| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jackson, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Webster-Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail, Mt. Clinton Trail, Dry River Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 17, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We spotted a vehicle at the Dry River trailhead where there is room for several cars to pull off to the side of the road. We parked the other vehicle at the Webster-Jackson parking area, which wasn't very busy. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant, Snow - Spring Snow |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Webster-Jackson crossings rock hops. Mt. Clinton crossings ranged from easy rock hops to somewhat tricky rock jumps with wet boots until the Dry River. We looked up and down the river a ways and finally went the direct route to the eroding cliff. It was a sometimes wet boot rock hop and leap crossing, with a curve in the direction. We discovered later than the USFS has moved the Mt Clinton & Dry River intersection a bit south of the eroded cliff, and then built rock cairns to cross there. Coming from the south this would be obvious; from the north for the first time not so much. We didn't look at the crossing up close but it might be a better choice and it avoids the eroded cliff climb. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No serious blowdowns on Webster-Jackson or Webster Cliff. Mt. Clinton had some of everything. It is a difficult trail to follow for much of its length. Above the Dry River Cutoff there are a few new blowdowns but otherwise easy enough to follow. Below the Cutoff for a while it is a nice corridor, but every so often we broke through the snow into holes between rocks as we got lower on it. Down in the stream crossings area, it can be very difficult to follow; orange flagging at the crossings is getting old but it still helped immensely and further down it helped keep us on trail. I did not refresh the flagging but most of it is there, and some was added down low. Whacking in the stream crossing section can be brutal; it really pays to find the crossings. These may not be a simple case of the trail coming down to a stream and seeing the same on the other side; they often intersect at a sharp angle so one has to look down (or up in the other direction) a ways, and in one important case at a falls where they do intersect at right angles one has to be sure to look up and climb the bank to find the trail which is decent in that area once found. Dry River at and for a ways south of Mt. Clinton is pretty rough with new blowdowns on a new bypass and a particularly unfortunate one making an already tricky ledge section at the river edge really tricky. Once we got a ways away from the Mt Clinton it became a decent wilderness trail; easy to follow and at better speed. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Pepper had a fun day. He has no problems with the ice, finding routes around steep sections he can't climb and using a controlled slide to go down others on a descent. He was able to stay atop the crusty snow on Mt Clinton and stay cool there, and down in the snow free zones he enjoyed lots of sip n dips. He was cautious crossing Dry River, but after a few "Jumps" at the longest leap section using a rock just under water, he jumped and thus made it across just fine. |
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 | Bugs: |
None. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Webster-Jackson was its usual spring mud and water mess down low, and above that long stretches of thick ice flow. But it was a bit soft from the mildish temps, so we were able to go up them carefully in a few places and easily for most in microspikes. We saw a couple of barebooters having a terrible time going up; I can only imagine what it would have been like going down. The actual summit area, however, was easier than expected being dry bare rock. Webster Cliff to the hut below the summit area had lots of ice and some bare spots. We put on Hillsounds for the tricky descent from Jackson after the open ledges. After that it was a nice hike although as the temps increased it started to soften and could have gotten mealy in the afternoon.
Mt Clinton was a surprise. Instead of ice there was fairly deep crusty snow, getting softer in the afternoon. Snowshoes would have been my choice if I had brought them. It was the first deep snow I've seen this winter; we occasionally broke through the crust up to our thighs. This was particularly a problem where water flows in the trail around boulders or blowdown; we learned to space our poles widely to help support us during a break through, and slow our pace. It continued for a long time too; we had to get down to under 2500' before it started to disappear. There was very little ice. Dry River had no snow and almost no ice. There was some mud in the first bypass, and it was a bit slow going for awhile on it as well. After a while things picked up. By the time we got to it the temps had warmed considerably, and it was an almost summery hike out. Pepper used the sip n dips often.
Obviously the Mt Clinton trail needs a lot of work. It is amazing, however, how helpful the ribbons are. As slow as the trail can be in places it is way better than a straight whack down either side of the stream. Having seen the amazing transformation of the Hutmens Trail into a nice trail, some corridor work on the Mt Clinton probably could do wonders even if the trail bed remains a mix of pleasant and eroded and wet sections. The solitude is wonderful, the Dry River is nice and the contrast with the Webster-Jackson interesting and enjoyable. Dry River isn't a class trail either. Those accustomed to the wide corridors, obvious footpaths and paint blazes should stay away from the Dry River, as well as the Mt Clinton. Bushwhackers and redliners might love the challenge; but maybe later in the year when the snow has melted.
Thanks Marty and Pepper for another fine day in the woods and mountains.
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-04-17 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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. |
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