Daniel Eagan
Active member
Followed all the great reports here, but never got to the promised land of open woods and soft footing. It was a struggle all day. Very hot going up the Flume. Went left to the top of Walking Boss, entered by an out of bounds marker. Followed a good herd path until it turned north to Black Mountain.
Headed southeast and—surprisingly—down a lot before skirting along the col at the top of a steep drop to the north. When we started going up, adjusted to more southerly bearing but it just didn't open up until we got to the top of the ridge.
From there a pretty direct easterly bearing up through low spruce and blowdown patches. Summit herd paths took us pretty straight to the canister. Unfortunately could not figure out a way to open it so we took pictures and departed.
Despite all the warnings, we found ourselves too far to the south. It's like the mountain wants to funnel you that way. After dropping a bit we slabbed back over to the north side of the ridge, then reached the flat area from which we ascended.
At that point we heard voices, and about twenty feet away came across Jason and Andrew and Andrew's dog Jetta (sp?). Apart from the canister, some cast-off bottles, and strips of orange surveyor tape, the only human presence of the bushwhack.
They are monster hikers who very graciously allowed us to tag along after them. (Jason is working his way through the NE Hundred Highest in a single summer.) Again the mountain took us too far south, but we slabbed through some very thick spruce until we could see a steep drop-off north, then skirted back to the herd path.
By now we were out of water so we took our time descending the Flume. A lot of bugs all day.
It was a great feeling finding someone else out there and having help getting back. Jason and Andrew made everything faster.
Everyone else says it so I repeat: stay on the north side of the ridge.
Edit: sorry I guess this should have been in trail conditions.
Headed southeast and—surprisingly—down a lot before skirting along the col at the top of a steep drop to the north. When we started going up, adjusted to more southerly bearing but it just didn't open up until we got to the top of the ridge.
From there a pretty direct easterly bearing up through low spruce and blowdown patches. Summit herd paths took us pretty straight to the canister. Unfortunately could not figure out a way to open it so we took pictures and departed.
Despite all the warnings, we found ourselves too far to the south. It's like the mountain wants to funnel you that way. After dropping a bit we slabbed back over to the north side of the ridge, then reached the flat area from which we ascended.
At that point we heard voices, and about twenty feet away came across Jason and Andrew and Andrew's dog Jetta (sp?). Apart from the canister, some cast-off bottles, and strips of orange surveyor tape, the only human presence of the bushwhack.
They are monster hikers who very graciously allowed us to tag along after them. (Jason is working his way through the NE Hundred Highest in a single summer.) Again the mountain took us too far south, but we slabbed through some very thick spruce until we could see a steep drop-off north, then skirted back to the herd path.
By now we were out of water so we took our time descending the Flume. A lot of bugs all day.
It was a great feeling finding someone else out there and having help getting back. Jason and Andrew made everything faster.
Everyone else says it so I repeat: stay on the north side of the ridge.
Edit: sorry I guess this should have been in trail conditions.
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