| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jefferson, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Castle Trail, Jefferson Loop, Gulfside, The Cornice, Edmands Col Cutoff, Castle Ravine |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, October 4, 2015 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
There was just one other car besides mine at the parking area. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Water levels were up from the drought weeks; most had some of the stepping rocks under a bit of water. In standard hiking boots with gaiters I'd call them wet boot crossings with care. In standard trail shoes the feet likely would get wet. I had Hoka's so their high soles help to keep water out, and with care my feet would have stayed dry, except for a slip while checking out a crossing. Poles helpful. With a little more water, or some black ice, these crossings could be very tricky, and there are a lot of them. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The sign at Cornice and Gulfside no longer points in the correct directions, and the Cornice sign is starting to fall off. The cairns on Edmands Col Cutoff going through the last large open area on the way to Six Husbands are hard to see; I just let trail "momentum" and what looked like a trail in the scrub ahead to guide me and then I saw the small cairns. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Castle, Castle Ravine and Edmands Col Cutoff are NOT dog friendly. There are lots of sharp crystalline rocks, Castle has numerous ledge scrambles above the Link and Castle Ravine has lots of loose scree or tippy small boulders on its steep sections. There is a lot of exposure to the sun and wind and except when one gets down Castle Ravine, very little water. Pepper like a few other dogs we know, is a veteran, with tough paw pads and lots of boulder/ledge experience, he'd been on these trails several times, and the temps were cool, so he had no problems today. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Sometimes it is fun to do a trail in a different direction; it can seem almost new that way. So today we went down Castle Ravine. It was slow going for me; it was steep, there was a mix of loose scree and sometime wobbly small boulders and it goes on a fair distance. Pepper spent most of it watching me; I'm glad he doesn't laugh at my foibles. From now on it's up only. Castle is fine ascending or descending. The Cornice is just a lovely trail; with easy grades, great views its entire length, and rarely any other hikers. Edmands Col Cutoff is a cross of Parapet and the Link, with nice views and easy grades, but a bit rough with boulders and roots. It has water which Pepper appreciates.
Unlike yesterday where we experienced very little wind despite the forecast; today we had a lot of wind until mid afternoon. It kept the trails generally free of hikers. Cornice after awhile was generally in the mountain's wind shadow which made it a delightful respite. By the time we got to Edmands Col it was a beautiful afternoon, with low winds, so we did the Cutoff and took a long break where it meets Six Husbands. The light on the different sections of Jefferson Ravine was splendid. |
|
 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2015-10-04 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
|
