View Full Version : Pemi loop nh water and conditions
Was just wondering if anyone has done the Pemi loop in New Hampshire recently if so how are the water levels and trail conditions? About to embark on a leisurely 5 day extended trek of it.
Was just wondering if anyone has done the Pemi loop in New Hampshire recently if so how are the water levels...I have done the general area recently, though not there specifically, and a lot of my accustomed water sources were dry.
Going clockwise:
It's a long way from the low Osseo obvious water to Garfield Pond.
Last easy access to dependable water up Osseo is 450 feet W/SW of the trail at the bottom of the stone steps, at 2300 feet.
Next sure water is Liberty Spring. Though there are sometimes seeps on the plateau, I'd expect them to be dry right now.
Off into the woods from the Liberty/Little Hay sag there are streams to the N/NE but it's rough going
Next is Lafayette Spring, about 250 yards or so down towards the Hut. Never seen it dry, though if the ground pools dry up you may be there a long time gathering drips.
In the AT Guides there used to be (I haven't looked recently) reference to water under moss about 150 feet off trail to the left (going down) in a tangled col going down North Lafayette, but I have never found it.
There are two weak water sources short of Garfield Pond I've never seen dry (though you frequently need a scooper for the tiny pools), one about 1.75-2.0 miles beyond the Skook Trail intersection, on the NE downside of a slight rise just beyond one of the sags at roughly 3800 (about 100 feet in elevation down from the top of the rise) and the other, a bit more robust, about a half-mile further E/NE in the bottom of the sag you're traveling into, at about 3600 feet. The second of these is only half-a-mile or so short of Garfield Pond but that half mile is a long way at the end of the day in that terrain so it may be worth slowing down to look for.
Long way from Galehead (usually some seeps up the climb to S Twin but who knows) to first water down BondCliff. Hard to avoid the trip down to the Guyot Shelter, but it's among the top five best tasting waters in the Whites and worth the trip.
Down BondCliff I remember a frequent trickle just off trail to the right (going down) at 3230 feet as first water.
peakbagger
08-11-2011, 07:40
Its been a month since I was on the Bonds (east side of loop)but it was drier than normal then and we really havent gotten a lot o rain since. The normally reliable stream in the box canyon south of Bondcliff summit was dry. After 10 minutes or so, we could here water in the streambed but elected to head down the Black Brook crossing.
Be aware, this is peak season for the whites and lots of folks are out in that area. Expect campsites to be full to the brim. Dont assume everyone speaks english as the canadians are out in force.
Thanks for the info guys. Went to Whites around this time last year and met some cool people amazing scenery especially on Garfield and Franconia ridge. Good thing I'm a hammocker, i generally don't like staying in shelters especially shelter you have to pay for. How does this compare to the Adirondak Trip I had planned a few threads down?