| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Eisenhower, Oakes Gulf, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Edmands Path, Crawford Path, Dry River Trail, bushwhacks, Mt. Eisenhower Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, September 7, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
plenty of parking at Edmands TH lot |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
rock-hoppable but VERY slippery!!!!!! |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
'Monroe Loop - over summit' sign is still missing on south end of loop off Crawford Path - good thing otherwise I would have gone there and spent too much time early on to get out before the rain. All open trails were in very good shape, except, the top half of the Mt Eisenhower Trail was far more brushy than I recall from 2 years ago!!! Dry River Trail was, er, "closed". |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
saw lots of dogs today |
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 | Bugs: |
no biting bugs - YAY!!!! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Found a large red and black backpack flat on the ground and covered with moss in the woods northeast of the falls - very creepy. I glanced around for anything related to it and left. I didn't open it. So weird! Who leaves a backpack? |
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 | Comments: |
Awesome day and views out there! Finally "got" the north end of the Dry River Trail (what was left of it)! I always wanted to get in there even tho it is not "required" for redlining since it is closed. If you want to see it, you better act fast - it is melting into the forest rather quickly!!!
After touching Ike and strolling down the Crawford Path, I took Dry River down into Oakes Gulf from the Lakes of the Clouds hut. Top of the trail has wonderful, unique views - quite special! Cairns are still there and easy to follow though I did lose the trail in the drainage a couple times anyway. It is getting grown in!!!! Beautiful purple asters in there and glorious views up to treeline!
Lower down into the Oakes Gulf the problem isn't washouts - it's absolutely FILLED with blowdowns!!!! Once you're below the headwall you have to crawl under blowdowns, walk piled blowdowns, crawl under blowdowns, hop over blowdowns, rinse, er, shake off spruce needles, and repeat. I wish I had brought kneepads.
Then, once below 3800' you run into swamps with slippery logs. The shelter seems to be in awesome shape!!!! Hope it doesn't get removed... ever!!!! Below the shelter I completely lost the trail in the river, bushwhacked up and down the banks looking for the trail and found reasonable crossings. At times I just hopped rocks down the Dry River, every now and then going back up and down the riverbank looking for the trail. It took me about 3 hours to go the 4.4 miles - YIKES!!!! Finally found the trail near the Dry River Cutoff.
Dry River Falls were SO PRETTY!!!! |
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 | Name: |
Becca M |
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 | E-Mail: |
beccahiker@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-09-07 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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. |
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