| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Ripley Falls, Falcon Cliff, Frankenstein Cliff, Arethusa Falls, Bemis Brook Falls, Coliseum Falls, Fawn Pool, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ethan Pond Trail, Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail, Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Falcon Cliff Trail, Frankenstein Cutoff, Arethusa Falls Trail, Bemis Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, May 4, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I was one of maybe four cars at the Ethan Pond trailhead around 11:30am. Room for a couple more before you’d be parking down at the base of the road. Only one car in the lower lot for Arethusa Falls and Frankenstein Cliff trails when I passed by in the morning. Same when I walked by the lot later in the day. I believe there were a few when I arrived on foot to the upper lot. Everyone was gone but me when I finished my hike and began the road walk. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The crossing of Avalanche Brook on Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail at the base of Ripley Falls Trail was quite difficult. Not quite dangerous (unless maybe you’re really small;) but definitely difficult without wading which I was trying to avoid. I managed to rock hop a short distance across to where there are two downed trees across the water. Both are very small and I’m not sure either (particularly the smaller of the two) would sustain most peoples weight. The smaller was just above the water and had all of its bark peeled off. The other, slightly larger was set several feet above the water. I rested my right knee on that one, and placed my left foot on the smaller one, and walked/crawled across by moving my foot and knee a couple inches at a time. Not too slippery and it worked well! If I’d have fallen, I would have gotten very wet and probably bruised by some rocks, but like I said, it shouldn’t carry you away or anything if you’re an adult. The crossing of a Bemis Brook at the base of Arethusa Falls was comparatively very easy. Just a rock hop that required some thought. I think I had to stand on a submerged rock or two no more than an inch or two under water. Some other crossings as well, mostly on the southern portion of Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail but they were more of tour standard rock hop. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail is blazed in blue as it connects with the AT. Arethusa Falls Trail and the spur to the falls were also blazed in blue. Bemis Brook Trail, Falcon Cliff Trail, and Frankenstein Cliff Trail were both blazed in yellow. Frankenstein Cutoff was blazed in blue. I don’t recall having any trouble following the trails even Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail which didn’t really have any tracks on it so I think they were mostly decently well blazed. The one exception may have been Arethusa Falls Trail but it’s travelled well enough to be obvious. A number of small blowdowns to navigate around on the northern section of Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail. When ascending up the south side of this trail later in the day, on the far side of one of the two brook crossings, there are two mid-sized pine trees blocking the trail where the trail dumps out on the other side of the brook. There is a beaten path through it. There’s snow in that spot. A mid-sized crawl under on Falcon Cliff Trail. A large blowdown with a yellow blaze on it (I think there was another downed tree behind it too) with a path around it just below one of the upper viewpoints on Frankenstein Cliff Trail. Likely some others I’m forgetting about as well. The sign at the jct of Frankenstein Cliff Trail and Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail only points to Frankenstein Cliff Trail and Arethusa Falls, no mention of Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail. In particular, no arrows indicating the northern section of the trail directly behind it. Coming from that direction, I walked right past the sign and three way jct until I hit woods and I realized I was off trail and turned around to notice I was at a jct 😂 |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Two people coming down the Arethusa Falls Trail had dogs with them as I were headed up. The dogs were restrained and the owners were kind and conscientious :) Dogs may struggle on some of these trails as they can be steep and very roots. There’s also still some icy/slick parts. If it were a larger dog, I wouldn’t recommend the northern portion of Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail either as they’d probably posthole like I did. |
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 | Bugs: |
None on Monday but they’re a comin’! I’d start bringing bug spray and a head net. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Unfortunately, while making the crossing of Avalanche Brook on foot and knee, I was hunched over and one of my water bottles fell out and was carried downstream. I wasn’t able to see where it ended up. If anyone happens to find it, I’d be grateful if you packed it out. |
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 | Comments: |
I started at Wiley House Station Site and took Ethan Pond Trail to Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail. Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail was mostly free of snow/ice until it gets near Ripley Falls. You could put spikes on there. Some very muddy, wet spots even just to the falls. The crossing of Avalanche Brook here was very difficult (see above). From the other side, to the jct with Frankenstein Cliff Trail, the snow cover is more or less complete which I really was not anticipating. Several miles north in Randolph the day before there was hardly any snow but I guess it makes that big of a difference being on a north facing slope!! Waterproof boots and gaiters are essential here. I didn’t bring snowshoes and even if I had them I don’t think I would have used them but some will definitely prefer them. The snow cover was always less than 2ft deep, generally much less and unless we get a big dumping of snow this weekend, I imagine it will be gone fairly soon. Also, until the grade eases and you approach the knob shortly before the jct with Frankenstein Cliff Trail, there are short stretches of trail without snow so snowshoes would get very beat up here. Once the grade eases, the snow cover is consistent but I also found the snow to be more supportive there. In either case, this part of the trail is a bit of a suffer fest right now and I absolutely would not attempt it unless you have the right gear (waterproof boots and gaiters) and have experience. Otherwise, stick to an out-and-back to the falls for the next week or two until the rest of the nasty snow melts.
From the jct with Frankenstein Cliff Trail onward, things were much nicer until it started raining and things were reminiscent of a suffer-fest again. Frankenstein Cliff Trail was mostly free of snow. When there was some, it was generally of minimal depth (unlike the northern part of Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail) so you didn’t have to worry about postholing so much. When there was any depth to it, there was usually a monorail to stay on top of anyway which helped. Falcon Cliff was like this at its start before becoming dry trail. There’s one very narrow spot of eroded trail with a long drop on one side of it to be careful by that’s immediately before “the ledgy slot†if descending the trail. Some very wet rock with water flowing down it from the cliff faces shortly after this. The section that parallels the road can be tedious. I went down Frankenstein Cutoff, walked the paved path to the start of it, then walked the paved path to the lower lot, and ascended up the path that leads from there to the trail and did an out-and-back on the portion of the trail I was missing.
The rain showers had begun as I was finishing this. After a short break to eat, drink, and throw my rain jacket on, I headed up Arethusa Falls Trail which was much more moderate and graded than Arethusa-Ripley Falls or Frankenstein Cliff Trail. I was able to power up it pretty quickly. Although not raining hard, everything started to become wet as I went up this. Saw two groups of two headed down as I went up and chatted with them briefly :) Some patches of snow begin before the first bridge. I recommend throwing on spikes after the first bridge as the snow/ice is more consistent from there to the falls.
I bypassed the falls and continued up Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail to the jct with Frankenstein Cliff Trail where I was earlier in the day. Some very wet, soupy portions of trail in there. The snow/ice mostly faded on this trail past the spur to the falls although I think I just left my spikes on. Note the trees blocking the trail on the far side of one of the brook crossings on this portion of trail (note above). I’d planned on descending Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail north back to my car but given the condition of that trail earlier in the day, I headed back down the way I came up taking Bemis Brook Trail along the way to finish redlining the area. The road walk back was 2+ miles and wasn’t real fun in the wind and cooler temps (low 40s) later in the day afraid it was about to start down pouring at any moment (it didn’t!). 13.1mi total according to Gaia and about 3000ft of elevation gain. Started at 11:30 and arrived back at the car just past 7:30pm. Going down this way and the road walk made the hike about 3mi longer but it was still preferable to postholing down Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail again! |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-05-06 |
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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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