randomscooter
01-01-2006, 06:06 AM
Set out for Dial and Nippletop with good friend and trail buddy Beecher. The plan was to go up via the Leach Trail to Dial first if a set track was found or the Gill Brook trail to Nippletop first otherwise, since we knew from reports there was activity at least to the Colvin junction that way. We were happy to find a good hard track heading up the Leach Trail. Only a dusting to an inch of snow covered the rock hard track, and we scooted up the mountainside, initially sans snowshoes. But as we approached the burn area we started slipping on the steeper pitch and immediately strapped in for improved footing. Crampons would have been adequate at this point.
I haven't been on these peaks since October '04. Somewhere from the recesses of my memory I was recalling an announcement of trail rerouting in the burn area. When we reached the lower edge of the burn I was surprised not to find any changes...the trail still cuts back to the left onto the ridge to avoid the burn. Chalking it up to memory failure we continued on. But at the top of the burn we were surprised to see that the trail has indeed been rerouted, now heading straight down over the ledges towards Bear Den, with enough switchbacks to navigate the cliffs and maintain a comfortable grade. I couldn't help but wonder how it would be to first come upon this section of trail in limited visibility...fog, snow, blowing snow, or night. Even so, this new trail section is far more pleasant and interesting than the earlier reroute it replaces, offering fascinating close views of the fire ravaged ledges and forest, and continual panoramic views of the Great Range and beyond.
The track continued in fine shape up to the summit of Bear Den and beyond, with the typical assortment of detours into the bush to avoid winter blowdowns and leaners. But just at the crest of the short steep descent to Gravestone col the snowshoe track cut to the right (due to a large tree across the trail) and wandered around aimlessly. We checked these tracks hoping that one of them would cut back down to the trail, but finding none we dropped down over the edge and quickly rejoined the trail, from this point on with no set track.
Too bad for those who had preceeded us, because from this point on the trail was mostly open. Although there was no set track the snow was very supportive and we only broke through an inch or two of crust as we set a new track the remaining 3/4 mile to the summit.
I've made it all sound so simple, but truth be told this mountain was taking a toll on my out-of-shape body. We expected not to find a set track until near the Nippletop summit, if then, and I know this section of trail to be difficult to follow in unbroken snow. So after consuming 4 hours to reach the Dial summit we made the decision to turn back.
On the return trip we made a point of following the actual trail in those short sections we had missed it on the way up the mountain. Back on Bear Den at the point where the set track had ended we were surprised to find crampon tracks heading both in then out. I am guessing that this hiker had, as did we, checked all the tracks. Finding most of them to be dead-ends and one (ours) to be unsupportive for crampons, probably sealed his decision not to forge ahead. No doubt our track down the steep bank must not have seemed encouraging enough to explore. Of course he may have also thought he had successfully reached the Dial summit. We'll never know.
The dreaded end-of-day climb back over the shoulder of Noonmark was much more pleasant with the new trail, and shortly after descending below the burn toward the road I unstrapped the snowshoes to enjoy excellent boot sliding conditions down to the road.
I haven't been on these peaks since October '04. Somewhere from the recesses of my memory I was recalling an announcement of trail rerouting in the burn area. When we reached the lower edge of the burn I was surprised not to find any changes...the trail still cuts back to the left onto the ridge to avoid the burn. Chalking it up to memory failure we continued on. But at the top of the burn we were surprised to see that the trail has indeed been rerouted, now heading straight down over the ledges towards Bear Den, with enough switchbacks to navigate the cliffs and maintain a comfortable grade. I couldn't help but wonder how it would be to first come upon this section of trail in limited visibility...fog, snow, blowing snow, or night. Even so, this new trail section is far more pleasant and interesting than the earlier reroute it replaces, offering fascinating close views of the fire ravaged ledges and forest, and continual panoramic views of the Great Range and beyond.
The track continued in fine shape up to the summit of Bear Den and beyond, with the typical assortment of detours into the bush to avoid winter blowdowns and leaners. But just at the crest of the short steep descent to Gravestone col the snowshoe track cut to the right (due to a large tree across the trail) and wandered around aimlessly. We checked these tracks hoping that one of them would cut back down to the trail, but finding none we dropped down over the edge and quickly rejoined the trail, from this point on with no set track.
Too bad for those who had preceeded us, because from this point on the trail was mostly open. Although there was no set track the snow was very supportive and we only broke through an inch or two of crust as we set a new track the remaining 3/4 mile to the summit.
I've made it all sound so simple, but truth be told this mountain was taking a toll on my out-of-shape body. We expected not to find a set track until near the Nippletop summit, if then, and I know this section of trail to be difficult to follow in unbroken snow. So after consuming 4 hours to reach the Dial summit we made the decision to turn back.
On the return trip we made a point of following the actual trail in those short sections we had missed it on the way up the mountain. Back on Bear Den at the point where the set track had ended we were surprised to find crampon tracks heading both in then out. I am guessing that this hiker had, as did we, checked all the tracks. Finding most of them to be dead-ends and one (ours) to be unsupportive for crampons, probably sealed his decision not to forge ahead. No doubt our track down the steep bank must not have seemed encouraging enough to explore. Of course he may have also thought he had successfully reached the Dial summit. We'll never know.
The dreaded end-of-day climb back over the shoulder of Noonmark was much more pleasant with the new trail, and shortly after descending below the burn toward the road I unstrapped the snowshoes to enjoy excellent boot sliding conditions down to the road.