| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Slide Peak, Mt. Isolation, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Glen Boulder Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur, Isolation Trail, Rocky Branch Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, July 26, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at both the Glen Boulder Trailhead ($5 parking fee), and at the trailhead for Rocky Branch Trail (no fee). |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Isolation Trail crisscross the Rocky Branch river a number of times. Water levels were low so rock hopping was fairly straight forward. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Davis Path inside the tree-line leading to Mt. Isolation was very muddy and the plank bridges are largely rotted away. Trail signs, however, looked almost brand new, so there's that. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
No dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
Plenty of bugs. Not swarms per se, but there are enough flies that nip and bite to keep things ... interesting. Especially at the summit of Mt. Isolation. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Two pairs of socks hanging on a branch next to the trail alongside the Isolation Trail. I suspect they're still hanging there. |
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 | Comments: |
Glen Boulder trail, especially after a tall glass of iced coffee, is very straight forward and rewards your efforts in short order. In just a few hours, you're above tree-line and soaking up views of Pinkham Notch, THE Glen Boulder (larger in person than it looks from down below), and lines of mountains to the south extending to the horizon like waves on an ocean. The trail turns into a traverse steadily upward along the edge of the Gulf of Slides until it intersects the Davis Path. At 5,300, this is the highest point of the hike. The Davis path, inside tree-line gets progressively muddy. As stated early, wood planking above the mud has largely rotted away. This goes on for a while. Mt. Isolation is a rocky outcropping with a magnificent view of the Presidential range to the North and West. Backtrack through the mud to Isolation Trail which makes its way down through the brooks and streams that feed the Rocky Branch River. Rocky Branch Trail its noted initially for its lack of signage, blazes or cairns. Later it feels more like rock hopping in a swamp (which would explain the moose tracks) before turning into the most straightforward (read this as wide, dry and down), easy to follow trail back to the parking lot. It felt like a really long day without the payoff of a multiple peaks, but the views along Glen Boulder and Davis made it worth while ... and hey, they don't call it Isolation for nothing. Big Thanks to my hiking partners Ann and Carl! |
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 | Name: |
warmsummersun |
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 | E-Mail: |
robertcfinn@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-07-28 |
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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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