Trails Used

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Trail was mostly dry this afternoon with some minor muck in the usual places. Trillium and violet in bloom. Beautiful partly sunny afternoon with a breeze and temperatures in the 50s.

Parking

Room for 3ish vehicles in the small lot, with room for one or two more at the memorial. No roadside parking.

Water Crossings

Rock hoppable

Wildlife

None for now.

Trails Used

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Loop is snow/ice free, but there is still muck up high. Beautiful summer-like day with sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s.

Parking

Room for 3-4 vehicles at the trailhead, with room for another 1-2 at the Clifford monument. No roadside parking.

Water Crossings

Minor rock hops

Wildlife

Minimal for now.

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Dump Run mountain bike trail, unofficial logging roads, bushwhack

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Early April bushwhack in wild region north of Rumney's Rattlesnake Mountain. Thin patches of recently fallen snow in shaded areas, already melted in sunny areas. Found old snow on descent to col, approximately one foot deep in spots. Visited talus field and multiple ledges with views. Discovered summit register placed in 2010. Located hardwood glade on east side of summit. Noted Eight-Ball Mica Prospect site in area for future exploration.

Parking

Buffalo Road

Water Crossings

Crossed nameless brook below cascade

Trails Used

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail, unofficial mountain bike trail, Dump Run mountain bike trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Firsthand bushwhack traverse of Rattlesnake Ridge from Rattlesnake Mountain to Upper Rattlesnake Mountain ledges. 1.6 mile ridge traverse with detailed descriptions of terrain, vegetation, views, and seasonal conditions. Minimal snow encountered. Includes descent via brook valley. Author references previous trips to the area in 2005.

Water Crossings

Brook valley descent with waterslides and cascades

Wildlife

Moose sign observed on the ridge

Trails Used

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Trail is now mostly snow/ice free. A few tiny patches down low, but otherwise nothing until nearing the ridge. Longest stretch of snow was about 50 feet long. Some nasty muck in a few places up high. Also an occasional coating of sleet/ice up high from overnight weather, but nothing on the ledges. Patchy snow in the woods up high. Snowshoes and traction will be superfluous on this trail for the balance of the season on less we get a frozen precip event of significance. Clearing afternoon with temperatures in the 40s.

Parking

Room for 3 or 4 vehicles with no roadside overflow (posted No Parking).

Trails Used

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Found trail 90% snow and ice free. Longest stretch of snow/ice was near the loop junction. 2.5 miles round trip with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Open ledges with views throughout the hike.

Trails Used

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Shoulder season conditions persist. Some blue ice down low, giving way to mud on the steeps (ground frost collapsing in the recent temperatures, but will likely reform tonight), then pockets of deep (currently frozen solid) snow on the flats up high. Recent weather finally melted some of the awful postholes that plagued the trail earlier this month. Most of the trail is now snow/ice free, but the icy bits may require traction when temperatures dive tonight. That said, I don't think the loop trail would be good right now due to unpacked legacy snow (remaining pockets are a solid foot deep still). Mostly sunny afternoon with temperatures in the 30s and some wind.

Parking

Snowbanks are gone, so the lot is normal sized (but still quite small with no roadside overflow).