pole, my Sven Saw, and a heavy "combi" tool I borrowed from Camp Dodge. I barebooted the entire trek; absolutely no need for traction, though I did bring my spikes. I also brought bug spray, and there were some black flies out, but I didn't need to juice up. They weren't bad... yet.

Comments: As mentioned above, even though I summited (and I had to really push myself as I was wicked tired), my main reason to be up there was to take care of the blowdowns, brush in, and fix the drainages on my AMC-adopted upper half of Valley Way. There were four blowdowns, all easy, I brushed-in two spots to prevent bypassing the trail, I broke the lip on four dips to allow them to drain, I cleaned up six water crossings (tiny ones), and I worked my ass off clearing 43 of 48 water bars! Some were filled to capacity with rocks and dirt. I got them down six inches or so but it was dirty, tiring, sweaty work. Only five were good as is, the rest leaked or didn't function at all.

Mike "Tramper" Cherim
North Conway NH
 
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