Race Brook Falls Trail Condition?

[plodalong]

I know its a bit early but any folks local to Race Brook Falls Trail have a good guess as to how the trail up might be the 2nd week in April? I remember 2 or 3 stream crossings that were easy in August when water was low but wonder what they would be like in a Spring melt run off? Figured somebody here might know that trail well enough to give me a good guess. Thanks!

[adamkrz]

I can't say for sure but with all the rain lately I think the lower part will be a tough crossing , I remember a few years back in early April I fell in at the lower crossing and
after drying up and regrouping I ended up going to the trail via the Bear Mountain parking area a couple miles south..

If you do attempt a crossing you could always take your shoes off and use water shoes and poles for a crossing. The falls would be spectacular.

[Slo-go'en]

This looks to be shaping up to be an epic mud season. I'd stay off any and all New England trails for at least another month. It's going to take a while for all the snow to melt, especially in places like Sage Ravine, and the trail to shore up.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I was just south of there at Brassie Brook yesterday. The brook was well above it's normal banks and had branched into three distinct streams. That was before today's rains.

Little snow remained between rte44/Salisbury CT and Brassie Brook.

Sorry I don't have a better photo.

IMG_8496.JPG

[egilbe]

This is the time of year that hiking comes to a screaching halt for me, until the snow melts and the trails dry out. Too much erosion damage happens hiking trails in mud season.

[illabelle]

Uh-oh. I thought mud season was mostly a term applied to Vermont, and sometimes NH and Maine. We expect to be hiking from Great Barrington south through CT and into NY in mid-May. Bought airline tickets just a couple days ago. Did we make a mistake?

[rafe]

This is the time of year that hiking comes to a screaching halt for me, until the snow melts and the trails dry out. Too much erosion damage happens hiking trails in mud season.

I'll be walking somewhere in the White Mountains day after tomorrow. I expect ice and mud on the trail, a thin layer of snow in the woods. Just a guess. Last such hike was the weekend before last, still plenty of snow, and no ice.

[gsingjane]

I don't think so! I have hiked that same area multiple times during the April-May time-frame, wet years, dry years, and it was nothing like Vermont. Vermont is a whole other level of magnitude. Besides, by the summer MA-NY is likely to be super hot, and buggy, so really you're best off in spring anyway.

No worries...

Jane

[illabelle]

I don't think so! I have hiked that same area multiple times during the April-May time-frame, wet years, dry years, and it was nothing like Vermont. Vermont is a whole other level of magnitude. Besides, by the summer MA-NY is likely to be super hot, and buggy, so really you're best off in spring anyway.

No worries...

Jane

Good to know.
I prefer mud and even light snow to heat and bugs.

[Slo-go'en]

I'll be walking somewhere in the White Mountains day after tomorrow. I expect ice and mud on the trail, a thin layer of snow in the woods. Just a guess. Last such hike was the weekend before last, still plenty of snow, and no ice.

I went a little ways up the trail behind my house yesterday and was postholeing big time. There is still a fair amount of snow in the woods and it's really soft now. But the popular trails should be turning into the icy monorails about now. Just don't slip off of it.

I'd hook up with you again for another hike, but will be helping to make Maple syrup Sunday and heading to Florida on Monday, then off to Springer from there, so Saturday I need to get my act together.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Uh-oh. I thought mud season was mostly a term applied to Vermont, and sometimes NH and Maine. We expect to be hiking from Great Barrington south through CT and into NY in mid-May. Bought airline tickets just a couple days ago. Did we make a mistake?

Shouldn't be an issue, most of CT and lower MA's treadway is hard packed and even when wet the true mudholes are few and far between. I've hiked that section many times in the spring and never had a major issue with mud. I was out tues and wed in the pouring rain in northern CT, the trail on the ridgeline was a stream and was often covered in 4" of water, yet the treadway itself was solid.

If you are starting from Great Barrington, the first few miles you hike from town South to Jug End will likely be the muddiest of the whole section and conditions will improve quickly as the elevation increases.

VT's mud problem is very different from other parts of the trail, it probably has to do with soil composition or topography, hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me will see this and provide some insight.

[Slo-go'en]

Uh-oh. I thought mud season was mostly a term applied to Vermont, and sometimes NH and Maine. We expect to be hiking from Great Barrington south through CT and into NY in mid-May. Bought airline tickets just a couple days ago. Did we make a mistake?

Hopefully it will have dried up some by then. It's pretty swampy in the Great Barrington area. It all depends on how wet an April and early May we have this year.

[illabelle]

Thanks Slo and Elf. Sorry for the diversion. Now back to the Race Brook Falls discussion....

[Cosmo]

Last weekend, there was 8-12" really wet snow between Sages and Jug End. It's going fast with valley temps in the 70s for the next few days. 'Twill be muddy, but not in the same damaging way it gets in S VT. Ground is pretty much thawed down here. Specifically on RBF trail, I don't think you'll have too much trouble crossing.

Cosmo

[rafe]

I was wrong. There was plenty of snow on our hike up Mt. Tecumseh today. No ice or mud. A good foot and a half or more of dense snow, between 2000 and 4000 feet.

[egilbe]

I was wrong. There was plenty of snow on our hike up Mt. Tecumseh today. No ice or mud. A good foot and a half or more of dense snow, between 2000 and 4000 feet.

This week, some of that should be taken care of.