Raven
Well-known member
Date: 19 February 2016
Trails: Rocky Branch, Isolation Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur.
Conditions and Equipment Needed: Trails were hard packed base with a covering of 2-6 inches dense snow. Rocky Branch Trail was broken to former shelter site (RBS#2). Isolation Trail and Davis Paths were unbroken but easy enough with a few inches snow on top of the hard base. I used microspikes only and never wanted anything else. There were a couple blowdowns, one requiring an easy go around, neither substantial though.
Notes on crossings: please note that these crossings are in transition. I found them fine two days ago but they were clearly changing. There is a lot of open water visible and spring conditions seem to be here early! Be careful; these may be changing daily now until (and if) they freeze up completely again.
Crossing 1: easy enough. I went upstream 20-30 yards to a spot looking more thick and stable. Others had crossed at the crossing that day heading to the shelter site.
Crossing 2: I did not like the look of the crossing spot so I moved upstream about 100 yards or so and found a good solid spot to cross.
Crossing 3: I went straight across here.
Crossing 4: I went upstream 20-30 yards to a spot more suitable.
Crossing 5: I went straight across here.
Comments: Gorgeous day out there. I would not have been surprised to find the crossings unmanageable, but was happy to find them still solid enough. The winds were low, the sun was bright. It was an incredible day to a great mountain. On the RBT, I ran into two friendly USFS workers on their way to burn the remains of Rocky Branch Shelter #2. One of them carried a flame thrower like object that could have come right out of Fahrenheit 451. On my return hike, I stopped at the shelter site and warmed briefly by the embers. I ran into two other guys on the Davis Path after I left the summit. All was good.
Trails: Rocky Branch, Isolation Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur.
Conditions and Equipment Needed: Trails were hard packed base with a covering of 2-6 inches dense snow. Rocky Branch Trail was broken to former shelter site (RBS#2). Isolation Trail and Davis Paths were unbroken but easy enough with a few inches snow on top of the hard base. I used microspikes only and never wanted anything else. There were a couple blowdowns, one requiring an easy go around, neither substantial though.
Notes on crossings: please note that these crossings are in transition. I found them fine two days ago but they were clearly changing. There is a lot of open water visible and spring conditions seem to be here early! Be careful; these may be changing daily now until (and if) they freeze up completely again.
Crossing 1: easy enough. I went upstream 20-30 yards to a spot looking more thick and stable. Others had crossed at the crossing that day heading to the shelter site.
Crossing 2: I did not like the look of the crossing spot so I moved upstream about 100 yards or so and found a good solid spot to cross.
Crossing 3: I went straight across here.
Crossing 4: I went upstream 20-30 yards to a spot more suitable.
Crossing 5: I went straight across here.
Comments: Gorgeous day out there. I would not have been surprised to find the crossings unmanageable, but was happy to find them still solid enough. The winds were low, the sun was bright. It was an incredible day to a great mountain. On the RBT, I ran into two friendly USFS workers on their way to burn the remains of Rocky Branch Shelter #2. One of them carried a flame thrower like object that could have come right out of Fahrenheit 451. On my return hike, I stopped at the shelter site and warmed briefly by the embers. I ran into two other guys on the Davis Path after I left the summit. All was good.
