Elevation: 1,691 ft (overall) 2,601 ft (total)
Time: 2:10 (Bald Rock) 2:49 (Summit) 3:55 (Bald Rock) 5:07 (Total)
Trails: Halfway House Trail, Hello Rock Trail, Cliff Walk Trail, Point Surprise Trail, Sidefoot Trail, Do Drop Trail, Cliff Walk Trail, Smith Connecting Link, White Cross Trail, Smith Summit Trail, Amphitheatre Trail, Smith Connecting Link, Cliff Walk Trail, Parker Trail, Old Toll Road
Today it was time to check another day of the year off the calendar and re hike some trails I haven't been on for a while in the winter. My planned loop for the day certainly wasn't very direct, but did get me onto some trails that are nice to hike and it kept me away from the few other hikers that were out today. I started off on the Old Halfway House Trail and headed up to the Old Halfway House Site. Along this trail there was a thin layer of snow that wasn't too bad. Eventually I did start to run into ice though and at that point I put on my Microspikes, which I kept on for the remainder of the hike except some above treeline.
The Halfway House Trail
From the Old Halfway House site I took the little used Hello Rock Trail. This trail had two sets of tracks ahead of me, but partway up it they veered off trail and didn't come back. The trail is pretty easy to hike as it goes up, down, then back up again while only gaining a few feet of elevation before getting to the Cliff Walk Trail.
Hello Rock Trail
Next I hiked up the Cliff Walk Trail until the Point Surprise Trail, which I then turned down. I descended the Point Surprise Trail quickly and easily back to the Old Halfway House Site. From there, I headed back into the trees going up the Sidefoot Trail briefly until the start of the Do Drop Trail. This trail is a bit steeper and had some ice flows along it, but it is an enjoyable trail that goes through some nice sections of forest.
Point Surprise
Start of the Do Drop Trail
Once back to the Cliff Walk Trail again, I went up it again until the end at Bald Rock. I then continued up the Smith Connecting Link until the White Cross Trail. This trail was another enjoyable hike, but it did have one very large ice flow on it that wasn't there one month earlier. Luckily with spikes it wasn't too hard to hike up it. The White Cross/Dot Trail was straightforward as always with just some ice and water as it comes out of the trees.
Frost on a large rock
The summit from Bald Rock
Ice flow on the Smith Connecting Link
View from the summit
View from the summit
Miles on the summit
After a nice time at the summit with only one other visitor, I headed down the Smith Summit Trail. Above treeline I left my spikes off as the rock was clear of snow and ice except for a couple minor sections. Once back to the trees, I put them back on. Climbing down through here was the only place I ran into other hikers while on a trail. At the junction with the Amphitheatre Trail, I turned left and headed up it. The conditions on the trail were good and there are a number of open spots with some good views.
The Black Precipice
After crossing over the Amphitheatre Trail, I headed back down the Smith Connecting Link to Bald Rock for the second time of the day. I then descended the Cliff Walk Trail to the bottom of it. There was less ice than I expected with just some short spots of it. There was however a large ice flow at the base of the ladder which made the climb down the ladder that much trickier.
At the base of the Cliff Walk Trail I hiked up the Parker Trail until the Old Toll Road. Once there I finished up my hike with a leisurely walk down the road back to my truck. Today's hike was a longer route with a path that most probably wouldn't think of. But it did keep me hiking for more time than normal with more miles and elevation gain. The hike was quite nice in the end while visiting lesser traveled trails and keeping away from any sort of crowd that might have been out today.
Another view from Bald Rock
Ladder and ice flow on the Cliff Walk Trail
Google Earth representation of the hike
For all the pictures from the hike, just go to my gallery on SmugMug
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