Bombadil
Active member
4-24-13
Moriah:
I got a late start up Moriah at 11 am but was treated to abundant sunshine and temps around 70! Quite a difference from yesterday. I used the Stony Brook shortcut so I can't comment on the lower crossing but the upper ones were fine. Took nearly 30 mins to reach the legit snow line but barebooting worked fine. The upper ledges are either snow free or nearly so, no ice issues anywhere. What a great hike on a warm sunny day!
Waumbek:
Lower sections muddy as expected. A little snow and ice in the trail just before the hardwood/softwood transition 1/2 way up. From there mostly firm snow with a little bit of ice--all easily dealt with. Surprisingly the ridge had pretty firm snow too, no postholing issues as long as you stayed on or near the monorail.
Cabot:
Used the Cabot Trail. Very muddy down low. Some patchy rotten snow around 2300 or so all the way up to the junction at 3k. Messy in either snowshoes or boots with all the rotten snow, standing water, and mud.
Somewhere around 2500 ft I saw something move in a tree, about 4-8 feet off the ground, about 20 feet away from me. Immediately I knew it was a bear cub and it quickly descended the tree and ran off. With my heart racing I backed up about 100 feet and began making noise. With 20-30 seconds I saw momma not quite sprinting but moving with a fair amount of speed down the trail about 50 yards ahead of me. I think it located its cub and never came to investigate. I made a fair amount of noise for awhile and eventually grew tired of checking out the woods around me to see if I was being tracked (not that I would really know). Well after years of hiking I finally got my first bear encounter, I just wish it wasn't a damn bear cub when I was soloing!
Anyways, enough drama. I put on snowshoes and made good time up to the summit. I decided to crack my bud heavy at the summit and figured if mamma bear was gonna get me at least I'd have a beer in my belly. No issues on the descent thankfully. Long day today in the sun after a traverse yesterday. I'm cooked!
Pat
pcushing21 at yahoo dot com
Moriah:
I got a late start up Moriah at 11 am but was treated to abundant sunshine and temps around 70! Quite a difference from yesterday. I used the Stony Brook shortcut so I can't comment on the lower crossing but the upper ones were fine. Took nearly 30 mins to reach the legit snow line but barebooting worked fine. The upper ledges are either snow free or nearly so, no ice issues anywhere. What a great hike on a warm sunny day!
Waumbek:
Lower sections muddy as expected. A little snow and ice in the trail just before the hardwood/softwood transition 1/2 way up. From there mostly firm snow with a little bit of ice--all easily dealt with. Surprisingly the ridge had pretty firm snow too, no postholing issues as long as you stayed on or near the monorail.
Cabot:
Used the Cabot Trail. Very muddy down low. Some patchy rotten snow around 2300 or so all the way up to the junction at 3k. Messy in either snowshoes or boots with all the rotten snow, standing water, and mud.
Somewhere around 2500 ft I saw something move in a tree, about 4-8 feet off the ground, about 20 feet away from me. Immediately I knew it was a bear cub and it quickly descended the tree and ran off. With my heart racing I backed up about 100 feet and began making noise. With 20-30 seconds I saw momma not quite sprinting but moving with a fair amount of speed down the trail about 50 yards ahead of me. I think it located its cub and never came to investigate. I made a fair amount of noise for awhile and eventually grew tired of checking out the woods around me to see if I was being tracked (not that I would really know). Well after years of hiking I finally got my first bear encounter, I just wish it wasn't a damn bear cub when I was soloing!
Anyways, enough drama. I put on snowshoes and made good time up to the summit. I decided to crack my bud heavy at the summit and figured if mamma bear was gonna get me at least I'd have a beer in my belly. No issues on the descent thankfully. Long day today in the sun after a traverse yesterday. I'm cooked!
Pat
pcushing21 at yahoo dot com
