Pierce and Ike - 07/16/07

[skibum9995]

Date Hiked: 07/16/07

Trails Hiked: Crawford Path, Mt. Eisenhower Loop

Total Distance: 9.6 mi

Difficulty: Easy

Conditions: Crawford path a little wet in places but pretty good overall

Special Required Equipment: none

Trip Report:

Continuing the theme of AZers hiking Pierce I headed fro Crawford Notch to hit Pierce and Ike. I started my hike at 8:22 under sunny skies although it was very humid. I took the Crawford Connector to the Crawford Path and then started the gradual ascent. The trail has an easy grade all the way to the Pierce Summit. I stopped for a snack at the Mizpah Cut-off and made got to the summit just before 10:00. I took of for Ike after trying to take some pics and realizing that my camera had dead batteries. The trail between Pierce and Ike is also pretty mellow and has great views making it quite enjoyable. I summited Ike at 11:00 and ate lunch taking in the scenery. Washington was in the clouds cleared briefly to reveal the summit structures.I headed foir the bottom at 11:15 and got back to my car at 12:53 after crashing on the descent. I wasn't paying attention to where I was stepping and put all my weight on to my foot which was angled on a wet and slippery waterbar and I suddenly found myself looking at te trail for a different perspective. The blood dripping down my leg got me some interesting looks from the tourists at the Highland Center where I stopped to clean up.

 

[threecy]

Good hike, hope your injury isn't too bad!

 

[Jonni]

Yeah, the Crawford Path is a nice hike, but footing can be interesting in some places. I never slipped coming or going on it, but there were some sketchy spots. I want to get to Ike at some point but I'm thinking that I'll probably hit it from the north via Edmands Path, possibly a trip up over Franklin to Monroe and back to make the trip more interesting.

 

[threecy]

Ya, I'd recommend doing Franklin and Monroe with it - they seem kind of far when you're on Ike, but it's one of the nicest hikes you can do and it goes by rather quickly once up on the ridge. Franklin is hard to see until you're right next to it.

 

[MichaelJ]

If you've got the time and the car spot, a traverse up Ammonoosuc Ravine, over Monroe, "over" Franklin, over Eisenhower, over to Pierce, and then down (or possibly over Jackson) is a beautiful traverse with really good footing almost the whole way. Just make sure to have good weather.

Franklin is indeed hard to spot. Basically, it's a mild lump just east of the Crawford Path with an unsigned loop trail (obvious to see) and I believe a small cairn on the crest.

 

[threecy]

Correct...there is a cairn on top. Though it isn't recognizable from a distance, I find standing on Franklin to be more impressive than Monroe - the sheer drop off from it vs. the pile of rocks that makes up Monroe is rather neat. One of the highlights of my trip a few weeks ago.

 

[MichaelJ]

the sheer drop off from [Franklin] vs. the pile of rocks that makes up Monroe is rather neat

Have we had this conversation before? I'd swear I've read those exact words...

 

[threecy]

Haha ya, since its summer time, I along with the sitcom television world go on reruns.