Off on Adventure: Washburn Ridge - Hoffman Notch Wilderness

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Washburn Ridge - Hoffman Notch Wilderness - 4/9/16

For a hike on this Saturday morning, I chose a trip Washburn ridge in the Hoffman Notch Wilderness. I drove to North Hudson and took the Blue Ridge Road west to the northern terminus of the Hoffman Notch Trail. There is a sign there and a small parking lot.

My first 2.4 miles were on the Hoffman Notch Trail heading south up into the notch. A 0.9 miles there is extensive beaver activity and flooding. A few logs are often strategically placed to assist the hiker to negotiate the submerged trail. I managed to cross today.

The nose of this old car greets you early on in the hike.

No problem with this crossing.

This crossing is often the problem.

A nice small cascade

At the location where I left the trail, there is a large headwall. It was still covered in ice on this day, although some large chunks came thundering down. I saw a couple small cairns as I started out, but no indication of human presence after that.

I climbed up to the left of this ice flow.

I kept a wall of cliffs on my right for perhaps a half mile until they ended.

Looking back towards Hornet Cobbles

... and a little higher with snow.

As I got up to around 2000' the ground became snow covered and a little slippery for climbing.

Big Marsh in the distance below.

Higher up the grade tapered for a bit and with the open hardwoods, it was really easy climbing.

Really open hardwoods just below the summit.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. The pine and spruce closed in and I had to paw my way through the wet snowy branches. At least it was only for a quarter mile.

The summit ridge.

The view...

The summit

I reached the summit and found no view were to be had. Earlier I had thought about continuing over to Sand Pond Mountain, but now it just didn't feel like it, so I retraced my steps in the snow back to the trail and out. I would find a different hike for the afternoon.