| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Isolation (attempt), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Rocky Branch Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 30, 2017 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Rocky Branch parking area on Rte 16, basically empty lot |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Rocky Branch River was running SWIFTLY, high, and water bank to bank- may be a problem to cross. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The further I went on Rocky Branch Trail the more poorly it seemed to be maintained and harder to follow, especially after Engine Hill col. Lots of branches brush in the way. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None seen. Maybe if they like mud, bushwhack brush, and postholes. |
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 | Bugs: |
saw quite a few but they didn't bother me |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
Solo attempt of Mt Isolation from Rte 16 Rocky Branch Parking, beginning at 3:15am, staring out in bare boots- carried MSR Ascent snowshoes, Kahtoola microspikes. Left Ice Axe and Crampons in the car. Looks like I was the only one attempting it on a Sunday from this parking area. Didn't see anyone on the trails nor any land animals and no cars in the lot when I returned. FYI- Rocky Branch Trail has no tree blazes or trail markers at all. Unmarked trail was heavily leaf covered at lower elevations, and in the dark looking for "traction device scratches" on rocks was helpful for route finding. Had to go a long way before reaching any small patches of snow. As I continued it transitioned to periods of more and larger snow patches, small sections of narrow monorail, then long sections of narrow monorail. A lot of standing and running water in trail, Temperature was about 28 to 30 before sunrise, so snow was mostly firm. Ver thin fresh ice on standing water. A lot of Moose poop (in about 10 locations right "ON" the trail) and some fresh moose footprints. At higher elevations of Rocky Branch Trail, some branches in the way of the trail or the trail was narrow. Following existing narrow monorail (where it existed) was helpful for route finding. Off trail, not much snow cover.
Reached the start of the Engine Hill Bushwhack "winter only" Route at the Engine Hill col where the letter "T" is cut into the bark of a tree. Started onto the "winter only" Engine Hill Bushwhack route. Initially it was wet with a bit of intermittent monorail to follow. My plan was to follow what was left of monorail on the Engine Hill Bushwhack. Unfortunately, after about 200 feet distance I lost all sense of where the winter bushwhack route was. No footprints, or monorail, or sense of a cleared path to follow. So I created a plan B. I decided to return to the "T" on the tree and then follow the Rock Branch Trail to the Rocky Branch River. Put on MIcrospikes and followed what I thought was the trail (walking in a running brook with occasional snow bridges to walk on) or I Bushwhacked beside the brook keeping it in sight. It looked like no one had used this route during the winter. Could look up and see the tops of Mt Davis and to its north Mt Isolation on the far side of Rocky Branch River. By the time I reached the east bank of Rocky Branch River, snow had deepened to 1 to 2 feet and I put on snowshoes as I was postholeing so much. Did a lot of postholeing today including in monorail. Decided to try a bushwhack to the north keeping the sound of the river to my left. After about 1000 feet the forest was thick enough and it was slowing me down enough that I decided to call it quits. Some rain was forecast for later in the day, I had never been to Mt Isolation before, and both the condition of the rest of the route and the time it would take me, and whether I could make a Rocky Branch River Crossing further north were all unknowns. River was running high, fast, and bank to bank and looked like not much possibility of rock hopping, at least the part of the river I saw. Returned to the car by the same route I came, defeated by Mt. Isolation. |
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 | Name: |
SOTA |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-05-01 |
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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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