Status of Dry River Trail?

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billski

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Location
Tunbridge, Vermont
I've seen people have been hiking it even though it's marked as closed. Apparently there are a lot of blowdowns down low. Thinking about taking it down from Eisenhower.
 
Do we know if the trail professionals have made any long term solutions, as stated in the PDF? Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the entire trail is in the wilderness, so I wonder if they just close the trail because its too dangerous?
 
The FS is going to conduct an official scoping process to assess the trail and consider alternatives. I haven't seen anything official since this listing was posted in April 2013. Note that "Implementation" is not expected until 2014.

*NEW LISTING* Recreation management
Presidential Range Dry River Wilderness Area Trails Project
Developing Proposal, Est. Scoping Start 07/2013, Decision Expected:02/2014, Implementation: 05/2014
Description: The Presi-Dry Wilderness has sections of the Dry River Trail, Rocky Branch Trail and Isolation Trail that were severely damaged and are currently unpassable. These trail sections need to be repaired, relocated or decommissioned.
 
psmart - I'm aware of the Gloria damage and the current "closed" status. What I was asking if anyone has been in there and could report on how bad the damage is. From what I've heard, it's all on the section closest to the notch. I've heard of someone who made it through, although it was a major PITA. Sometimes if work has been done, the status does not change instantly. I've done trail clearing in the northern Berkshires after Gloria. The damage was widespread and clearing seemed never-ending. This sounds similar.

grouseking, The WMNF Wilderness areas have strict rules. Most important for trail clearing is that no motorized anythings can be used. That includes chainsaws. Brute strength only. I know they have prioritized other areas over Dry River.

I had been considering going down from Eisenhower, connecting with Dry River and going out to the notch if it wasn't too bad. It's too bad from what I can figure. What I might do instead is take the Mt. Eisenhower trail down to the Dry River, then return back uphill via Dry River cutoff.

I love the designated wilderness areas, have done others in the range. No peaks, but lots of amazing forests, fauna and wildlife.
 
psmart - I'm aware of the Gloria damage and the current "closed" status. What I was asking if anyone has been in there and could report on how bad the damage is. From what I've heard, it's all on the section closest to the notch. I've heard of someone who made it through, although it was a major PITA. Sometimes if work has been done, the status does not change instantly. I've done trail clearing in the northern Berkshires after Gloria. The damage was widespread and clearing seemed never-ending. This sounds similar.

grouseking, The WMNF Wilderness areas have strict rules. Most important for trail clearing is that no motorized anythings can be used. That includes chainsaws. Brute strength only. I know they have prioritized other areas over Dry River.

I had been considering going down from Eisenhower, connecting with Dry River and going out to the notch if it wasn't too bad. It's too bad from what I can figure. What I might do instead is take the Mt. Eisenhower trail down to the Dry River, then return back uphill via Dry River cutoff.

I love the designated wilderness areas, have done others in the range. No peaks, but lots of amazing forests, fauna and wildlife.
 
I should hope that the damage done from Gloria has been repaired by now and the reroutes put in place, since she blew through 28 years ago.
 
Dry River Cutoff also has some damage from Irene near the jct with Mt Ike Trail, where you actually need to walk in the brook channel to find the trail...other than that it's passable, at least it was in early June
 
Dry River Cutoff also has some damage from Irene near the jct with Mt Ike Trail, where you actually need to walk in the brook channel to find the trail...other than that it's passable, at least it was in early June

Dry River Cutoff was passable Labor Day weekend and there is flagging tape at the Mt. Eisenhower Brook crossing.

A combination of Mt. Eisenhower Trail and Dry River Cutoff make for a fine (and quiet) loop off Crawford Path/Webster Cliff Trail.

As far as I know, anyone caught on the Dry River Trail is subject to a hefty fine.
 
I called. It's closed from the hut all the way to the notch. Cutoff trail is legit. open. The entire Dry River trail is at the bottom of the priority heap, which means it may be after my lifetime...
 
It's not a matter of clearing blow-downs. The primary problem is the many wash-outs. Parts of the trail just aren't there any more, hence the consideration or relocation(s) or even discontinuing the trail.

There are multiple places where the trail was obliterated by the river and the channel has been widened and scoured the rocks, roots and trees that kept the banks – and in many places the trail – stable. There are multiple areas where the trail leads to an abrupt 10 – 20 foot drop above into the river creating an unexpected falling hazard. Still other portions of the trail directly adjacent the river have been scoured and undermined; what looks to be a stable trail tread is actually just a thin veneer of organic material suspended 25 feet above the river with no bank beneath it to support the trail or its users. In addition to the falling hazards, navigation and route finding has become difficult due to the changed landscape – some trail junctions no longer exist. In areas where the trail has disappeared, it is challenging to find where it picks up again.
 
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So stay off the trail and bushwhack the drainage instead? Are they permitted to close the drainage indefinately or just the offical trails?

According to the FS personal I spoke with at the Saco district, the closure order only applies to the trail, not the surrounding forest.
 
I agree with psmart's info based on my understanding of the situation. It's my reading of the Wilderness Area restrictions that bushwhacking and camping are allowed, subject to the usual rules (site setback, sanitation, etc.). The ranger at Saco I spoke with also indicated that the river crossing have become extremely dangerous.
 
I know of wmnf trails that have been discontinued due to conditions too hazardous. At that point, they obliterate the trail as best they can, take down the signs and markings, erase it from the map and let it return to the wild. It's then back to bushwhacking, but more often than not, a browse trail sometimes can form.
 
Do note, by the stroke of a pen by the WMNF district supervisor, motorized equipment can be used to clear up after a storm event in a Wilderness area. The WMNF has apparently decided that they would rather not use motorized equipment to make the repair which inevitably will require a significant reroute and resources that are deemed better spent elsewhere. The cynic in me believes that by not responding to the event with motorized equipment early on and by delaying any decisions until 2014 that it allows justification to abandon the trail and another pesky suspension bridge located in a wilderness area. I will be curious if they decide to abandon the bridge in place or partially disassemble it and store pieces of it in place until they somehow justify using a high cost but positive PR method to remove them. Maybe Unadogger can volunteer to lead the effort again to clean up the mess left over :rolleyes:

Also note that in addition to the Dry River trail, the Mt Isolation trail from the intersection to the Davis Path is also closed indefinitely. The Mt Isolation trail was already subject to long term pattern of neglect and the storm apparently finished it off. Its too bad as it offered an interesting backpacking loop of the Oakes Gulf/Dry River Wilderness Boundary in combination with Davis Path, Crawford Path and Dry River Cutoff. It also was a nice alternative way to do Isolation.

The trails in the Dry River area are quite beat down and the area drew a lot of traffic due to at least 2 shelters being in the area. The traces of the trail will remain for long after they are abandoned and I expect they will be adopted by those trying to get away from the crowds on the remaining trails.
 
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If you search for "Dry River Trail" in New England Trail Conditions you will see several reports of the Dry River Trail. I recently did the upper loop returning to the Crawford Path via the Mt Eisenhower Trail which I do not recall as being closed. Main problems on the upper Dry River Trail were the blowdowns in the base of Oakes Gulf. Main problems below that were washouts. Often I wasn't on the trail because the blowdowns were so numerous. It's a great area!!! Enjoy!!!!


(By the way, the upper section of the Dry River Trail is the main ski/snowboarding route back out of Oakes Gulf)
 
Dry River and Rock Branch trails to be repaired

The USFS has made a tentative decision to repair/rebuild the sections of trail in the Dry River and Rocky Branch watersheds that were damaged by Irene. For complete details see the scoping report at http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/1155...i.com/11558/www/nepa/95470_FSPLT3_1484957.pdf

Proposed Action
Since Tropical Storm Irene, a variety of natural resource specialists have visited the
project area to assess the feasibility of restoring Dry River, Isolation and Rocky
Branch hiking trails in their historic alignments. These specialists also explored the
surrounding area to determine where trails could be relocated to provide more
sustainable alignments while restoring connectivity and natural function in the
watershed. Based on identified needs, input from Forest Service resource specialists
and resource management partners, as well as guidance in the Forest Plan, a
proposed action was developed to:

• Relocate missing trail sections on the Dry River Trail, totaling approximately
1,000 to 1,500 linear feet, by defining a minimal tread where terrain allows,
and change the trail class from 2 to 1 on the section that extends from the
suspension bridge north to the intersection with the Crawford Path (7.9
miles).
• Clear storm damage and delineate trail corridor in damaged areas of the
Isolation Trail by defining a minimal tread and removing debris. This is
needed on the section of trail located west of the intersection with the Davis
Path. In addition, change the trail class on this section of trail from 2 to 1 (2.4
miles).
• Relocate missing trail sections on the Rocky Branch Trail, totaling
approximately 1,000 to 1,500 linear feet, by defining a minimal tread where
terrain allows, and change the trail class from 2 to 1 on the section that
extends from the intersection with the Stairs Col Trail (near Shelter #1) north
to the intersection with the Isolation Trail, near Shelter #2 (4.1 miles).
• Remove (decommission) the Rocky Branch #2 Shelter and rehabilitate the
site by removing the fire ring and shelter material and placing brush on the
site, and then construct 3 new primitive tent sites on the west side of the trail
near the current shelter location.
• Repair and maintain sections of all 3 mentioned trails where trails remain in
their current alignments, including removal of extensive amounts of blow
down timber from the upper section of the Dry River Trail.
 
For those of us with weak terminology skills, what does it mean to change the trail from Class 2 to Class 1?
 
Oh wow, this is all really great information.

I also found a brief blurb today about the scheduling regarding The Dry River Trails decision in some unrelated research. http://www.fs.fed.us/sopa/components/reports/sopa-110922-2014-01.html

Presidential Range Dry River Wilderness Area Trails Project
CE
- Recreation management*

Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 01/2014*

EXPECTED DECISION by:04/2014*

EXPECTED IMPLEMENTATION by:06/2014

Rodney Wilson
603-447-5448 (120)
[email protected]*

Description:*Sections of the Dry River Trail, Rocky Branch Trail and Isolation Trail in the Presi-Dry Wilderness were damaged by Hurricane Irene and need repair or a nearby relocation. Rocky Branch Shelter 2 is to be decommissioned and tent sites designated.

Location:*UNIT - Saco Ranger District. STATE - New Hampshire. COUNTY - Carroll, Coos. LEGAL - Cutts Grant and Sargents Purchase in Coos County, NH, and Jackson in Carroll County, NH.

Sections of Dry River Trail above the footbridge, Rocky Branch Trail between Shelters 1 and 2, and intermittent sections of Isolation (west) Trail. Rocky Shelter 2 is near the jcn. of Isolation Trail.

That would be a nice place to have some tentsites (former Rocky Branch Shelter 2 location).
 
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