| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Isolation, Mt. Davis, Stairs Mountain, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Isolation Trail West, Davis Path, Mt. Isolation Spur, Mt. Davis Spur, Stairs Mountain Spur |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, September 11, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
N/A |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The crossings of the washed-out area of Isolation Brook right at the bottom of Isolation Trail were easy because water levels are very low. No other crossings (and essentially no water at all) for the entire rest of the day. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Isolation Trail West and Davis Path both had their share of blowdowns, but they weren't as bad as the ones on Mt. Clinton Trail and Dry River Cutoff the day before. The blowdowns on Davis Path specifically almost all had herd paths around them. Signs are in place, but they're small and unpainted (since this is deep in a Wilderness) so watch for them carefully. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
|
|
 | Bugs: |
Very few, and not an issue. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
This was Day 2 of a three-day backpacking trip in the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness (Day 1 is here: https://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/nh/viewreport.php?entryid=78374). From the wilderness campsite very close to the junction of Dry River Trail and Isolation Trail West, I headed up Isolation Trail. The lower section, which runs along the brook, has been disrupted by a bunch of small landslides, many of which require minor but steep ups and downs. None were dangerous, but they still required caution because of the loose rock and soil. One of them, further up, washed away the trail completely, so the trail now effectively runs on rocks through the brook for maybe 10 yd. Interspersed throughout these landslides were sections of much nicer trail. Once the trail leaves the brook, it climbs steadily, but never too steeply - it winds around a lot. Footing is generally good, with only a few rockier sections. There are occasional restricted glimpses of nearby ridges and mountains, but no open views.
When I turned onto Davis Path and headed south, the trail quickly became much rockier and more eroded, since this section is heavily used as a route to Mt. Isolation. Most of the normal wet areas in this section were dry due to the drought - there were only a few small muddy areas remaining. I could tell where the Iso Express bushwhack meets up with Davis Path in the winter - the herd path was pretty clear to the eye of an experienced hiker. When I reached the spur path to Isolation, I dropped my pack and scrambled up the steep path to the summit - the views were superb, but it was quite windy, so I didn't stay for too long.
As soon as I continued south on Davis Path past Isolation, the character of the trail changed dramatically - it became generally smoother and less eroded since this section receives much less use. It also got narrower and somewhat less distinct in places - beginner hikers might have occasionally struggled to follow the trail, but experienced redliners won't have any issues. There were more blowdowns in this section, but they usually had herd paths to get around them. It's clear that this section, while still much less used, has gotten some traffic this summer - the few remaining muddy areas had noticeable bootprints, and the trail had clearly been brushed out since undergrowth obscuring the trail wasn't an issue. The only place where it was an issue was on Mt. Davis Spur - it had many very brushy sections, particularly in the upper half, and the brush was the krummholz type that is difficult to push through. The spur also has several steep scrambles. But the view from the open areas at the top made it worth it. The spur branches in two near the summit - the right branch is the one that leads to the large cairn marking the south summit of Mt. Davis, but it requires pushing through tough krummholz to get there.
Past Mt. Davis, the trail was very gradual and pretty easy for a significant distance. I just cruised through that section. There are only a few steeper descents - first, the descent into the small, sharp col mentioned in the WMG, then the larger descent a little bit past that, and then a short but steep descent into the sag north of Stairs Mountain. There are only a couple of minor, gradual ascents between those, until the final climb up to Stairs. This climb is gradual to moderate - not bad at all. One thing I should note about Davis Path is that there is absolutely no running water whatsoever along the trail. I could see the small brooks that the WMG mentions, but they are all dry right now. Hiking Davis Path right now requires bringing a lot of water along with you. But I was greatly relieved when I finally reached the familiar sign marking the spur path to Stairs Mountain and its wilderness campsite, since that sign meant that I had finally redlined Davis Path.
I camped at the wilderness tentsite at the summit of Stairs. Like the wilderness tentsite the previous night, it has no bear box and no privy, but that doesn't matter once you see the incredible view from the summit of Stairs. I could see all the way from Iron Mountain and Kearsarge North on the left to Arethusa Falls and Frankenstein Cliff on the right. It's truly one of the most amazing official tentsites in the White Mountains. The night was another cool one, but I still didn't think it was too cold. |
|
 | Name: |
GN |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-09-12 |
|
 | 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. |
|
