Presidential Traverse

The Presidential Traverse is a hike in New Hampshire's White Mountains that traverses the Presidential Range.  Most people know the range's most popular summit, Mt Washington, but the entire range contains many more significant peaks.  The five highest mountains in New England are in the Presidential Range as well as three other 4000 foot mountains and several other lesser peaks.

The hike is one of the more challenging hikes in the east with large areas above treeline, major climbs and descents, and potentially dangerous weather.  It is also one of the most scenic hikes in the east with much of the traverse above treeline offering endless views.  I hiked all of the major peaks along the traverse at one point, but never linked them all together in one continuous hike.  While many choose to do the hike over two to three days, many others like to test there endurance and complete the hike in one day.  I was up for the challenge and wanted to do the one day traverse.

There are several options for the traverse.  While nearly everyone hikes the northern summit, some only hike as far south as Mt Pierce, the last peak named after a president.  Others will hike to Mt Jackson since it a 4000 footer.  Some will hike to Mt. Webster, the last peak heading south in the range.  Along the way there are a few lesser peaks including Mt Clay and Mt Franklin that some people choose to skip since they do not have enough elevation change to be considered a major summit.  Since this was my first traverse, I chose to hike all of it.

My hike would hike over eight major summits and three lesser summit.  From north to south I hiked over Mt Madison, Mt Adams, Mt Jefferson, Mt Clay, Mt Washington, Mt Monroe, Mt Franklin, Mt Eisenhower, Mt Pierce, Mt Jackson, and Mt Webster.  The hike would cover just under 23 miles and gain over 9500 feet in elevation.

I didn't have a set day planned to do the hike.  When the forecast made a turn for the better, I made a last minute decision to try the hike on Saturday, July 13th.  Since I live three hours from the northern trailhead, I headed there the night before and obtained fine trailhead lodging in Le Motel Subaru.   The parking lot was busy all through the night and I didn't sleep very well, maybe getting four hours sleep if I was lucky.

I was on the trail at 447 AM.  It was still mostly dark with just enough light to get by without a headlamp.  I started on the Valley Way before turning onto the Watson Path. Less than a mile onto the Watson Path, the trail emerges from the trees and remained above treeline most of the day.  The Watson Path would bring me to the summit of Mt Madison at 648 AM.  At 5367', Madison is the 5th highest peak in New England.  This is the toughest climb of the trip gaining over 4000 feet of elevation in less than 4 miles.  I have been on Mt Madison several times before and I am always impressed with its view.  The drop into the valley to the north from the summit seems dramatic since it is the last peak on the ridge.  Most of the valley was shrouded in fog while all the higher terrain was in the clear.  Soon after I reached the summit, several groups were hiking up from Madison Springs Hut, a short .5 miles away.  I descended to the hut and refilled my water.

Duck Falls

Typical warning signs in the Presidentials

Valley fog from Mt Madison

Mt Jefferson (closer) and Washington

After leaving the hut, I headed to Mt Adams.  I used the Star Lake Trail which is one of my favorites in the Presidentials.   It climbs steeply up the mountain and requires some rock scrambling and use of the hands to negotiate.  It also sees fewer people.  I reached the summit, which at 5774' is the second highest in New England.  I had the summit to myself and ate breakfast.  Mt Adams is probably my favorite peak of the Presidentials.  I think the views are among the most dramatic in the range.

JQ Adams, Star Lake, Madison

Steep section of Star Lake Trail

JQ Adams, Madison, valley fog

Cairns marking trail with Jefferson and Washington in background

A short descent brought me to the Gulfside Trail which I would follow across its open terrain until I reached the Mt Jefferson Loop.  Mt Jefferson, at 5712' is the third highest peak in New England.  Its summit is attractive but not quite as nice at Adams and Madison in my opinion.  I didn't linger too long before heading back down the Mt Jefferson Loop to the Gulfside Trail.

Looking back at Adams while climbing Jefferson

I broke off the Gulfside Trail to the Mt Clay Loop.  This was the only peak on the trip I never have visited.
At 5533', Mt Clay is one of the highest spots on the traverse but it doesn't have enough prominence to be ranked and is technically a shoulder Mt Washington.  Nonetheless, Mt Clay is stunning.  It offers perhaps the best views in the Presidential Range toward the peaks to the north in the range, looking over the Great Gulf, as well as a close up of Mt Washington.  The trail on the way to the summit passes through an attractive area of alpine grass and tundra plants.  I stopped on its peak for a snack and to enjoy the views.

Grassy climb up Mt Clay

Looking back at Jefferson, Adams, Madison from Clay

Another view looking back

Mt Washington was next .  I reached the summit just after 1030AM.  At 6288', it is the highest summit in the Northeast.  It is also home to some of the nastiest weather and highest winds.  On this day the weather was quite placid.  The summit temperature was a comfortable 60F and the winds were calm at an almost unheard of 3MPH.  I would have liked the wind since it was on the warm side to help cool down.  I personally hate the summit of Mt Washington.  The place on a nice day is a zoo.  A road and train take tourists to the summit.  Since it is the highest peak, it gets an insane amount of hiker traffic.  There is a parking lot and a cluster of buildings to clutter the summit.  Hiking to the summit is nice and scenic, but the summit itself is a let down when you see the mayhem.  Needless to say, I didn't linger.

 

Looking back at northern Presis

Looking over Great Gulf from high on Washington

Leaving Washington toward Lakes of the Clouds and Mt Monroe

Mt Monroe

Mt Monroe was my next summit.  Before reaching the summit, I stopped at Lakes of the Clouds Hut.  I had lunch and refilled my water.  The hut sits just below the Mt Monroe, only 1.5 miles from Mt Washington.  Mt Monroe is the 4th highest peak in New England at 5384'.  Mt Monroe is one of the more scenic spots in the Presidentials.  It offers dramatic views of Mt Washington and the southern peaks of the range.  It also sees a fraction of the people at any given time as Mt Washington even though they are less than two miles apart and share a trailhead.

Looking over Lakes of the Clouds toward Washington and northern peaks from Monroe

Looking south from Monroe

From Monroe I headed to Mt Eisenhower.  Along the way I made a brief detour to Mt Franklin.  Franklin's rise from surrounding terrain is so insignificant that I'm not sure why it's even named.  It offers nice views nonetheless into the Oakes Gulf and surrounding peaks.  I'm not sure why, but Eisenhower's summit was very crowded.  It has nice views in all direction but with the crowds, I didn't linger too long.

Looking back to Monroe

Looking south below Monroe

Washington framed between Monroe's peaks

Tundra grasses over flat plateau south of Monroe

Mt Eisenhower was the last dramatic mountain I would traverse.  It stands predominately south of Mt Monroe and north of Mt Pierce.  There are beautiful stretches of high alpine meadow along the way and the trail is quite level before eventual dropping in and out of the treeline.  The remaining mountains have partially open, scrubby summits, but aren't nearly as grand as the peaks between Madison and Eisenhower.  The trail south of Mt Eisenhower I hiked before but not since 1999 when I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail. Every other mountain except Clay, I hiked in the past few years.  Despite hiking it before, this area was basically new to me since it had been so long since my last time in the area.

Looking north near Eisenhower

Descending Eisenhower

By the time I left Mt Pierce I started to feel the mileage of the day.  When the scenery started to diminish, I became aware of the fatigue I developed.  Luckily, the elevation gains at this point were less dramatic than the higher peaks.  My last pit stop was at Mizpah Springs Hut.  I ate one last snack and filled up with water.

Looking north near Mt Pierce's summit

I went over Mt Jackson and Webster before descending to the road.  Jackson had some areas of open summit.  Webster's summit was in the trees but had several ledges that offered views into the valley.  From Mt Webster the trail dropped about 2000' to Crawford Notch and Route 302.  This is the longest elevation loss of the day and my knees were ready to be done when I reached the road at 357PM.

Alpine meadow

Spruce grouse

Haze settling on Mt Washington

Cliffs in Crawford Notch

Mountains to the south of the Presidential Range

Silver Cascade

The hiking was over.  The next challenge began, getting back to my car.  My preferred method in these situations is hitchhiking.  Around the mountains hitchhiking can be easy and effective.  My luck wasn't the best however despite plenty of weekend traffic.  It took me nearly a half hour for my first ride which only took me about ten miles north.  I got two quick rides to Route 115.  Then I was stuck.  Once car stopped but I declined since they were only traveling a mile and I had a descent location.  The road was dead and more than 45 minutes passed with no luck.  Finally a truck going the opposite direction turned around and asked where I was heading.  He too just finished the Presidential Traverse and saw me hitching earlier.  He took me back to the trailhead.  It turned out we have done a lot of the same hikes including the Appalachian Trail, Long Trail, and Colorado Trail.

I'm glad I finally got to do the Presidential Traverse.  The weather was good.  It was a little warmer than I would have liked but not overly hot.  The visibility was great, especially in the morning.  Later in the day it started to cloud over and get a little hazy but not too bad for July.  Now I just need a couple days for my knees to recover.

Hiking Acadia's Open Ridges

We have been having steamy weather the last several days.  It has been quite rainy the past few weeks.  With a clear day forecasted on Sunday, I decided to head to Acadia National Park to hike.  It tends to stay cooler on the coast in the summer so it sounded like a good option.  Many of the peaks in Acadia have open summits that tend to be breezy, so this added to the appeal of Acadia on a hot day.

The J Man and I decided on a loop that stayed on the ridges to hopefully catch a breeze.  Sargent and Penobscot mountains have long exposed ridges and open summits.  Across Jordan Pond, running parallel to Sargent and Penobscot is Pemetic Mountain, which also has a long exposed ridgeline with an open summit.  There are at least thirty named mountains in Acadia National Park and well over 100 miles of trails.  The hike from Sargent to Penobscot is my favorite trip in the park.  The hike over Pemetic is a close second.  Both ridges offer endless views of mountains, lakes, and the ocean.

The hike started from the Loop Road.  After passing the Bubble Peaks we descended to Jordan pond before climbing Sargent Mountain.  We reached the summit without seeing any other hikers.  Sargent is the second highest peak in the park and offers 360 degree views.  The open ridge traverse to Penobscot followed.  This is one of my favorite hikes in Maine.  As you walk along the ridge,  the sides of the mountain seem to vanish as you walk toward the ocean, more than 1200 feet below.  From summit to summit, the distance is about a mile between the two peaks.  Nearly the entire traverse stays above the trees.  Just before reaching Penobscot's summit, the trail dips into the trees for a short stretch and passes Sargent Pond, a small pond nestled in the trees that seemed quite inviting on a hot day.  Just beyond the pond, we spotted a baby hare hiding among the rocks.

Looking toward Atlantic Ocean from Sargent Mountain

Baby Hare

From the summit of Penobscot, the trail drops back to Jordan Pond.  The descent from Penobscot is on an open ridge before entering the trees.  Along the way, the trail passes impressive cliffs before reaching the Jordan Pond House and the south shore of the Pond.  Before crossing the road and climbing Pemetic Mountain, the trail takes you along Jordan Pond with its stunning view across the pond to the two peaks of the Bubbles.  This view is one of the iconic scenes in the park and often photographed.  Jordan Pond is framed by mountains on both sides with the twin peaks of the Bubbles on the north shore.

Looking over Bubbles from Penobscot Mountain

Descending Penobscot Mountain toward Atlantic with Cranberry Isles in background

Cliffs along trail below Penobscot

The classic view of the Bubbles over Jordan Pond

Leaving the Jordan Pond area, the trail soon begins its climb of Pemetic Mountain.  The long, open ridge of Pemetic is perhaps second only to the Sargent-Penobscot traverse in scenic splendor in the park.  Views overlook the Atlantic Ocean, several ponds, and numerous mountains.  Just to the east, cars are barely visible snaking their way up Cadillac Mountain.  Descending Pemetic the trail passes through a narrow ravine with ladders aiding the traverse.  The ravine offered a brief break from the heat with cooler temperatures.  After seven plus miles we closed the loop and reached the trailhead to finish the hike.

Looking back down Pemetic's ridge toward the Atlantic and Cranberry Isles

Pemetic Ravine

There are other variations of this hike.  The peaks of the Bubbles are a short diversion from this loop and both summits offer worthwhile views over Jordan Pond.  Because of the heat, we skipped the Bubbles this trip.  The trip can be cut short by walking one of the trails on either side of Jordan Pond.  The trail passes right by Sargent Pond which is said to be the oldest pond in Maine.  On a hot day, a dip in the pond would be a nice break from the heat.  If you are feeling the need for a more casual day, the Jordan Pond House has food and is known for its tea room.  Sitting on the shore of Jordan Pond, gazing upon the Bubbles with tea while lazing in an adirondack chair is a popular activity at the Jordan Pond House.

The park was busy with Independence Day weekend vacationers.  The trails for the most part weren't too crowded however.  The busiest part of the loop was around Jordan Pond House.  This is a major parking lot  and park destination.  Soon after leaving the Jordan Pond area, the crowds thinned.  The summits of Penobscot and Pemetic Mountains had a fair amount of people.  Again, the crowds thinned out away from the summits.

This hike was needed.  The dreary weather lately has put a damper on my outdoor activities.  Just the day before my trip to Acadia, I hiked Big Moose Mountain in Greenville, Maine near Moosehead Lake.  Rain fell as I reached the mountain.  This caused cloud cover to linger on the summit hampering any views.  The trail was very wet and I was soaked from the wet vegetation..

Kayaking Lake Onawa

The weather was not cooperating on my free day this weekend.  Showers were falling when I got up for the day.  The forecast called for more showers throughout the day.  It was a warm, muggy morning when the rain wasn't falling.  I wanted to get in some outdoor activity, so I decided to go kayaking.

Kayaking is a good choice in these weather conditions.  You can cool off in the water if it gets too hot. If it showers, you don't get chilled.  As long as there isn't a thunderstorm or the rain isn't too heavy, paddling in a shower isn't too bad.  Despite the somewhat dreary morning, there was no wind, which makes paddling on a lake more enjoyable.

I decided on Lake Onawa as my destination.  I never kayaked here.  The lake is surrounded by mountains and sees little traffic.  I didn't have any other ideas for an outing.  With the questionable weather, Lake Onawa seemed like good choice.  I hit the water just before 9am.

Lake Onawa is located about 45 minutes from my house.  It sits at the base of  Barren Mountain in the 100 Mile Wilderness and is visible from the Appalachian Trail.  At roughly 1200 acres, it's a decent sized lake.  While there are some camps along its shores, they are mostly concentrated in one area with majority of the shoreline being undeveloped.

Barren Mountain 

Immediately I was presented with good scenery.  Borestone Mountain rises basically from the lake and stands nearly 1500 feet above the water.  The side of Borestone facing the lake is very steep with much of the mountain consisting of exposed cliff.  The north side of the lake is framed by Barren Mountain which rises more than 2000 feet from the lake.  The most outstanding feature of Barren is its exposed ledges and slide which are clearly visible from most areas of the lake.  The eastern side of the lake is flanked by the ridge of Benson Mountain which also rises nearly 1500 feet above the lake.

Borestone Mountain reflecting in the lake

Barren Ledges

Benson Mountain's ridgeline

When I arrived, a few sprinkles fell.  Despite the rain, visibility was good enough to see all of the mountains.  There was absolutely no wind and the lake surface was a sheet of glass.  The calm wind and humid weather made for some bad mosquito conditions however.  Away from the shore the bugs were not much of a problem. However, in the marshy areas around lake, they were quite pesty.

The mountains were not the only scenery.  A few wildlife sightings added to the experience.  Several sets of loons were on the lake.  The best sighting was a pair of loons with a chick.  The chick was quite small.  I never saw a loon chick so close.  Besides the loons, I was lucky enough to see a couple of deer drinking at the edge of the lake.

Loons with chick

Loon

Close shot of loon

Deer that was drinking from lake, if you click on picture you can see it has antlers starting to develop

The area of the lake between Borestone and Barren Ledges is the most scenic.  The other end of the lake while still pleasant, gets into the area with camps.  The outlet of the lake holds a well known local landmark.  The Onawa Trestle is a rail bridge that crosses the outlet.  It is often photographed by locals and a popular destination with its view over the lake and the mountains that surround it.

Onawa Trestle

By the end of the trip conditions deteriorated.  The clouds dropped and obscured most of the mountaintops. A steadier rain fell the last 15 minutes I was on the lake.  Luckily my trip was winding down.

Looking at Borestone Mountain on left and Barren Mountain on right with clouds starting to cover summits

I spent almost three hours exploring the lake.  The entire time I paddled, only one other boat was on the water.  Perhaps because the lake is out of the way and overshadowed by larger local lakes like Moosehead and Sebec, it doesn't see much traffic.  I was pleasantly surprised with the lake and will probably go back again soon with Puma.

Katahdin and Hamlin Peak: Hiking Maine's Two Tallest Peaks

The forecast seemed like it would provide a window of nice weather just long enough to get in an alpine hike Sunday.  I got up at 4am and headed to Baxter State Park.  My destination for the day was Katahdin and Hamilin Peak, Maine's two tallest mountains.  The loop covering the two mountains is probably my favorite route to hike in New England.  The hike covers over 11 miles with nearly half of distance above treeline taking in perhaps the most stunning mountain scenery east of the Rockies.

The morning started without a cloud in the sky and looked promising for a good day.  The 90 minute drive to the park passes through a remote area that offers a good chance for seeing moose.  I was not let down.  I managed to pass a trio of moose along the road.  A short distance later another moose emerged from the roadside, the fourth one of the morning.  A good start to the day.

The only moose of the four I saw that was photogenic

Swamp Donkey aka Moose

I arrived at the trailhead at Roaring Brook about 640am.  To my surprise there was only a handful of cars.  This parking lot often fills to capacity on summer weekends and is closed to additional traffic when full.  I passed a few groups on the Chimney Pond Trail before reaching the trail to Hamlin Peak.

Hamlin Peak, despite its status as Maine's second highest peak, sees relatively few people.  I wouldn't see another person until I reached Katahdin, nearly 5 miles away.  Hamlin by itself is an attractive hike with much of the route traveling above treeline taking in alpine scenery.  The Hamlin Ridge Trail affords awesome views across the Great Basin to Katahdin and the Knife Edge as well as views into North Basin.  Once on the Hamlin Ridge,  you reach treeline quickly and your feet are usually walking on rock.

Looking into Great Basin from Hamlin Ridge

Looking back down Hamlin Ridge

From Hamlin's Peak, the hike heads to Katahdin.  The trail crosses a high alpine plateau called the Tableland.  The Tableland crosses boulder fields and alpine grasses and offers 360 degree views the entire route.  As I reached Katahdin, a group was departing and I had the peak to myself.  On a weekend in the summer, this is fairly uncommon.  Standing on Katahdin alone is quite a treat.  The view is unlike anything east of the Rockies.  Many large lakes dot the valleys.  The other peaks in Baxter State Park are close by as well as the mountains around Moosehead Lake and the 100 Mile Wilderness.  The most outstanding features are the view over the Great Basin and the Knife Edge.

Knife Edge and Katahdin from below Hamlin Peak

Rock strewn stretch nearing Katahdin's summit

Tableland and last miles of Appalachian Trail

Looking back to Hamlin

The Knife Edge is perhaps the most remarkable mountain terrain in the eastern US.  The Knife Edge runs from the summit of Katahdin to the summit of Pamola for just over a mile.  While it is somewhat overstated in some trail guides, it is still quite impressive rising to a narrow ridge towering over 2000 feet above the valley on either side, a few spots only as narrow as a few feet.  All the while, the entire Knife Edge remains well above treeline.  My route took me across the Knife Edge and provided dramatic scenery the entire way.  The pace is generally slow going across the Knife Edge but the most precipitous section is the Chimney.  The Chimney is a col between Pamola and Chimney Peaks that requires careful scrambling  to safely negotiate.
Upon reaching Pamola, the trail descends over three miles, some of it over loose rock, on the Helon Taylor Trail.  I passed several hiking groups along the Knife Edge.

Knife Edge from Katahdin summit

Knife Edge, Katahdin Lake in distance

Looking down Knife Edge

Knife Edge

Knife Edge

Knife Edge

Looking back Knife Edge toward Katahdin, pockets of snow remaining

The weather held out nicely for my day.  Although some cloud cover moved in, they remained quite high and didn't obstruct any of the great scenery despite a little bit of haze.  The weather was comfortable above treeline with my thermometer reading 52F on the summit of Katahdin.  It felt somewhat cooler with a steady breeze.  On the ridges I did encounter some black flies.  Descending Helon Taylor, they were quite numerous and pesty.  They covered the backs of my arms, neck, and had fun getting in my ears.  Luckily I wasn't bit too many times.

As I said, this is among my favorite hikes.  This was my fourth time doing this loop, fifth time on Hamlin, and 15th summit of Katahdin.  Not only is the scenery impressive but Katahdin is a particularly memorable mountain to me as it marked the end of my  jouney on my 2100 mile Appalachian Trail thru hike.

Brann's Mill Pond Revisited

I wrote about Brann's Mill Pond a couple weeks ago in "Paddling Local Waters."  I went again with Puma on Friday and wanted to post a couple pictures from that outing.

Goose with babies, click for better view

Puma paddling in Brann's Mill Pond inlet

Bald Eagle perched on island, nest was nearby, click for closer view

Gulf Hagas

I have been eager to do some hikes in the higher mountains in the area like Katahdin or the Presidentials but the weather hasn't been cooperative.  Yesterday brought heavy rain and showers fell throughout the day today.  I don't want to hike to the summits to have zero visibility in the clouds.  One of the best places to hike after heavy rain is somewhere with waterfalls.  The hike at Gulf Hagas passes numerous waterfalls in a relatively short distance.  I have done this hike several times before but with high water levels I expected the falls to be gushing, and they did not let me down.

Gulf Hagas is located just about in the dead center of Maine just off the Appalachian Trail.  It is a popular hiking destination in Maine and attracts quite a few people on a summer weekend.  Gulf Hagas is referred to as the "Grand Canyon of the East."  While it does flow through a canyon, that moniker is a tad overdramatic.    Go for the waterfalls alone and you won't be disappointed.

The most popular access point is from the Katahdin Ironworks (KI) Road.  To get to the Gulf, one must ford the Pleasant River.  This is a fairly wide crossing and after the heavy rain makes the ford potentially dangerous. There is also a tricky crossing of Gulf Hagas Brook that involves crossing over a downed tree or fording the very fast brook.  I decided to hike in from the upper end of the Gulf.  Both routes are over 8 miles of hiking with the route I chose being slightly longer but slightly quicker without the ford.

The hike begins on AMC trails leading to the Pleasant River Tote Road, an old logging path that is now a hiking trail.  I chose to hike clockwise so I would have the scenery build as I hiked.  The Tote Road is a fairly flat stretch of trail that tends to be boggy and has many long stretches of bog bridge.  After several miles I reached the Rim Trail and the start of the waterfalls.  

The first waterfall is Screw Auger Falls.  This consists of several drops.  Although the first drop is probably the highest, the second drop is the most scenic and a very popular subject of photographs.  Further downstream the brook continues to cascade over several more smaller pitches. In total there are at least a half dozen different drops in this area.  Several swimming holes invite hikers below several of these falls.

The upper falls of Screw Auger Falls, also the highest

Screw Auger Falls, the most popular of Gulf Hagas waterfalls (25 ft drop)

Another view of Screw Auger Falls

the lower falls of Screw Auger Falls

The third highest drop at Screw Auger Falls

Leaving Screw Auger Falls the trail climbs to the rim of the canyon.  Several lookouts take you to the edge of the canyon to capture views of several smaller drops and the walls of the canyon.  The next waterfall with a significant drop is Buttermilk Falls.  A short side trail drops to water level to the base of the rushing waterfall.  A deep hole below the falls makes for a nice spot to swim.  Just beyond the waterfall, you can look down upon the falls from above.

Buttermilk Falls (about 10 ft drop)

A fairly high but narrow unnamed falls near Buttermilk Falls (30 ft drop)

The trail continues following the canyon rim with several more views into the canyon before reaching Billings and Stair Falls.  Billing Falls seems to have the most volume of water passing over of any of the waterfalls on the hike.  There is no trail leading to the falls but the view from the trail looking down to the falls is impressive.  Shortly after Billings is Stair Falls which consists of a series of small drops resembling a set of stairs.  Above Stair Falls is the Head of the Gulf.  Puma and I had lunch at this spot overlooking Stair Falls when we hiked here a few years ago.  Above the falls is fairly deep and sandy and made for a nice spot for Puma and I to cool off.  The trail returns to the Tote Road just beyond the Head of the Gulf.  Once on the Tote Road I retraced my tracks back to the trailhead.

View of canyon walls

Billings Falls (16 ft drop)

Billings Falls and canyon above

Stair Falls (5 ft at highest drop)

Unnamed falls on side stream across Stair Falls (10-15 ft drop)

The hike of Gulf Hagas is moderately difficult.  The seasoned hiker should have little difficulty but it could be strenuous for the casual visitor, especially if fording the Pleasant River.  Even though the trail doesn't have significant elevation gain, the area tends to be wet longer than most areas making for treacherous footing over slate and never-ending roots.  Lots of small ups and downs over wet roots can be tiring.  With the recent rain the trail was exceptionally slippery with areas of slate being as slick as ice.  It rained on an off as I hiked and that kept the people to a minimum.  The recent rain also made for magnificent conditions of the falls.