Hamilton Mountain, 2/2/13
Posted: February 4th, 2013, 6:13 pm
Just a quickie to let folks know that most of the Hamilton loop is pretty clear at the moment. I went up there Saturday (2/2), and didn't encounter any snow until the last few hundred yards before the summit. On the summit itself, there's up to 3' of snow at the southern end, and across the ridge until you drop down into the woods again. The saddle is bare. Looking around, both Table Mountain and Hardy Ridge look pretty snow-free as well. But looks are deceiving.
I texted my wife from the top, and told her I had decided to "try a new way down." Going mostly off the park map, I thought I'd try those equestrian trails that head off the north end of the saddle and up to the Upper Hardy Trail, before following the creek back down. This plan would've been just fine, in fact, had I only thought to bring my snowshoes along! Ugh... It wasn't long before the post-holing began. And given how little snow I'd encountered so far, I just thought it wouldn't - couldn't - last long. Dumb, stupid, still-kicking-myself, rookie mistake.
Well, over four miles later, I finally quit sinking in - sometimes past my knees - and was back on relatively firm ground. If you're looking for a snowshoe trip close to town, with some nice views getting there, this might be it! If not, well, stick to the traditional loop.
On the way up, the creeks were gushing! The Pool of the Winds was kicking out spray like I'd never seen before. You couldn't even see that massive log that's in there, anymore. (Assuming it wasn't washed out?) It was beautiful, but impossible to photograph looking in.
Solar rays cutting through the mist at Pool of the Winds.
Thrusting the camera into the spray for 1/2 second to push shutter.
Looking over at Hardy Ridge, it appeared every bit as snow-free as the approach up Hamilton was turning out to be. And Hardy is significantly higher, I recalled, as I remembered looking down at the much shorter Hamilton from up there last spring.
Just a bit of snow, way up on the very top of Hardy Ridge.
Never noticed the (apparently) recycled support beam used in this trail repair before. Has it been there for awhile?
False hope for the weary and unprepared hiker on a hot day?
For the first time, I took the old trail cut off up and along the ridgeline of Little Hamilton Mountain. The views were far superior to those on the main trail! However, the exposure was also quite a bit more severe, and the east winds were gusting in the 40-50mph range. Photos were challenging.
Cut off for Little Hamilton (yellow track), at about 1550', appears to be drainage feature.
There is a bailout point about halfway across, just before the trail narrows down to practically nothing. Just a few scraggly bushes to one side, and a 200' cliff to the other. Given the wind, I opted for that. But this is a very worthwhile detour, in my opinion.
Heading east up the old trail to Little Hamilton - watch your step!
Looking back down to the west. Click to zoom, and follow the trail!
Looking back at Little Hamilton, from higher up towards summit.
Didn't run into hardly any snow on the way up. Just a bit at the summit, but nothing that required spikes or snowshoes. I gotta say, to this point, I'd almost felt a little silly having my gaiters on, and snow baskets on my poles, but they were both appreciated from the summit onward.
Lots of snowmelt on the trail at 1975'.
Bit more snow at 2400', just below the summit.
50mph east wind gusts and a couple-few feet of snow on the summit. It stayed this deep heading north
along the ridge, all the way to where it drops back into the woods.
Table Mountain's looking pretty bare, too.
The saddle was completely bare!
All this led me to think, why not try that "new" (to me) route through the woods!? Well, this is why...
It started out pretty innocently. Really thought it'd ease up, for some reason.
Of course, it never did.
I missed my turn, and wandered all the way to, then past, the northern end of the park!
Oh sure, it's obvious when you look at it from this direction!
The post-holing continued until just past Don's Cutoff.
At this point, my "half-day pass" had expired over an hour ago, and I was left to boogie on down the remaining three miles back to the trailhead without pause. I really am still kicking myself for not having my showshoes along! Never broke 2500' - didn't think they'd be needed. Dumb, dumb, dumb!
Ah well, here I am to tell the story. That's something.
http://gpsfly.org/gps_map.php?gps_id=2061&w=645&h=440
11.6 miles, 3330' EG.
I texted my wife from the top, and told her I had decided to "try a new way down." Going mostly off the park map, I thought I'd try those equestrian trails that head off the north end of the saddle and up to the Upper Hardy Trail, before following the creek back down. This plan would've been just fine, in fact, had I only thought to bring my snowshoes along! Ugh... It wasn't long before the post-holing began. And given how little snow I'd encountered so far, I just thought it wouldn't - couldn't - last long. Dumb, stupid, still-kicking-myself, rookie mistake.
Well, over four miles later, I finally quit sinking in - sometimes past my knees - and was back on relatively firm ground. If you're looking for a snowshoe trip close to town, with some nice views getting there, this might be it! If not, well, stick to the traditional loop.
On the way up, the creeks were gushing! The Pool of the Winds was kicking out spray like I'd never seen before. You couldn't even see that massive log that's in there, anymore. (Assuming it wasn't washed out?) It was beautiful, but impossible to photograph looking in.
Solar rays cutting through the mist at Pool of the Winds.
Thrusting the camera into the spray for 1/2 second to push shutter.
Looking over at Hardy Ridge, it appeared every bit as snow-free as the approach up Hamilton was turning out to be. And Hardy is significantly higher, I recalled, as I remembered looking down at the much shorter Hamilton from up there last spring.
Just a bit of snow, way up on the very top of Hardy Ridge.
Never noticed the (apparently) recycled support beam used in this trail repair before. Has it been there for awhile?
False hope for the weary and unprepared hiker on a hot day?
For the first time, I took the old trail cut off up and along the ridgeline of Little Hamilton Mountain. The views were far superior to those on the main trail! However, the exposure was also quite a bit more severe, and the east winds were gusting in the 40-50mph range. Photos were challenging.
Cut off for Little Hamilton (yellow track), at about 1550', appears to be drainage feature.
There is a bailout point about halfway across, just before the trail narrows down to practically nothing. Just a few scraggly bushes to one side, and a 200' cliff to the other. Given the wind, I opted for that. But this is a very worthwhile detour, in my opinion.
Heading east up the old trail to Little Hamilton - watch your step!
Looking back down to the west. Click to zoom, and follow the trail!
Looking back at Little Hamilton, from higher up towards summit.
Didn't run into hardly any snow on the way up. Just a bit at the summit, but nothing that required spikes or snowshoes. I gotta say, to this point, I'd almost felt a little silly having my gaiters on, and snow baskets on my poles, but they were both appreciated from the summit onward.
Lots of snowmelt on the trail at 1975'.
Bit more snow at 2400', just below the summit.
50mph east wind gusts and a couple-few feet of snow on the summit. It stayed this deep heading north
along the ridge, all the way to where it drops back into the woods.
Table Mountain's looking pretty bare, too.
The saddle was completely bare!
All this led me to think, why not try that "new" (to me) route through the woods!? Well, this is why...
It started out pretty innocently. Really thought it'd ease up, for some reason.
Of course, it never did.
I missed my turn, and wandered all the way to, then past, the northern end of the park!
Oh sure, it's obvious when you look at it from this direction!
The post-holing continued until just past Don's Cutoff.
At this point, my "half-day pass" had expired over an hour ago, and I was left to boogie on down the remaining three miles back to the trailhead without pause. I really am still kicking myself for not having my showshoes along! Never broke 2500' - didn't think they'd be needed. Dumb, dumb, dumb!
Ah well, here I am to tell the story. That's something.
http://gpsfly.org/gps_map.php?gps_id=2061&w=645&h=440
11.6 miles, 3330' EG.