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  1. #1
    Registered User somers515's Avatar
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    Default White Mountains Memorial Day weekend hike - current conditions? microspikes?

    I have a 3 day/2 night hike planned over Jackson and Mt. Isolation for Memorial Day weekend, can anyone chime in with the current conditions? Will I need microspikes? As always, any advice/thoughts always welcome - thank you in advance!
    AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com

  2. #2

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    Snow and ice are pretty much all gone except for the ravines on the north slopes. There maybe isolated patches in shady spots up high. Streams are still running very high, if there are any crossings, plan to get your feet wet. I think there is some rain forecast for the middle of the week which will keep water levels high. Because of that, you'd best stay off the Dry River trail since it will be anything but dry. Use the Davis path as that keeps you on the ridge.

    There will be a lot of people out. Memorial weekend is one of the peak weekends. If you plan on staying at the Nauman tent sites, better get there very early to ensure you get a spot. But it will be pretty quiet in the Dry River wilderness. Keep in mind that trails in the wilderness area aren't maintained, blazed or signed very well, so try not to get lost and it might take longer then you think to get any where.

    Bring a head net, the Black Flies are starting to become annoying. Lots of ticks out too.
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  3. #3

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    Plan on black flies. I seriously doubt anyone has been out on blowdown patrol in the Dry River Wilderness so high likelihood for blowdowns in the trail.

  4. #4
    Registered User somers515's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    Snow and ice are pretty much all gone except for the ravines on the north slopes. There maybe isolated patches in shady spots up high. Streams are still running very high, if there are any crossings, plan to get your feet wet. I think there is some rain forecast for the middle of the week which will keep water levels high. Because of that, you'd best stay off the Dry River trail since it will be anything but dry. Use the Davis path as that keeps you on the ridge.

    There will be a lot of people out. Memorial weekend is one of the peak weekends. If you plan on staying at the Nauman tent sites, better get there very early to ensure you get a spot. But it will be pretty quiet in the Dry River wilderness. Keep in mind that trails in the wilderness area aren't maintained, blazed or signed very well, so try not to get lost and it might take longer then you think to get any where.

    Bring a head net, the Black Flies are starting to become annoying. Lots of ticks out too.
    Thank you Slo-go'en and peakbagger for the tips. I'm hearing no to micro spikes and yes to a head net and permethrin treated clothes. We actually were planning on hiking Dry River trail on the way out. I'm not overly concerned with it being "anything but dry" as we won't be in a hurry but now I'm a little worried that a trail alongside running water which I read is where black flies breed might not be the best idea . . . hmmmm. Guess we can just play it by ear. Thanks again!
    AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com

  5. #5

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    I'd think twice about the Dry river trail. My map notes that there are difficult river crossings and several of them are noted as exceptionally dangerous. And that is for normal times of the year. With water levels still very high, there's a very good chance you'll have to turn around and go back the long way when you get to the first of these crossings. Not worth the risk. You might want to contact the local ranger station for advice.

    Black flies breed in the shallow running water, not raging streams. They also like spruce and pine trees so that combination is where you'll find them to be bad. I did a long day hike the other day and down in the hardwoods it was okay, but in other places I kicked up quite a swam of them.
    Last edited by Slo-go'en; 05-23-2017 at 12:20.
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  6. #6

    Default Currnet conditions on dry river trail

    About 1:30 this afternoon I looked outside and noticed it had turned into a nice day. So, I picked up my day pack, hopped into the car and drove over to Crawford Notch and found the Dry River Trail (easy to miss, only room for 2 cars right at the trail head along the side of the road, but a few 100 feet north of the Dry River Campground).

    Wow, this really is kind of a nice trail. I had never actually had reason to hike on this trail before. Some of it is old narrow gauge RR bed, other parts are steep 100 foot climbs to get around areas where the river narrows and washed away the old RR bed. Most of the trail was dry, but there were enough wet spots and small stream crossings running down the side of the hill which were really wet. I was glad to have my GTX boots on.

    The Dry river is a big river. I had no idea, but it does drain a big area. And it's in fine shape, you could white water raft on it right now with no problem. I'd like to see in earlier in the season when it's really running high.

    The good news is the first (or last) river crossing is on a suspension bridge. But the crossings farther up stream are not and these are serious crossings. If you get swept off your feet, your going for one heck of a ride down that river! I got as far as the Dry River cut-off trail junction, about 3 miles in from the road. I probably should have gone a little farther to the Dry River Falls, but it was getting late in the afternoon so I really needed to turn back.

    Here's some photos.
    SAM_3047.JPG View of Mt Washington from one of the little climbs above the river. Still some snow fields on Washington to keep feeding the river. This is about 1.3 miles in from the road.
    SAM_3041.JPG The bridge, 2 miles in from 302.

    Below: This is the river ford to cross over to the Dry River Cut off trail and heads towards Mizpah hut. The water is knee deep, running fast and ice cold. More rain to feed the river Thursday or into Friday.

    SAM_3045.JPG
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  7. #7
    Registered User somers515's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    About 1:30 this afternoon I looked outside and noticed it had turned into a nice day. So, I picked up my day pack, hopped into the car and drove over to Crawford Notch and found the Dry River Trail (easy to miss, only room for 2 cars right at the trail head along the side of the road, but a few 100 feet north of the Dry River Campground).

    Wow, this really is kind of a nice trail. I had never actually had reason to hike on this trail before. Some of it is old narrow gauge RR bed, other parts are steep 100 foot climbs to get around areas where the river narrows and washed away the old RR bed. Most of the trail was dry, but there were enough wet spots and small stream crossings running down the side of the hill which were really wet. I was glad to have my GTX boots on.

    The Dry river is a big river. I had no idea, but it does drain a big area. And it's in fine shape, you could white water raft on it right now with no problem. I'd like to see in earlier in the season when it's really running high.

    The good news is the first (or last) river crossing is on a suspension bridge. But the crossings farther up stream are not and these are serious crossings. If you get swept off your feet, your going for one heck of a ride down that river! I got as far as the Dry River cut-off trail junction, about 3 miles in from the road. I probably should have gone a little farther to the Dry River Falls, but it was getting late in the afternoon so I really needed to turn back.
    Wow - thanks for the recon!
    AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com

  8. #8
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    Still a good deal of rotten snow at 4000 feet and above, as of last weekend. Based on photos at Mt. Waumbeck and Starr King.

  9. #9
    Registered User somers515's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    About 1:30 this afternoon I looked outside and noticed it had turned into a nice day. So, I picked up my day pack, hopped into the car and drove over to Crawford Notch and found the Dry River Trail (easy to miss, only room for 2 cars right at the trail head along the side of the road, but a few 100 feet north of the Dry River Campground).

    Wow, this really is kind of a nice trail. I had never actually had reason to hike on this trail before. Some of it is old narrow gauge RR bed, other parts are steep 100 foot climbs to get around areas where the river narrows and washed away the old RR bed. Most of the trail was dry, but there were enough wet spots and small stream crossings running down the side of the hill which were really wet. I was glad to have my GTX boots on.

    The Dry river is a big river. I had no idea, but it does drain a big area. And it's in fine shape, you could white water raft on it right now with no problem. I'd like to see in earlier in the season when it's really running high.

    The good news is the first (or last) river crossing is on a suspension bridge. But the crossings farther up stream are not and these are serious crossings. If you get swept off your feet, your going for one heck of a ride down that river! I got as far as the Dry River cut-off trail junction, about 3 miles in from the road. I probably should have gone a little farther to the Dry River Falls, but it was getting late in the afternoon so I really needed to turn back.
    Just back from my trip. Very happy with the whiteblaze advice not to bring microspikes. There was a few places of rotten snow but nothing that required microspikes. Thank you all.

    After my water refill at Mizpah hut I headed down to Dry River Cutoff. There were lots of blow downs and the trail was hard to follow in spots - quite a challenge. I didn't see another person after leaving the hut, it certainly felt like wilderness!

    The next morning I crossed Dry River to get to the Dry River trail (technically on Mt. Eisenhower trail) and it was no joke. Went up and saw the Dry River Falls (highly recommended!) and then down Dry River trail back toward Route 302. The Dry River trail close to the road may be an easy old RR bed type of trail but the further north you get there are definitely some tricky parts!

    If I'm correct Slo-go'en that picture you took is the crossing of Dry River on Mt. Clinton Trail as it starts away from the Dry River Trail in a more direct route up toward Mizpah hut then I went. I stopped and looked at it as I was heading down Dry River trail and recalled your description. Also enjoyed the spot near the bridge where you can look back to where you came from and see Mt. Washington in the distance. I might have missed it heading south but I kept an eye out for it after seeing your picture. Thank you again!

    For others if you want to hike up Dry River Trail all the way to the Falls, you actually only have to cross Dry River once and that's on the bridge. The rest of the way you follow the east shore. Not to say you won't get some wet feet as there is a lot of water flowing down to Dry River but nothing serious.

    Finally happy to report there were basically no bugs still - great way to spend Memorial Day weekend.
    AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com

  10. #10

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    Glad to hear your trip went well. Pemi Rescue carried a few folks off the mountains this weekend including a youngster with a serious posthole injury. Guess there is still some monorail lurking out there in the shadows.
    “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait until that other is ready...”~Henry David Thoreau

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  11. #11

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    I'm about to go get the local paper and see how many rescues and ATV accidents we had around here this weekend.

    To the OP, glad you made it across the Dry river okay and made it out before the rain came back in yesterday afternoon. Yea, those little relo climbs on the Dry river trail wear at you. Those were made to fix the damage done by Hurricane Iren which washed out parts of the original RR bed.
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  12. #12
    Registered User somers515's Avatar
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    Thanks LoneStranger and Slo-go'en! At the start of the Dry River trail there is a little sign that says "Restoration Work Ongoing" - if it's from Hurricane Irene, perhaps that sign has been there for a while! : )
    AT Flip Flop (HF to ME, HF to GA) Thru Hike 2023; LT End-to-Ender 2017; NH 48/48 2015-2021; 21 of 159usForests.com

  13. #13

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    The FS blew the Hurricane money on other priorities like the road to nowhere to service an outhouse in the Pemi area. They grudgingly put minimal markers to delineate the crossings and that's all they plan to do on the DRT.

  14. #14
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    The bridge over Wild River that they dismantled last year is still piled up there next to the river. Not enough money to finish the removal. Talking to the campground hosts and they said that hurricane Irene was just an excuse to remove a bridge the FS didn't want to repair.

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