The Feathered Hat
Active member
Trails: Glen Boulder (from Pinkham Notch), Davis Path, Isolation (West), Dry River, Dry River Cutoff, Mizpah Cutoff, Crawford Path (to Crawford Notch)
Total miles: 15
Conditions:
Glen Boulder Trail: Fairly dry. A few wet spots down low near the trailhead in Pinkham Notch.
Davis Path: From junction with Glen Boulder Trail to junction with Isolation (West), fairly dry, some wet spots, some mud. From Isolation (west) to Mt. Isolation, wet and muddy. (One hiker I passed commented, "They should call this Mt. Muck.")
Isolation (West) Trail: Some water and mud, but not as wet nor muddy as Davis Path to Mt. Isolation. This under-used trail hasn't been brushed in a while and is nearly overgrown in a couple of spots. But a really nice route down to Dry River.
Dry River Trail: Wet but not terrible.
Dry River Cutoff: Very wet and muddy. A mess.
Mizpah Cutoff: Some water and mud, not a lot.
Crawford Path to Crawford Notch: Ditto.
Dry River crossing: I rock-hopped it (twice, in fact) with minimal boot wetness, but then wound up wading it, too, because Tuckerman was too freaked out by the noise and water volume to rock-hop it with me. The water's high and fast right now.
Blowdowns: None on the main trails, a few step-overs on Isolation (West) and Dry River Cutoff trails. Three of four big logs require straddling (I sawed off a few branches and snags to make it a little easier). A couple of big blowdowns on Isolation (West), which can be stooped under, need a chainsaw to clear.
Bugs: Negligible (amazingly enough).
Special equipment: Don't even think about doing this route without gaiters or long pants to cover boot tops. Poles or walking staff *extremely* useful for negotiating mud pits and stream and Dry River crossings.
Comments: I had scheduled this trip for nine hours, but Tuck and I needed 10.5 hours because we got slowed down by hundreds of mud-bog negotiations and the Dry River crossing. Twice I stepped in mud holes that topped my boots. Most of the puncheons on this route are fairly, if not completely, rotted (watch out for metal spikes sticking up above the logs).
There are two big ascents on this route (3,200 feet on the Glen Boulder Trail, then 1,100 feet from Dry River up to Mizpah Hut) and three big descents (1,400 feet, 1,400 feet, 1,600 feet) for a total elevation change of 8,700 feet, not counting the 200 or 300 feet gained/lost on the Davis Path from the Isolation (West) junction to/from Mt. Isolation. So it's a bit of a workout -- but what a great way to cross the Dry River Wilderness and nab a peak in the process. We saw 21 people on the way to Mt. Isolation, then no one at all in the Wilderness. Big crowd at Mizpah Hut, then less than a dozen or so hikers were on the Crawford Path going down (like us).
Steve B
The Feathered Hat
[email protected]
__________________________________
Tuckerman's Trail Conditions for dogs:
As far as dogs are concerned, there never can be too much mud.
Hardly any water from where the Glen Boulder Trail emerges from the woods down to junction with Isolation (West) Trail (about 2.5-3 miles).
Dry River crossing is very scary right now for dogs due to high water.
Three sniffs (out of four). Tuck-Dog says check it out.
Total miles: 15
Conditions:
Glen Boulder Trail: Fairly dry. A few wet spots down low near the trailhead in Pinkham Notch.
Davis Path: From junction with Glen Boulder Trail to junction with Isolation (West), fairly dry, some wet spots, some mud. From Isolation (west) to Mt. Isolation, wet and muddy. (One hiker I passed commented, "They should call this Mt. Muck.")
Isolation (West) Trail: Some water and mud, but not as wet nor muddy as Davis Path to Mt. Isolation. This under-used trail hasn't been brushed in a while and is nearly overgrown in a couple of spots. But a really nice route down to Dry River.
Dry River Trail: Wet but not terrible.
Dry River Cutoff: Very wet and muddy. A mess.
Mizpah Cutoff: Some water and mud, not a lot.
Crawford Path to Crawford Notch: Ditto.
Dry River crossing: I rock-hopped it (twice, in fact) with minimal boot wetness, but then wound up wading it, too, because Tuckerman was too freaked out by the noise and water volume to rock-hop it with me. The water's high and fast right now.
Blowdowns: None on the main trails, a few step-overs on Isolation (West) and Dry River Cutoff trails. Three of four big logs require straddling (I sawed off a few branches and snags to make it a little easier). A couple of big blowdowns on Isolation (West), which can be stooped under, need a chainsaw to clear.
Bugs: Negligible (amazingly enough).
Special equipment: Don't even think about doing this route without gaiters or long pants to cover boot tops. Poles or walking staff *extremely* useful for negotiating mud pits and stream and Dry River crossings.
Comments: I had scheduled this trip for nine hours, but Tuck and I needed 10.5 hours because we got slowed down by hundreds of mud-bog negotiations and the Dry River crossing. Twice I stepped in mud holes that topped my boots. Most of the puncheons on this route are fairly, if not completely, rotted (watch out for metal spikes sticking up above the logs).
There are two big ascents on this route (3,200 feet on the Glen Boulder Trail, then 1,100 feet from Dry River up to Mizpah Hut) and three big descents (1,400 feet, 1,400 feet, 1,600 feet) for a total elevation change of 8,700 feet, not counting the 200 or 300 feet gained/lost on the Davis Path from the Isolation (West) junction to/from Mt. Isolation. So it's a bit of a workout -- but what a great way to cross the Dry River Wilderness and nab a peak in the process. We saw 21 people on the way to Mt. Isolation, then no one at all in the Wilderness. Big crowd at Mizpah Hut, then less than a dozen or so hikers were on the Crawford Path going down (like us).
Steve B
The Feathered Hat
[email protected]
__________________________________
Tuckerman's Trail Conditions for dogs:
As far as dogs are concerned, there never can be too much mud.
Hardly any water from where the Glen Boulder Trail emerges from the woods down to junction with Isolation (West) Trail (about 2.5-3 miles).
Dry River crossing is very scary right now for dogs due to high water.
Three sniffs (out of four). Tuck-Dog says check it out.
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