BIGEarl
Well-known member
July 3, 2010: Jefferson via King Ravine
Trails: Air Line Trail, Short Line Trail, King Ravine Trail, Gulfside Trail, Jefferson Loop, Castle Trail, Link Trail, Israel Ridge Path
Summits: Jefferson
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) and me
Every day with Sue is special and I probably will never forget this one. I am extremely grateful to have Sue as my hiking partner. What a day we had!
The plan was to hike a loop that included a visit to Jefferson. Sue’s favorite trail of them all is King Ravine Trail and she told me a visit there this summer would be nice. In the planning process Sue also told me descending King Ravine Trail probably requires two good arms – I only have one. While looking at exit options extra attention was given to trails we haven’t previously hiked. Neither of us has been on Castle Trail and many of the lower trails in the area. We completed the plan for the day with an exit from Jefferson on Castle Trail and Link Trail back to Appalachia.
We arrived to Appalachia and found the place filling up fast. We were able to get a spot in the parking lot but there were already some vehicles parked on the road outside the lot. When I turned off the truck another hiker that was passing by came over. Sue lowered her window and the guy said “you don’t know me but I know you”. He then introduced himself to both Sue and me. It was Petch. I have corresponded with Petch directly and indirectly through his posts and now have finally met him. That’s a nice start.
We wasted no time in getting our things together and set off on Air Line Trail. We had great conditions for the hike but expected pretty warm conditions to develop as the day went on. Air Line passes through a beautiful hardwoods forest. There were a few small mud pits along the way to Short Line but all were easy to get past. Along the way we took our time for the warm-up and several groups of hikers passed us on their hike in. We knew our hike plan for the day allowed for some extra time along the way to enjoy the place and still we would finish relatively early. We both planned to enjoy the day.
We reached the first milestone, the junction with Short Line Trail. Air Line went left and up the ridge, Short Line went right and into King Ravine – we went right. As we hiked along Short Line the conditions gradually changed. We started to encounter large boulders to climb over or around. The further we went the more significant the changes became. Short Line generally heads into the heart of King Ravine. As we came closer to Mossy Fall there were some glimpses to the ridge above – it was high and the walls leading there were very steep. The work was about to start.
We reached Mossy Fall and the junction with King Ravine Trail. There are essentially two parts to King Ravine Trail; down low and part way up the headwall it’s an endless crawl over or through boulders, up high it’s straight up through pretty good footing but its steepness makes for lots of sweating. As we were hiking through the early part of King Ravine Trail we came to Subway – a section of trail that passes through a serried of boulders. Sue cautioned me that two good arms were probably required and there would be some very tight places along the way. Of course, this was Sue’s route. I decided to follow the bypass and meet Sue on the other end. While I was waiting for Sue to emerge from Subway I enjoyed a quick snack.
Next was the Ice Caves. This is another section of trail that passes through and under large boulders. Sue was searching for snow to make a “July” snowman and headed into the Ice Caves. Again, I took the bypass. I was already aware of how much I was pushing my luck on this trail with my bad right shoulder. Back together again I asked Sue if there was a new snowman in the world. She answered Yes! We decided to continue our climb to an area of rocks roughly a third of the way up the headwall and stop there for a break and refreshment.
The initial climb up the headwall is really not a place to be without two good arms. There are many places where “all four” are needed to make progress. I was careful and managed to really slow our progress in some areas. Better to get through in good shape than fast and beat up. Eventually, we started to work our way out of the section of trail that was most difficult and the use of the hands only provided some extra balance – no real climbing assist. With the difficult section behind us it was time for a break. We dropped our packs and sat on a small ledge for a while. The day was perfect. We enjoyed views to the north and northwest with a light breeze to help control the insects. King Ravine is an interesting hike, and the hard part is done, but I know what waits over my shoulder. We had a straight-up climb that led to the ridge above and Air Line and Gulfside trails. Sitting on that particular ledge didn’t get the climb done so we grabbed our packs and started the rest of the climb out of King Ravine.
The footing is great all of the way to the top. We made the needed stops along the way but generally continued the climb at a steady pace. As we gained elevation we also climbed into the wind. The final few hundred yards had us enjoying a pretty strong wind. We reached the top of the headwall and found a suitable rock for a brief rest and to decide our next move. The main target for the day was done. We had Jefferson in our plan and Adams was an optional target. We were running a little late for the day but according to our hike plan and our start time we were right on schedule. We decided to skip Adams and head for Jefferson.
The first part of Gulfside that leads to Thunderstorm Junction passes around the top of King Ravine providing a nice view from various angles. That sure is a fun place. We reached Thunderstorm Junction and without much of a pause kept moving south toward Edmands Col. In all directions we could see others on various trails enjoying the day. On Gulfside to the south there was a group of three that we leapfrogged several times on our hike to Edmands Col.
We arrived to Edmands Col and stopped to briefly discuss our next move. One of the exit plans I had worked out included Randolph Path from Edmonds Col. Sue asked if I wanted to call it a hike and head down. From Edmands Col to the summit of Jefferson is only .6 miles and 800 feet in elevation – we’re visiting Jefferson.
On the climb from Edmands Col to the junction with the Jefferson Loop Trail we decided to stop for more lounging and to enjoy the views. We still had at least an hour to kill and still be out at a reasonably early time. While we sat and talked and enjoyed the day there was a steady stream of people hiking north from Jefferson. Eventually it was time to finish the climb. We grabbed our packs and set off. The parade of people leaving Jefferson continued throughout our climb. A short distance from the summit we passed the last ones – the summit was vacant, which is a little unusual for this summit on a great day. We passed the BIG cairn and went straight to the summit for some pictures. The late-afternoon views were tempered by summer haze but they were still great.
We now had our final decision for the day; exit via Castle Trail or Randolph Path. The Castle Trail plan was two miles longer but we both knew we always had that amount in reserve and more when we hit the trailhead. We set off down the Castle Trail.
The upper part of this trail is pretty rough, just like all of the Northern Presidentials. We slowly worked our way down to the area of The Castles. There, we found terrific views into Castle Ravine and northeast to Sam Adams and Mount Adams. We also enjoyed some nice views to Caps Ridge Trail and beyond. After making our way through The Castles the trail dropped into the scrub and then back into the trees. We were still faced with some steep and rough going but the trail had good footing and we generally had no difficulty in our descent to the Link trail junction. Next target – Castle Brook, I needed some water. With the warm conditions my consumption was higher than usual and I knew my supply was low.
Continued........
Trails: Air Line Trail, Short Line Trail, King Ravine Trail, Gulfside Trail, Jefferson Loop, Castle Trail, Link Trail, Israel Ridge Path
Summits: Jefferson
Hikers: Trail Trotter (Sue) and me
Every day with Sue is special and I probably will never forget this one. I am extremely grateful to have Sue as my hiking partner. What a day we had!
The plan was to hike a loop that included a visit to Jefferson. Sue’s favorite trail of them all is King Ravine Trail and she told me a visit there this summer would be nice. In the planning process Sue also told me descending King Ravine Trail probably requires two good arms – I only have one. While looking at exit options extra attention was given to trails we haven’t previously hiked. Neither of us has been on Castle Trail and many of the lower trails in the area. We completed the plan for the day with an exit from Jefferson on Castle Trail and Link Trail back to Appalachia.
We arrived to Appalachia and found the place filling up fast. We were able to get a spot in the parking lot but there were already some vehicles parked on the road outside the lot. When I turned off the truck another hiker that was passing by came over. Sue lowered her window and the guy said “you don’t know me but I know you”. He then introduced himself to both Sue and me. It was Petch. I have corresponded with Petch directly and indirectly through his posts and now have finally met him. That’s a nice start.
We wasted no time in getting our things together and set off on Air Line Trail. We had great conditions for the hike but expected pretty warm conditions to develop as the day went on. Air Line passes through a beautiful hardwoods forest. There were a few small mud pits along the way to Short Line but all were easy to get past. Along the way we took our time for the warm-up and several groups of hikers passed us on their hike in. We knew our hike plan for the day allowed for some extra time along the way to enjoy the place and still we would finish relatively early. We both planned to enjoy the day.
We reached the first milestone, the junction with Short Line Trail. Air Line went left and up the ridge, Short Line went right and into King Ravine – we went right. As we hiked along Short Line the conditions gradually changed. We started to encounter large boulders to climb over or around. The further we went the more significant the changes became. Short Line generally heads into the heart of King Ravine. As we came closer to Mossy Fall there were some glimpses to the ridge above – it was high and the walls leading there were very steep. The work was about to start.
We reached Mossy Fall and the junction with King Ravine Trail. There are essentially two parts to King Ravine Trail; down low and part way up the headwall it’s an endless crawl over or through boulders, up high it’s straight up through pretty good footing but its steepness makes for lots of sweating. As we were hiking through the early part of King Ravine Trail we came to Subway – a section of trail that passes through a serried of boulders. Sue cautioned me that two good arms were probably required and there would be some very tight places along the way. Of course, this was Sue’s route. I decided to follow the bypass and meet Sue on the other end. While I was waiting for Sue to emerge from Subway I enjoyed a quick snack.
Next was the Ice Caves. This is another section of trail that passes through and under large boulders. Sue was searching for snow to make a “July” snowman and headed into the Ice Caves. Again, I took the bypass. I was already aware of how much I was pushing my luck on this trail with my bad right shoulder. Back together again I asked Sue if there was a new snowman in the world. She answered Yes! We decided to continue our climb to an area of rocks roughly a third of the way up the headwall and stop there for a break and refreshment.
The initial climb up the headwall is really not a place to be without two good arms. There are many places where “all four” are needed to make progress. I was careful and managed to really slow our progress in some areas. Better to get through in good shape than fast and beat up. Eventually, we started to work our way out of the section of trail that was most difficult and the use of the hands only provided some extra balance – no real climbing assist. With the difficult section behind us it was time for a break. We dropped our packs and sat on a small ledge for a while. The day was perfect. We enjoyed views to the north and northwest with a light breeze to help control the insects. King Ravine is an interesting hike, and the hard part is done, but I know what waits over my shoulder. We had a straight-up climb that led to the ridge above and Air Line and Gulfside trails. Sitting on that particular ledge didn’t get the climb done so we grabbed our packs and started the rest of the climb out of King Ravine.
The footing is great all of the way to the top. We made the needed stops along the way but generally continued the climb at a steady pace. As we gained elevation we also climbed into the wind. The final few hundred yards had us enjoying a pretty strong wind. We reached the top of the headwall and found a suitable rock for a brief rest and to decide our next move. The main target for the day was done. We had Jefferson in our plan and Adams was an optional target. We were running a little late for the day but according to our hike plan and our start time we were right on schedule. We decided to skip Adams and head for Jefferson.
The first part of Gulfside that leads to Thunderstorm Junction passes around the top of King Ravine providing a nice view from various angles. That sure is a fun place. We reached Thunderstorm Junction and without much of a pause kept moving south toward Edmands Col. In all directions we could see others on various trails enjoying the day. On Gulfside to the south there was a group of three that we leapfrogged several times on our hike to Edmands Col.
We arrived to Edmands Col and stopped to briefly discuss our next move. One of the exit plans I had worked out included Randolph Path from Edmonds Col. Sue asked if I wanted to call it a hike and head down. From Edmands Col to the summit of Jefferson is only .6 miles and 800 feet in elevation – we’re visiting Jefferson.
On the climb from Edmands Col to the junction with the Jefferson Loop Trail we decided to stop for more lounging and to enjoy the views. We still had at least an hour to kill and still be out at a reasonably early time. While we sat and talked and enjoyed the day there was a steady stream of people hiking north from Jefferson. Eventually it was time to finish the climb. We grabbed our packs and set off. The parade of people leaving Jefferson continued throughout our climb. A short distance from the summit we passed the last ones – the summit was vacant, which is a little unusual for this summit on a great day. We passed the BIG cairn and went straight to the summit for some pictures. The late-afternoon views were tempered by summer haze but they were still great.
We now had our final decision for the day; exit via Castle Trail or Randolph Path. The Castle Trail plan was two miles longer but we both knew we always had that amount in reserve and more when we hit the trailhead. We set off down the Castle Trail.
The upper part of this trail is pretty rough, just like all of the Northern Presidentials. We slowly worked our way down to the area of The Castles. There, we found terrific views into Castle Ravine and northeast to Sam Adams and Mount Adams. We also enjoyed some nice views to Caps Ridge Trail and beyond. After making our way through The Castles the trail dropped into the scrub and then back into the trees. We were still faced with some steep and rough going but the trail had good footing and we generally had no difficulty in our descent to the Link trail junction. Next target – Castle Brook, I needed some water. With the warm conditions my consumption was higher than usual and I knew my supply was low.
Continued........
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