For the second edition of the AMC White Mountain Guide in a row, the Highwater Trail along the Wild River needed to be visited due to major washouts from a storm. Last time it was damage from Tropical Storm Irene. This time it was the destruction wrought by the 2017 Halloween storm, which wiped out several sections of the footbed. I had read a number of reports about the washout-skirting and at times bushwhacking involved with hiking the 3+ miles of trail north of the Moriah Brook Trail junction. Those folks weren't kidding! Not recommended for inexperienced hikers. There were many interesting sights along the six-mile stretch of the valley I traversed on the Highwater Trail.
Carol dropped me off on the Wild River Road by the Burnt Mill Brook Trail junction, which was a bit north of where the first washouts would be encountered on the Highwater Trail, as seen on Google Earth. I waded across the Wild River, here about knee-deep.
A short bushwhack brought me to the Highwater Trail.
\
At the 3.2 mile mark of the trail (from the north end) are the first washouts.
These are fairly easy to either skirt carefully along or bypass in the woods behind.
This tire left over from a modern era logging project is a familiar landmark to Highwater walkers.
Some gymnastics needed here.
Low water at the crossing of Martins Brook.
The Highwater Trail has many sections of fine, easy woods walking up the valley.
Farther along, I encountered a new feature fashioned by the 2017 storm: a deep-flowing side channel of the river flowing around what is now an island. If I remember correctly, this was a small, easy crossing in 2016. Back on go the Crocs for another wade.
The trail enters the woods off the right side of this gravel bar.
In a couple of locations the USFS has marked reroutes behind washouts with yellow flagging. There is no footbed yet on these, so they should be considered marked bushwhacks.
Yet another washout.
Where the trail used to go.
Extra-wide section of the river, thanks to the two big storms.
Another flagged relocation ....
...leads past an impressive logjam...
...to the crossing of the other end of the loop through which much of the river's water is flowing. The log did not appeal for crossing, so another wade was in order. This situation is similar to that on the East Branch of the Pemigewasset at Lincoln Woods, where the 2017 storm diverted much of that river's flow into the brook that loops around Pine Island. The two very difficult crossings thus created led to the closure of the Pine Island Trail.
A picturesque river scene just beyond the crossing.
Farther along, I checked on the Shelburne Trail's crossing of the Wild River. It formerly crossed from the grassy spot on the far bank, just right of center in the photo. But that bank is now a sheer dropoff.
The crossing is now made farther to the north, then you angle back across the wide riverbed.
On to the next section.
The arrow is here for the crossing of Bull Brook, but that route's not happening.
A detour to the left for a much easier crossing of a mostly dry brookbed.
Long view up the Wild River from a spot on the bank.
Nice stretch.
This was the trail for about 30 feet.
The river scenery is remarkable along this trail.
More nice woods walkin'.
Climbing up onto a sketchy traverse on a steep sidehill above a massive dirt washout.
A lofty vantage point.
Along the traverse, with a hefty dropoff below.
Yikes!
Watch your footing!
After a detour around more washouts that was pure bushwhack with no markings, the Moriah Brook Trail junction marks the end of the "bad" section of Highwater Trail.
There's a high washout where the trail enters the Wild River Wilderness, but the trail is fine.
And there's a nice view here....
...in both directions.
A magical place.
Crossing of Moriah Brook on Highwater Trail.
The next 2 1/2 miles of Highwater are like a totally different trail, meandering up and down along small ridges well above the river. The woods - a mix of hemlock, spruce and hardwood - are gorgeous.
A remote feeling out here, as you skirt the lower end of the long east ridge of Middle Carter.
Near its south end, Highwater Trail crosses Cypress Brook, which drains a long valley with two cirque-like lobes under Mt. Hight, Zeta Pass and South Carter. One of my most memorable bushwhacks was an eight mile round trip off-trail with a friend to beaver meadows and a small slide at the head of this valley.
One of the major trail intersections of the Wild River Wilderness.
Crossing the river on the Wild River/Black Angel Trails.
Long view downstream to the SE shoulder of Mt. Moriah.
Zoom on that shoulder and its great rocky knob.
The massive rock perch where I relaxed for a while.
Heading back along the Wild River Trail along the old logging railroad grade, hustling to meet Carol at the trailhead, where she waited after a day of geocaching in the Berlin-Milan area.
Nice combo of ledge, beach and pool.
Narrow, twisty sidehill section of Wild River Trail across an older washout.
Erosion from the 2017 storm has forced the trail briefly out onto this ledgy route.
A relic from the wild days of the Wild River Railroad, more than a century ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment