I was a bit concerned about the first crossing at the dam but it was well bridged.
This is the only my second time on this trail and I really enjoy it to the junction of the KRT. Beautiful woods and easy grades. And as you can see the snow is still quite deep up there. I'd say 2-3 feet on average.
From what I've heard from a couple others, staying on the trail if unbroken in winter after making the turn onto the KRT, can be tough. But this group of skiers seemed to be going my way. They sure made my day much easier than I'd expected.
In just under 2 hours I was at the Terrace Spur then the summit.
I was a bit reluctant to do anything from my list and just hit something with 360* views because it was gorgeous Saturday. The views you get from East Terrace are barely 180* but nice just the same.
I spent a half hour or so searching out the views and taking pictures. There was no real good spot to sit and relax so I headed for the next objective. As I do now on all hikes, I checked the area on Google Earth to see if the were any hidden treasures. I spotted what looked like a small talus field on the S.E slope at around 3300'. I needed to add more time to this hike since it took me 3.25 hrs. to drive hear. So I set out to find this talus. It was tough going slabbing the steep south slope with the now mashed potato snow. It was an interesting trip. Only a couple involuntary butt slides. But managed to find it.
Cool melting
Need to get across hear without sliding.
Bingo!
Of course what I hadn't realized was that I'd have the exact same angle of views but at a lower elevation as the summit. It was still worth the effort though.
Being as open as it was, it got a lot of sun so much of the rock was exposed making it pretty easy to navigate. Even in snowshoes. Just above the talus were some ledges that on a summers day may have been easy to climb. They may have provided slightly better views. But with the snow and ice in spots it would not have been wise to try.
After leaving it was an easy walk in the great woods of the Kilkenny Range.
Started at 8:30am and was out by 1:00pm.
Heading back out on York Pond Rd., I noticed on my right about 1/4 mile from the trail-head, a water feature with a view of Terrace. With time time kill I pulled into the plowed end of a forest road, put my snowshoes back on and headed in. The road lead me to a dam and small pond on the Number Nine Brook.
East and North Terrace
Cabot, The Bulge & The Horn
Another great day in the woods! :-)
Tracks
What a marvelous adventure, Joe! I thoroughly enjoyed your photos and your narrative.
ReplyDeleteBeing a meandering-hiker myself to "places-less-visited", I can fully appreciate the joy you experience with this type of exploration.
Can barely contain myself by having been away from the Whites for 2-weeks while visiting family down South. And although am now back home, there's tons of stuff that needs be done before I can do any significant hikes such as yours.
John
Thanks once again for the nice comments John. As you said, it is great just to meander through the forest.
ReplyDeleteHope you are able to get out there soon and do the same.
Interesting report. So, any reason why you didn't do the loop around all the Terrace's? I would like to someday do the loop up and around via York Pond Trail, down Bunnell Notch. Heard that YPT is closed? But not confident of that. Beautiful area, that slap looks steep, that could have been a bit of a slide had you not made it safely across~! Yikes. Nice pictures as always!
ReplyDeleteHiking Lady
Thanks Hiking Lady. Don't know about the YPT. I really had no desire for the loop as I had that talus I wanted to check out. It was a fun day.
ReplyDeleteTerrific adventure and report, Joe! Great view ID pics in your photo set. Terrace is one of my favorite "unsung" peaks. That must have been some descent going down to the talus. I did more or less the same trip in reverse a few years ago in March. I went to the talus first - love the view across Willard Basin to Waumbek - then whacked across to the trail and took it up to the summit. On the way down I found a spot just above the trail with a cool open view of Cabot, the Horn, & Unknown Pond Ridge, probably only a view there with deep snow. Once in late fall I went up the STEEP hardpacked gravel slide just to the west of the talus. The footing was pretty sketchy and the ledges at the top looked very unstable so I didn't stay long.
ReplyDeleteSteve
I didn't need to hear I missed that view north because I was looking for one. ;) I did notice that gravel slide as well on G.E. but never considered for this time of year. And the descent down the talus was actually pretty easy just throwing in some switchbacks on the way down.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Steve,
Joe