NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Boott Spur, Mt. Isolation, NH
Trails
Trails: Tuckerman Ravine Trail, Boott Spur Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur, Isolation Trail, bushwhack, Rocky Branch Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, February 17, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes:  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable) 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Traction, Ice Axe 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All were either bridged, or minor enough to be stepped across. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Below tree line, Boott Spur trail is now partially broken out with two peoples snowshoe tracks. Above tree line, Boott Spur trail and Davis Path were both mostly a breakable crust of ice over snow, with some patches of non-glazed consolidated snow. Crampons and Ice Axe are appropriate for safe passage along steep sections of Boott Spur trail above tree line. Davis path was unbroken and drifted and often hard once we got below treeline, until close to the junction with Isolation Trail. There, we ran into another hiker who was coming up Davis Path to North Isolation. Once we passed Isolation Trail, the rest of the way was very well broken all the way to the top of Isolation. The route from Isolation out to the road (Davis Path, Isolation Trail, Engine Hill Bushwhack, Rocky Branch Trail) was well broken out. I did most of it in snowshoes, but it would have been pretty doable in spikes for a lot of the way. But snowshoes were good for reducing the risk of breaking through to water in a few locations where there was running water under the trail.

A couple notes on the route between Isolation and the Rocky Branch Trailhead on Route 16:
- The well traveled and packed out trail is good, you should follow it.
- The well packed route includes the Engine Hill Bushwhack, and the part of Rocky Branch Trail and Isolation Trail that gets skipped by the bushwhack (including their junction) appeared unbroken.
- The well packed route bypasses the junction of Isolation Trail and Davis Path with a bushwhack that cuts the corner, so don't be surprised if you never hit that junction.  
Name
Name: Robb 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-02-17 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved