I completed my first ever backpacking trip while peakbagging Mt. Isolation June 13 & 14, 2009. This trip was intended to be a relatively easy backpack but turned out to be a bit tougher than expected.
My intent was to backpack up the 3.7 miles up the Rocky Branch Trail from Route 16 in New Hampshire to near the Rocky Branch Shelter #2 where I would stash my overnight gear and then head for the summit of Isolation 3.6 miles away and then hike back to near the shelter, spend the night and then head out the 3.7 miles back to my car in the morning.
The weather forecast looked great for the weekend at the beginning of the week, but by the time the weekend came around, thunder showers were forecast for overnight Saturday and then 50% chance of rain Sunday. I decided to go anyway.
Day 1:
I woke up at about 6:00 and hit the road by 6:30 with everything I would need for the next 2 days. I arrived at the trailhead ready to go at 9:00. I stopped about a mile in to put some bug dope on as I was getting chewed alive which is not unexpected for this time of year. When I stopped, a guy named Mike I saw in the parking lot passed me. I took a few sips of water and off I went. There were all kinds of flowers that I'd never seen before on the trail today.
Just past the Wilderness Boundary and the height of the land where the trail goes down for about .9 miles to the shelter, I met up with Mike again and we talked a bit until we had a close encounter of the nature kind. The Spruce Grouse followed us alongside of the trail for a bit and then jumped into the middle of the trail so we could not get by. I put out my poles as a barrier between the Grouse and my legs and I walked past. The grouse then turned it's attention to Mike and ran towards his legs over and over again. Mike and I must have been really close the nest of this bird because I've never seen one attack like this before. The bird followed us for about 200' before it finally gave up on us.
We headed towards the shelter where Mike was to meet some friends for the night. After a fairly difficult stream crossing We reached the shelter. I set up my hammock up from the shelter a bit and in the woods a ways off the trail. After I dumped all of my unnecessary gear, I started off towards Mt. Isolation.
The trail today was very wet from beginning to end due to the recent rains. The trail was also difficult to follow in some areas. There are various places where tent sites are set up but they make the trail confusing because many hikers have made their own trails.
I did happen across this neat little waterfall along the way. It almost looks like it was created and I suppose it isn't out of the realm of possibility that someone actually diverted the water to fall this way but either way, it's pretty cool.
After 3.6 miles I finally managed to slog my way to the summit. As wet as the trails were to this point, I was able to stay pretty much dry which I wasn't expecting. I saw a bunch of hikers heading down on my way out. this is a long day hike so many people who hike this as a dayhike start fairly early int he morning to assure a daylight escape from the mountains.
At the summit, the views were spectacular. I had to pause a moment however and give my wife a call. She was very worried that I was overnighting it in the woods alone and I told her if I had cell service anywhere along the route, I would call her. I left her a message that I was safe and I sat down and ate some cheezits and the rest of an unfinished tuna sandwich while admiring the views.
I stayed on the summit for a half hour or so and then I headed down making pretty good time back to my campsite. Once at my site, I filtered a few liters of water and cleaned up a bit. I layered up and walked up to the Shelter. I cooked my food on my alcohol stove that I made at home and talked a bit with the 3 people who would be staying at the shelter for the night.
It soon got dark and was time for bed. I put on all my layers and got ready for my first night in my hammock. I fell asleep pretty quickly and I wasn't sore or in any pain from the 10.9 mile day that I did today. It was the longest single hike I've done since I hiked Whiteface and Passaconaway in July of 2007. All this hiking and going to the gym I've been doing has paid off.
Day 2:
I woke up at about 1:00AM as the rain that started shortly after I climbed in my hammock had gotten heavier. Turns out that the hammock is colder than a Tent. What happens is the part of the hammock your weight hangs on is fairly susceptible to the elements. I think what happens is that the air currents go under the tent cooling off that piece of fabric which makes whatever's touching that piece of the hammock colder. Next time I think I'll try bringing my sleeping pad to see if that helps. Either that or another layer will probably do it.
Due to the rain and the cold, I woke up off and on from 1AM to 5AM when I finally decided to just get up. I got up, packed up and was on the trail by 5:40AM.
About 6:30 I started to get a little hungry so I took off my pack to grab a granola bar that I had. I had originally intended on cooking some oatmeal but it was still early and I wasn't about to cook in the rain. I ate my granola bar and started back on the trail about 10 steps when I saw some movement off the trail just ahead. At first I thought it may be another hiker but my brain soon kicked in that it was way too early to be meeting another hiker 2 miles in the woods and hikers aren't 8' tall and brown. I saw that it was a small bull moose and I put my poles down to try to get at my camera which due to the rain was stashed deep inside my pack. Well...Mr. Moose heard me and turned around and ran away.
This was quite the eventful first backpacking trip. I had seen a half a dozen small toads in the wet trail, a rabid Spruce Grouse and a Moose. I kept on down the trail and was at my car at 7:40 ready for the long drive home. I'll definitely go backpacking again. Hopefully Shelby can come with me next time.
