It was an unusually large group of us OTHH that hiked in to aptly named Mt Isolation. This peak, on the NH 48 4K list, is not easy to bag, being on a remote ridge that is part of the Dry River Wilderness. Our route took us up the Rocky Branch trail from route 16 (Pinkham Notch), to one height of land, down and then back up another high point, and finally almost to the Rocky Branch River. At this point, we were about 3.4 miles in from the highway. From here, we took a short herd path/bushwhack (0.2 mile) through a damp, mossy area, emerging on the Isolation Trail, having bypassed two crossings and saving a half mile of trail. Trekking north a couple of miles, and taking another herd path around crossings 3 and 4, we came to an unavoidable crossing. But the dry weather of late made for low water flow and easy rock-hopping. Pressing on northward, we took a very short third bypass through a tent site near the intersection with the Davis Path. Then it was only another mile of easy hiking along Davis to the short spur trail up the rest of the way to the summit of Isolation, with about 6.5 miles of trail behind us.
Meanwhile, Jonathan and Becky had hiked in via the Glen Boulder trail, which oddly takes one first to a point a thousand feet higher than Isolation itself!
It turned out that Larry had started his hike early, reached the top of Isolation ahead of us, headed down, and missed us at that tent site shortcut. He stayed on the main trail to the trail junction, then started back down the Isolation trail just as the main group was cutting off the corner, just yards away!
But at the top of Isolation, there were eight of us gathered for lunch. Carol completed her first round of the 48 4K on this peak. It was interesting that we had our celebration lunch along with another woman, hiking with a friend, who also completed her first round of the 4K. Below, at the top, are Pat, Becky, Jonathan, Carol, Jane, Deb, Dick, and Andy.
The long lunch over, we began our 6+ mile hike back out. Shortly after leaving the summit, we finally encountered Doug and Pam, who had been delayed patching up a couple of wounds Pam suffered, one on her arm and another, more serious, on her leg, a result of close encounters with broken branches. But the pair continued to the top, then hiked out, passing us on the way out, as usual. Over ten hours from the start, we all gathered at the parking lot for a tailgate celebration of round finishers. It turned out that the previous week's hike, up Adams and Madison, marked the completion of Pat's "over 75" round. Finally we hit the road home, although for Pam there was a detour to the ER to have her leg wound properly addressed.
