| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Ethan Pond, Mt. Willey, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ethan Pond Trail, bushwhack, Willey Range Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, September 17, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Beautiful day for a bushwhack of Mt. Willey with a visit to its SW cliffs overlooking Ethan Pond.
Starting on the Ethan Pond Trail at 5:45am, I left the trail about 0.3 miles west of the pond and bushwhacked north to the base of the western ridge; woods were thick in places but they opened up as I gained elevation. At 3500 ft. I hit some denser spruce which happened to push me closer to the south side of the ridge; this was to my benefit as I encountered the first of two view ledges I would visit. After snapping some photos of a nice view down to the pond, I continued up the ridge to 3700 ft., where I would make some exploratory descents through steep and rough terrain in order to scope out other ledges. Despite multiple attempts, I was unsuccessful with my search as the tops of the cliffs were blocked by vegetation. At the last moment, I changed my approach and side-hilled in a SE direction, and soon came across the day’s prize: a gently sloping ledge, unobstructed by trees, with a big view down to Ethan Pond and out to the Pemi.
From here it was a pretty straightforward whack to Willey’s summit, with the exception of the dense scrub which surrounds the western talus slopes. On the return trip, I encountered fewer than 10 other hikers on this gorgeous day. A photo from this trip is at the link below. |
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 | Name: |
timbercamp |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-09-17 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/timbercamp/albums/72177720308272212 |
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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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