Glen Boulder Trail (to the Boulder)

THIS TRIP WAS A BREEZE!

Glen Boulder proved to be an exciting adventure, exposing many of the seasonal elements. Arriving early in the morning the weather did not look ideal. The ride up through Franconia and Crawford notches had remains of the snow the night prior. Approaching Pinkham Notch the ceiling remained low with spots of blue skies showing to the east. The early morning temps were chilling, and the wind did not help. Starting at 10am however the weather had settled some, sun was out, and the ceiling was above 3500 feet providing a view to our destination along the ridge. Leaving the Pinkham Notch Base Camp (aka visitor center) we ventured out across the Diretissima. This traverse provided excellent views of the notch to the south and up-close views of waterfalls that were full from the spring melt. We began our ascent of the Glen Boulder Trail again passing several beautiful waterfalls, light remains of the evening snow and several ill prepared hikers headed down. We had warmed up quite well but as we approached tree line the wind had increased, and temps were dropping. Breaking tree line we found it very difficult to stay up right, crouching along so we did not get blown off the trail. Mount Washington Observatory reported wind speeds at the summit peaking close to 90 mph. Everyone had video of the wind around the boulder, including an attempt to fly our flag. Great to see a rainbow on a beautiful sunny day. The views were spectacular. The notch north and south was clear. Visibility allowed views of North Conway south, east to Maine and north to Berlin and Milan. The summits of Wildcat, the Carters and Moriah cleared as well. Gulf of Slides, part of Boott Spur and Huntington Ravine were clear and crisp with new snowfall. The trip down was pleasant once we were out of the wind. We decided as a group to venture off course and visit the Glen Ellis Falls. Taking in the amazing force of the 65-foot waterfall. The pool below was temping for a quick dip, but we decided not to show off for the tourists. We returned to Pinkham Base Camp and enjoyed the sun and warmth. This hike was amazing, all the participants were great company, we were all blown away! Everyone brough great fun and laughter.

Lessons learned: Remember to hydrate and it is always good to have a good warm up/cool down stretch to get the body working.

Glen Boulder Hike (to the boulder): elevation (highest point) 3729ft, distance to highest point 2.6 miles, total trip distance 5.2 miles.

This early season trip is considered MODERATE. Although a short distance this is a VERY steep grade for 1.6 miles.

In the heart of Pinkham Notch, Glen Boulder Trail (to the boulder) is a short distance to reach tree line. The expense of this great view is the steep scramble to reach fantastic views of the notch and summits around. This trip will leave the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center via the Direttissima Trail, for one mile this trail runs parallel with route 16 and meets up with the Glen Boulder Trail. At this point the climb begins, climbing about 1430 ft in about one mile. Lots of rock stairs. Consideration needs to be given to the steep grade, especially coming down can be rough on knees and other joints. If you have issues with your knees this may NOT be the ideal climb for you.

PREPARATION/WHAT TO BRING: White Mountains can have unpredictable and extreme weather changes year-round and spring is definitely a season to be cautious of. It is recommended that hikers have dry clothing and wind protection as there may be wind above tree line. The last .5 mile before the boulder is ABOVE TREE LINE. Plan for full exposure to the elements. Wind protection and sunscreen are highly recommended. Always have water (no guarantee for places to refill) and food. If you need suggestions on what to bring, PLEASE ASK!! It is also highly recommended to bring a BLISTER KIT (DIY kits online). If this is the first hike of the season or brand-new footwear, foot first aid most likely will be necessary. For this trip it is important to bring along flexibility, patience, and a sense of humor.

Covid – Please bring a mask for the use when in close proximity to others. Respect people’s space, there are a variety of mask styles to match the variety of covid options. Let’s be safe and respect others. We are not the only people on the trail.

Group Size (not to exceed 12): It is not fun leaving folks out of trips. If you cannot attend, PLEASE cancel so others may join. If you are on the waiting list, please contact me days prior to the trip, most likely there is room and if needed this trail will allow us to break the group into two smaller groups. Dogs are the FULL responsibility of the owner and cannot interfere with the hike or the participants. This hike may not be ideal for dogs because of other dogs and hikers. This trail is narrow and steep. It is up to the owner. A leash (close at hand) is highly recommended (also required in WMNF). Decreasing the impact to the environment is always a priority! Please plan to “carry in and carry out” all items. It may also be possible to collect other hikers’ debris along the way.

Weather: At times in the season rain may not be a concern.  For this trip weather will be watched prior. If rain is expected it may be difficult for visibility and participants may wish to reconsider. Also, consideration needs to be considered because of exposure above tree line. All those factors will be considered and a post of any update/cancellation information by the Thursday prior by 6pm. The cancellation will include a rescheduled date so participants can watch for that opportunity.

After trip social: No formal plans are in place yet.

Safety is a priority! Any time a hiker is injured or lost a HUGE team of volunteers is dispatched to aid in the search and rescue efforts. No one wants to be injured or put other in harms way. Always be prepared. Know your limits. Any questions feel free to contact me.