Dry River Ramble

After bailing on a planned bushwhack into the Sleeper Brook ravine due to a late start, I switched to Plan B, a leisurely ramble a couple miles into the Dry River Valley on the always interesting Dry River Trail.

The first 0.7 mile on Dry River Trail, up to the boundary of the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness, is deceptively flat and easy.

Just past the boundary sign, you see the first indication that this valley has been reshaped by three huge rainstorms: Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011, the "Halloween Storm" of 2017, and a nameless deluge in December 2023. At this spot the width of the riverbed has expanded from 80 feet to nearly 250 feet, and the course of the river itself has been changed twice. This open area is a worthy destination for a short, easy hike. Beyond here, the trail becomes significantly more difficult.

 

 

There are still a few short segments of trail that follow the bed of the Saco Valley Railroad, a logging railroad that penetrated five miles into the valley in the 1890s. Due to numerous relocations and washouts over the years, most of the trail no longer rides on the railroad grade.

 

 

The first short, rough relocation swings to the left around a tree-and-boulder dam.

Just beyond is a rough sidehill relocation with poor footing, skirting above a washout perpetrated by the December 2023 storm.

 

 

A view up the widened riverbed.

I was just here last October, but since then there has been yet another relocation around a washout. This one is surprisingly mellow, if a bit muddy.

A view from where the trail used to go.

 

 

 

A pleasant section on a shelf high above the river.

 

After this is a sort of triple whammy of tricky spots. First, this scramble along the edge, sketchier on the descent.

 

 

Second, a tightrope along the edge of a washout.

Third, a massive birch trunk to negotiate at an awkward spot. 

 

 

 

 

Then there is a steep sidehilly climb to a bluff where the window view up the valley to Mt. Washington was fogged in. 

 

Then a steep descent on a narrow sidehill with a couple of tricky spots that had been slickened by a rain shower.

This suspension footbridge, originally built after two hiker drownings in the river in 1971, is the key to getting deeper into the valley. The Dry River may live up to its name in times of severe drought, but crossing it at moderate water levels is difficult, and in high water it is dangerous.

Some pleasant walking along the east side of the river.

 

 

 

My objective for this leisurely hike was to visit the two huge gravel slides on the west bank, about 2.2 miles up the trail. I dropped down to the rocky riverbed a bit to the south and hopped my way upstream.

 

Rugged ledges along the east bank.

This massive gravel slide was initially created by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 and was expanded by the 2017 and 2023 storms. It currently measures more than 400 feet across and rises 150 feet in elevation from the river.

Closer look.

 

 

 

Tree debris litters the riverbed.

A wonderful riverside sitting rock.

 

 

Taking in the Dry River scene.

 

Towering white pines on the east bank. 

Last year, I climbed up the lower part of this slide, but on this day, due to a recent rainfall, I couldn't find a comfortable place to cross the river.

Looking back as I continued north up the boulder-strewn riverbed.

Looking upstream.

 

 

 

After a stint through the woods, I came out across from the second slide area. These two swaths are much older, dating back at least to 1939 as seen in aerial photos. The longer right fork rises 280 feet in elevation above the river, with a slope of 36 degrees. I climbed partway up the right-hand one last year, but again, I found no good place to cross the river here.

 

Closer look. Steep and unstable!

On the way back, I visited a third big gravel slide, this one on the east bank, just south of the Wilderness boundary.

 

 

Looking upstream at the open area by the boundary. After the 2017 storm the river surged through a cascade at this spot. The 2023 storm changed the course of the river, moving it back over to the other side.

While making my way along the riverbed towards the slide, I came upon this piece of  rusted rail from the 1890s that had been swept downstream by one of the flood events.

Getting closer.

As I rounded a bend, a downstream view of Frankenstein Cliff was revealed.

As was the full extent of this giant slide area.

Here the river was divided into two channels, and I was able to find a way across to the delta at the base of the slide. 

I climbed a little way up, and looked across to a view of Mt. Willey and Mt. Webster.

 

 

Zoom on the brooding hulk of Willey.

 

 

Some rocks precariously perched up there.

Looking upstream from the slide.

Coltsfoot, an invasive, is an aggressive pioneer and is thriving on these slides.

 

To return to the trail, I crossed back at these attractive ledges. Lots to explore in the untamed Dry River Valley.

 

 

 

 

 

West Ridge, Stairs Mountain

This is an account of how a geocache led to a bushwhack.

 

There is a geocache located on the far side of the Dry River, across from Dry River Campground in Crawford Notch. It is thought to be the second oldest geocache in New Hampshire, which is a big deal to those who like to go after "oldies." Carol had long wanted to log this cache, and the low water of this late summer was the ideal time to do it. We parked out on Rt. 302, walked along the campground road, and followed a blue-blazed trail down to the bank of the river. 

 

 

 

We made an easy rock-hop of the low-flowing river...

...and navigated vast fields of rocky rubble deposited when the big storms of 2011, 2017 and 2023 greatly expanded the riverbed.

We found the cache in the woods above the riverbed - a white bucket that had been tipped over. We set it back in place after signing the mushy log. It was placed in February 2001, just the second year of geocaching's existence, and was last logged in August 2025. 

 

 On the way back across the open rubble fields, I was intrigued by the trailless ridge rising close by to the east. When I looked at maps later at home, I realized that this was a part of a long western spur ridge of Stairs Mountain, and located on it was an open granite ledge I had noted in the view from Mount Crawford several times over the years, most recently in April. Why not take advantage of the low water conditions, and this easy access to the river, and bushwhack up to the ledge.

 

 

 

The next day was a late summer beauty.  I set out from the campground around 10:00 am and made my way to and across the river. 

 

 

An unusual view into the ravine of Webster Brook.

Mount Webster.

 

Looking up at my target ridge.

Carol prepared a new waterproof log to replace the mushy one. I placed it in a fresh freezer bag and put it into the container.

 

 

This was a good spot from which to launch the bushwhack, aiming for a steep spur that comes off the main west ridge of Stairs. The grade was easy at first in open hardwoods. 

As the grade increased, hemlocks began to filter in.

 

 

An interesting boulder.

 

The climb to the ridgecrest up this spur was relentless, ascending 1600 ft. in about a mile (elevation 1250 ft. up to 2850 ft.). 

 

 

 

Making the grinding climb easier for the first 1000 ft. was the openness of the conifer woods, with good stable footing. Just a long, steep slope. Somewhere in here I crossed from Crawford Notch State Park into the Presidential Range-Dry River Wilderness.

 

 

Looking back down the slope.

 

 

Spruces predominant.

 

Around 2300 ft. or so the terrain got rougher and the woods got scrappier.

 

 

Some steep terrain up here.

Angling left to get around the steep west face of a small peak labeled "2892" on the USGS Stairs Mountain quad.

 

 

 

Reaching the top of the ridge at a level area, I came to ...a birch glade!

 

Quite a contrast with the woods on the ascent. Lovely!

 

 I circled around up to the top of the 2892 ft. peak.

 

 

 

The high point of this sharp little wooded peak. It is noticeable when driving south on Rt. 302. It has only ~50 ft. of prominence, so it's not on any peakbagging list.

 

 

 

I poked around the rim of the peak, looking for views. If it were an open summit, it would have an excellent view. I did manage to find a window on Mount Willey, which I had climbed two days earlier. Mount Field is on the right.

 

A look at Mount Webster.

 

And even a peek at North Twin and its great eastern slide.

 

 

The ridge leading northeastward towards the ledge offered some sweet bushwhacking.

 

Lots of ferns, and plentiful moose sign.

 

 

The conifer sections along the ridge were mostly nice and open.

A gorgeous glade.

 

A fern glade, open to the sky.

 

 

 

The only steep pitch along the ridge, still open. 

Another fern glade. Some of these were chest-high.

An inviting corridor.

As I approached the ledge at ~3070 ft., the woods got scrappier, but this didn't last long. I wasn't sure how accessible this ledge would be. It would be disappointing to find no view perch after several hours of bushwhacking.

 

I was a happy camper when I saw this ahead.

 

A beautiful, sun-washed granite slab, steep but grippy and easily accessible....

...with a wild view across the Sleeper Brook ravine to Mount Resolution, Crawford Dome and Mount Crawford. A just reward for the effort!

 

If it weren't Mount Resolution (named for the resolve of Nathaniel T.P. Davis facing the daunting task of building the 15-mile Davis Path in 1844-45), it might be named Flat Top Mountain.

A bulging cliff is a landmark on Crawford Dome.
 

 

 

 

Mount Crawford's sharp peak, lined with shadowed cliffs. Mount Chocorua and Bear Mountain are to its left, Mount Paugus to its right. 

 

 

Up to the left, I found a fine view of the Sandwich Range, with Mount Tremont and Green's Cliff in front.

 

Mount Passaconaway, Mount Whiteface, the Sleepers, Mount Tripyramid, Sandwich Dome (in back), and Scaur Peak.

 

 

There was a potential additional small view ledge farther up the ridge, but at this point the woods take a decided turn for the worse. Nah. Better to relax in the sun on this spacious perch.

 

A side angle on the largest gravel slope on Mount Resolution. These bright tan patches give it a distinctive look from afar.

 

 

Parting shot on a perfect late summer day.

 

 Back along the ridge through the glades. Some early fall color showing.

 

 

 

I tried a different route for the upper part of the descent, circling around the south side of peak 2892. It didn't work out so well as I got into some bad terrain. 

 

Sometimes it's best to go with the devil that you know. This was worse than the upper part of my ascent route.

Big Beak Rock.

A hidden cliff looms in the forest.

I was glad to find my way back to the steep spur with the open spruces.

 

Back down by the river, evening sun on the south spur of Mount Webster.

Frankenstein Cliff.

 

 

The ridge where I spent my day.