There is no mud in the whites, the Hancocks are visited

Jay H · 07-06-2009, 07:52 PM

Date 7/4/09
Route: From the parking lot on the Kanc, a lollipop hike via the Hancock Notch to Cedar Brook loop, clockwise on the Loop trail. about 10 miles.

Hoosier (ahp.com) and I left the parking lot with only 1 car there and headed out on this little flatish 1.8 mile section to do the Hancocks on this independence day. The first section seemed flat and straight enough to do blindfolded and backwards. After the left turn onto the Cedar brook trail, the 4 stream crossings were manageable only by removing one's boots and fjording across, or with water shoes, despite the little herd paths that I could see that seemed like it avoiding the useless crossings of streams. Hoosier had water shoes and I just went barefoot and we made it up to the start of the climb in no time. One more stream wading, we would be in and out of mud on the entire cedar brook trail, which was more brook than trail in some parts. Nothing to compare to ADK mud but still bad in parts.

The climb up next to the Arrow slide was a nice warmup and we made it to the summit around 11am to fog and clouds, with one short fleeting view on the viewpoint before we left to mosey onto south Hancock. We ran into a ranger on this part and warned him of the 2 giant mud puddles coming up and he returned the favor and mentioned one coming up. These were the most mud we saw on the trail but were fairly manageable, especially for ADK veterans.. South Hancock had clearing skies and good views towards Chocorua, which I think I recognized from hiking the Tripyramids last year. A couple of well timed boomers scared us off the summit though and we made it down the "unbelievably steep" south hancock trail (that are the exact words of my 26th edition White Mtn Guide) and back to the junction in no time. Ran into a few late starters on the way down and got to the main Hancock Notch trail before the deluge began... Rained like it meant it and we donned our rain jackets and made it out to hide under the gazebo there along with a few motorcyclists and other bikers...

http://picasaweb.google.com/cycleslugyahoo/Hancocks

Jay

hoosier · 07-06-2009, 08:53 PM

Fun day in the White's, after being rained on for the third day in a row. I think I figured out where all the mud came from in the White's.

And what ever Jay say's about the water being warm on the stream crossing's, it was anything but warm. Coooooooold water.

Bill

the_swede · 07-06-2009, 09:14 PM

Nice trip! Looks like it was even wetter than when I was there (in the Pressies) last week. Hope your boots were waterproof!

Jay H · 07-07-2009, 06:50 AM

yeah, the boots stayed dry, until the downpour on our way out. I didn't have gaitors so the water would just run down my legs.. Not a big deal on a warm day.

Water was warm, I was tempted to go for a swim!

Jay

Maria · 07-07-2009, 09:47 PM

Ok, the duck and friends theme in your photos between this and AndrewS's finish is pretty funny! You need to start doing a version of "where's Waldo" and see if people can name landmarks. What exactly are those little green men?
Maria

Jay H · 07-08-2009, 07:13 AM

Those little green men (and the chicken feet nee duck) are actually Gummi-men. those were Bill and the only Patriotic thing we could think of on the summit. Unfortunately, Bill did not have a gummi US Flag or else we could of done our own Iwo Jima...

Jay

07-06-2009, 07:52 PM	#1
Jay H Ice Cream Time Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pittsfield, MA Posts: 6,792	There is no mud in the whites, the Hancocks are visited Date 7/4/09 Route: From the parking lot on the Kanc, a lollipop hike via the Hancock Notch to Cedar Brook loop, clockwise on the Loop trail. about 10 miles. Hoosier (ahp.com) and I left the parking lot with only 1 car there and headed out on this little flatish 1.8 mile section to do the Hancocks on this independence day. The first section seemed flat and straight enough to do blindfolded and backwards. After the left turn onto the Cedar brook trail, the 4 stream crossings were manageable only by removing one's boots and fjording across, or with water shoes, despite the little herd paths that I could see that seemed like it avoiding the useless crossings of streams. Hoosier had water shoes and I just went barefoot and we made it up to the start of the climb in no time. One more stream wading, we would be in and out of mud on the entire cedar brook trail, which was more brook than trail in some parts. Nothing to compare to ADK mud but still bad in parts. The climb up next to the Arrow slide was a nice warmup and we made it to the summit around 11am to fog and clouds, with one short fleeting view on the viewpoint before we left to mosey onto south Hancock. We ran into a ranger on this part and warned him of the 2 giant mud puddles coming up and he returned the favor and mentioned one coming up. These were the most mud we saw on the trail but were fairly manageable, especially for ADK veterans.. South Hancock had clearing skies and good views towards Chocorua, which I think I recognized from hiking the Tripyramids last year. A couple of well timed boomers scared us off the summit though and we made it down the "unbelievably steep" south hancock trail (that are the exact words of my 26th edition White Mtn Guide) and back to the junction in no time. Ran into a few late starters on the way down and got to the main Hancock Notch trail before the deluge began... Rained like it meant it and we donned our rain jackets and made it out to hide under the gazebo there along with a few motorcyclists and other bikers... http://picasaweb.google.com/cycleslugyahoo/Hancocks Jay __________________ Life is a short, warm moment And death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less. -Pink Floyd

07-06-2009, 08:53 PM	#2
hoosier Somewhere in the woods Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Reading Pennsylvania Posts: 504	Fun day in the White's, after being rained on for the third day in a row. I think I figured out where all the mud came from in the White's. And what ever Jay say's about the water being warm on the stream crossing's, it was anything but warm. Coooooooold water. Bill __________________ One step done and another begun In I wonder how many miles? I spent a little time on the mountain, I spent a little time on the hill Hunter Garcia

07-06-2009, 09:14 PM	#3
the_swede Swedeboy McGee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Dirty Jersey Posts: 773	Nice trip! Looks like it was even wetter than when I was there (in the Pressies) last week. Hope your boots were waterproof! __________________ "In a long ramble of the kind on a fine autumnal day, Rip had unconsciously scrambled to one of the highest parts of the Kaatskill Mountains. ... From an opening between the trees he could overlook all the lower country for many a mile of rich woodland. He saw at a distance the lordly Hudson, far, far below him, moving on its silent but majestic course, with the reflection of a purple cloud, or the sail of a lagging bark, here and there sleeping on its glassy bosom, and at last losing itself in the blue highlands." —Washington Irving New Jersey 1K Club My Climb List Catskill 35: 39/39 (finished 3/7/2010) Catskill HH: 60/102 ADK 46: 20/47 NE 67: 17/67 NJ 1K: 52/52 (finished 1/10/2010)

07-07-2009, 06:50 AM	#4
Jay H Ice Cream Time Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pittsfield, MA Posts: 6,792	yeah, the boots stayed dry, until the downpour on our way out. I didn't have gaitors so the water would just run down my legs.. Not a big deal on a warm day. Water was warm, I was tempted to go for a swim! Jay __________________ Life is a short, warm moment And death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less. -Pink Floyd

07-08-2009, 07:13 AM	#6
Jay H Ice Cream Time Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pittsfield, MA Posts: 6,792	Those little green men (and the chicken feet nee duck) are actually Gummi-men. those were Bill and the only Patriotic thing we could think of on the summit. Unfortunately, Bill did not have a gummi US Flag or else we could of done our own Iwo Jima... Jay __________________ Life is a short, warm moment And death is a long cold rest. You get your chance to try in the twinkling of an eye: Eighty years, with luck, or even less. -Pink Floyd

07-07-2009, 09:47 PM	#5
Maria Out on the Jay Range Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Irvington, NY Posts: 808	Ok, the duck and friends theme in your photos between this and AndrewS's finish is pretty funny! You need to start doing a version of "where's Waldo" and see if people can name landmarks. What exactly are those little green men? Maria

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