Water in CT and MA

[Don H]

Can anyone give me the status of water sources north of Salisbury? Got some friends thru-hiking and they report water is extremely hard to find and they are relying on water left by trail angels at road crossings. So if you could provide current information it will be a great help and I'll pass it on. Thanks!

[Migrating Bird]

Last Saturday I hiked from Sages Ravine to Guilder Pond. There was sufficient flow at Sages Ravine, Bear Rock Falls. There was ice water in a large container at the parking lot at Guilder Pond and water is available from Guilder Pond. I would camel up at Sages with enough to get to Guilder Pond. Extreme caution should be used in this section cooking as it is very, very dry. The blueberries bushes on top of Race and Mt. Everett are brown and the berries are little tiny blue raisins. We may get a T storm tomorrow but so far they have been all north of us. Did manage to see a nice rattlesnake on the road walk back to Sages.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Hi Don,

I just spoke to my friend who lives on Mt. Race (Just north of Sages Ravine. ) He said that the water situation is really bad up on the mountain. All of the smaller creeks are bone dry, including Bear Rock Creek, which is the water source for laurel ridge campsite. The stream that goes through sages ravine was still flowing downstream where it crosses Rte 41, so it should hopefully still have water on the trail. He said that right now the only reliable water in the area is from ponds (and maybe trail angels).

[adamkrz]

I was out today going up Race Brook trail in southern Mass. and A trail angel has left plenty of water at Guider pond and Rt 7, Otherwise it seems very dry. Not sure if water is available at Tom Leonord.

[coach lou]

I was out today going up Race Brook trail in southern Mass. and A trail angel has left plenty of water at Guider pond and Rt 7, Otherwise it seems very dry. Not sure if water is available at Tom Leonord.

Driver8 and I went up Jug End and down Race NO brook on Saturday. Lots of water in Guilder, but you should filter and treat that.The brook at Race campsite was BONE dry. The crossing at the big falls had a pool you could barely stick your head in. I took 2 gallons from home, we drank every drop.

[Driver8]

Driver8 and I went up Jug End and down Race NO brook on Saturday. Lots of water in Guilder, but you should filter and treat that.The brook at Race campsite was BONE dry. The crossing at the big falls had a pool you could barely stick your head in. I took 2 gallons from home, we drank every drop.

I brought 168 oz with me on this hike and took 24 oz of the Guilder parking lot trail angel water. I also drank, ill-advisedly but with no harmful after-effects, 24 oz of water from the Race Brook Falls crossing below the upper big falls, which were running about 10% of normal flow, if that. So, on an 11.3 mile hike (including small side trips), Coach and I drank over three and a half gallons in 8:30. We hiked to the north end of Race Cliffs and back to Race Brook Falls and down, having started, as he says, from Jug End Road crossing.

11 days ago, on Saturday, the Sages brook was running pretty well along the A.T. I'd say, since it lies lower in elevation and drains a larger area, it probably will still have more water than Race Brook Falls Trail above the ridgeline. To get to running water on Race Brook, you have to hike to about 1650' elevation, a good 0.7 miles one-way from the A.T.

It did rain maybe half an inch or so Sunday, but it's been so hot that that's probably dried out by now, and more.

I agree with the advice of Migrating Bird. Get enough water at Sages to get you to Guilder, where you can filter for more water, or if you're lucky, draw from trail angels' water at the parking lot.

As I posted in a trip report Sunday, my advice, the moreso, would be: STEER CLEAR of this area for the time being. Let a few soaking rains come and let this distressed area recover. It's a very unhappy forest right now. Let it recover in peace unless you must pass through this area. Had I recognized how bad it would be out there, I'd have steered clear of it.

PS: Migrating Bird - when did you pass through the stretch from Race Cliffs to Guilder? Too bad Coach and I missed you! Or did we? We were at Guilder parking lot at about 11:45, Race Cliffs at 2:45 and turned onto RBF trail at maybe 3:45.

[coach lou]

Driver, I couldn't get the photo, of the no creek at the RBF campsite, to post. I'm going to have o PM the Owl for IT advice.

[Migrating Bird]

PS: Migrating Bird - when did you pass through the stretch from Race Cliffs to Guilder? Too bad Coach and I missed you! Or did we? We were at Guilder parking lot at about 11:45, Race Cliffs at 2:45 and turned onto RBF trail at maybe 3:45.[/QUOTE]

I may have passed you as I was just coming off the little ledge just above the flat between Race & Everett near the what used to be the boggy area. Two guys passed me there. I had lunch on top of Race so my guess is that it was between 1:00 and 1:30. I was at Guilder Pond parking lot at 3:00. There were a few NOBO's - Jersey, Bucket, One Speed (I think) and another older gent just ahead and behind me. I was going to hike out to Jug End Rd. but failed to connect with my ride (wife) so I decided to hoof it back to my car at Sages via Mt. Washington Forest HQ as there is a working pay phone there.

[Don H]

Thanks for the info.
How about the creek at The Hemlocks Shelter?


Driver8 unfortunately steering clear is not an option since they're thru hiking.
When I thru'ed last year there was plenty of water but I was a month earlier. One place I did come up short on water was near Kellogg Rd. I stopped at a Jehovah's Witness hall there and they helped me out. Does the trail still follow the road past that hall?

[Wildewoman]

Last week, we hiked into Tom Leonard and there was water, you just have to climb down a bit to get to it. A couple miles further, there was a good supply in a stream, and then just shy of Wilcox South, there's a spring. Good luck, all!

[coach lou]

Thanks for the info.
How about the creek at The Hemlocks Shelter?


Driver8 unfortunately steering clear is not an option since they're thru hiking.
When I thru'ed last year there was plenty of water but I was a month earlier. One place I did come up short on water was near Kellogg Rd. I stopped at a Jehovah's Witness hall there and they helped me out. Does the trail still follow the road past that hall?

At the trail crossing there was a green damp spot at Hemlocks. 2 weeks ago east Mtn. had water ALL the way down the hill. The spring at South Wilcox could be filtered, and once north of SWShltr to NWShltr there was plenty in the few creeks and ponds, but..........I would treat them!

[Driver8]

I may have passed you as I was just coming off the little ledge just above the flat between Race & Everett near the what used to be the boggy area. Two guys passed me there. I had lunch on top of Race so my guess is that it was between 1:00 and 1:30. I was at Guilder Pond parking lot at 3:00. There were a few NOBO's - Jersey, Bucket, One Speed (I think) and another older gent just ahead and behind me. I was going to hike out to Jug End Rd. but failed to connect with my ride (wife) so I decided to hoof it back to my car at Sages via Mt. Washington Forest HQ as there is a working pay phone there.

We must have passed each other then. Coach and I have a few pictures of ourselves from the hike in our galleries. If you take a look at them, do we look familiar? We weren't asking ppl if they were Whiteblazers, though we did talk with most hikers we passed. Would have been neat to know it was you - you've been, for me, one of the most helpful and informative fellow posters here.

[Driver8]

Driver8 unfortunately steering clear is not an option since they're thru hiking.
When I thru'ed last year there was plenty of water but I was a month earlier.

Yeah, thrus are stuck, Don. I was thinking of others who have the option of hiking elsewhere who might read this thread. I hope the thrus are soldiering on ok. I can tell from some of the thru journals, though, that this weather and the conditions are dispiriting for many of them. Good thing a cold front is coming though, along with, I hope, more rain.

[Driver8]

Driver, I couldn't get the photo, of the no creek at the RBF campsite, to post. I'm going to have o PM the Owl for IT advice.

Yeah, Coach, I had a heck of a time getting photos to load on Sunday. Almost gave up, but succeeded on the 5th try.

[lemon b]

How about the creek at Glenn Brook ?

[coach lou]

How about the creek at Glenn Brook ?

@ the Trail crossing it was dry.

[Driver8]

How about the creek at Glenn Brook ?

Pretty fetid at the trail crossing. I understand it picks up if you make your way well downhill. The brook crossing the trail near the Elbow Trail junction was Lou's and my first sighting of running water Saturday. It was doable. Based on my observations, I'd say if you can get what is normally a good-sized brook at the 1600'-1700' level or below along the Taconic ridge, you can get water. I think trail angels or filtering/treating at Guilder Pond are your best bet in the area near Everett.


'

[Don H]

So my friends are at Maria's in Salisbury tonight and heading out tomorrow, here's what I'm passing on:
Sage's Ravine
Guilder Pond
Trail angle at Rt 7
Possibly the Jehovah Witness hall at Rt 7 and Kellogg Rd. if someone is there (I got water there a few years ago)
Tom Leonard (downhill)
East Mountain Retreat (1 mi. off trail, pizza and shower too)
Goose Pond

Is there any other I'm missing?

[coach lou]

So my friends are at Maria's in Salisbury tonight and heading out tomorrow, here's what I'm passing on:
Sage's Ravine
Guilder Pond
Trail angle at Rt 7
Possibly the Jehovah Witness hall at Rt 7 and Kellogg Rd. if someone is there (I got water there a few years ago)
Tom Leonard (downhill)
East Mountain Retreat (1 mi. off trail, pizza and shower too)
Goose Pond

Is there any other I'm missing?

Yea, both creeks up on Wilcox had water 2 weeks ago.

[Don H]

OK thanks.