For a hike on this Saturday morning, I chose a trip Washburn ridge in the Hoffman Notch Wilderness. I drove to North Hudson and took the Blue Ridge Road west to the northern terminus of the Hoffman Notch Trail. There is a sign there and a small parking lot.
My first 2.4 miles were on the Hoffman Notch Trail heading south up into the notch. A 0.9 miles there is extensive beaver activity and flooding. A few logs are often strategically placed to assist the hiker to negotiate the submerged trail. I managed to cross today.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqymJL14a6kmPSZSB1OtHzk5yFdTwrYKDwwfFhAbdAUABt0ifDSDn5zwc23COcXePN9_O7AZXj0LAMT0aAZurW6Ar-feyWgtTqeU4s85Pj84R_qGXXmjC0jA1o74TNW9X0l0d14Roxe2cm/s640/IMG_20160409_090525269.jpg) |
The nose of this old car greets you early on in the hike. |
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No problem with this crossing. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3YVS43hnEVP8Do2f4bVX1BZ7ehIRA48Y7cYFeP9oSBznuIQMGWfVStcPDtb5_mDcBoPf64zEurHd67k-ODSsraqiuETt3NfdcPQFtN5JJGDqdpH8YxJPwtopz7h7eB2nOXIrdsSv2tMv/s640/IMG_20160409_092343670.jpg) |
This crossing is often the problem. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3ibiUZwP9n0azbWj8U0GSYxp8qWgRoTex5jDpkjGqay8BYv-xIMo81-Av12vwpnVR5wm9GmwCFVGHo-FoiSG5Fa2PB304SOkMU-UYq3-X1-1CuKx2IW955qj_CABU4RV5fzdRKf-tK-X/s640/IMG_20160409_095657866.jpg) |
A nice small cascade |
At the location where I left the trail, there is a large headwall. It was still covered in ice on this day, although some large chunks came thundering down. I saw a couple small cairns as I started out, but no indication of human presence after that.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-cbT5ZMraazq4QcbaZRn3WVERwZmVnARJjvuxwkvUhg7y67hXpj7Kj7CsazdgHqf3E4GeEsDC4i751VXHAmTbAsCxzvnNKycb2GHtMJnZv7EGe981WD71_QHB82hqFzRRMU-8j4IEhpQ/s640/IMG_20160409_101703258.jpg) |
I climbed up to the left of this ice flow. |
I kept a wall of cliffs on my right for perhaps a half mile until they ended.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3It0bjouaEks0YyE7T1HopzRAmxwwl1uHfl5Q1nHpoBVJgxRamp5NhPvSntbzhx-4uf5Om1KfgB-IWRK99MCtjB2GYs1X-Cb8R_cOuXa4zvVCDLkF6ZEjOHQ0ICRm0pYr9WeTvCMIPIQ/s640/IMG_20160409_102201770.jpg) |
Looking back towards Hornet Cobbles |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pqYIcPRHsaycJYMDxgkksQ315XpfmwrusYOSaj7VVNzSRvc1kx8Iqahgyh-UrdxK6b3KrUCb30bSlnQDdSxpJ6DkNlSHKBhZ-RT_KRHX8wBQm5l8OLItH36_Fhisy3vPUzW8SFF9rR07/s640/IMG_20160409_104544602.jpg) |
... and a little higher with snow. |
As I got up to around 2000' the ground became snow covered and a little slippery for climbing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ1B4NnoEHhaqYDfvavEm4oqa6rGEet2SYe1GwtiYE1cykQkV9vj3AqLK04SVqjnLsPD-T5PXaNRfC0U_2OT0z3HWDQNXc_tMzd7_cZIeove47rY0NX4LR2eaXhcHWKSqIyPWrGeRqXoD/s640/IMG_20160409_105547241.jpg) |
Big Marsh in the distance below. |
Higher up the grade tapered for a bit and with the open hardwoods, it was really easy climbing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNKgFKuxM-ue2ZdsZwKC5kOeT99vaST6k8NAF3m-U7QYRVNGgqLxGm_quiXilpME1sycBJ5cLPjuS9EUjDFa1hZBXu5uXfMzsgAvORMwSI5Xpxyce09U1IU2N_RdLrRMbkN7rpdNGG7rL/s640/IMG_20160409_105919362.jpg) |
Really open hardwoods just below the summit. |
Alas, all good things must come to an end. The pine and spruce closed in and I had to paw my way through the wet snowy branches. At least it was only for a quarter mile.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJBqYFHlHnyltmHl_l01ZqgO-JR6VAtgC21Iws-dFFd6fNPtbdsaNcFpnz4Rz-zoaq-Kour9kUZyomxtcvucrnXaMfWuDgRjFy9oPtufzKWpeJeh-wLVXCTz_4L6yogw-w3Q3EwCPzNFW/s640/IMG_20160409_112458463.jpg) |
The summit ridge. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwMn4Bp7DrZXJxFRtVbbiThVk0LaO8lO8lDuxBVSUzUzZODzTeTfnXfFeQMIYTi1M7Ka0Tbo6iIGGnq4ipbzhvK1ktgHqxkNw0aiaogVpB34yUktwj7ivQpDMLo3VseUdRRSgyJ49r2A_/s640/IMG_20160409_113050392.jpg) |
The view... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3X3sdOyEqB7ASd9UBji1JJeIx-_yJ5YbSiIuwXmc8QXpjjbkAPHnxbSZ3rZlbMXmtp-nthMDSefRJKlfo_2EMlZxAU0-axWbEROhVMMdIjRJ6bLA_am1z9vYRi1E2n4jdOR1sqC93rNkn/s640/IMG_20160409_113640747.jpg) |
The summit |
I reached the summit and found no view were to be had. Earlier I had thought about continuing over to Sand Pond Mountain, but now it just didn't feel like it, so I retraced my steps in the snow back to the trail and out. I would find a different hike for the afternoon.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oJdrIMNWiwd2WliKcllFyaGVl4vdi1U-0M1zQOrpIxNcHzo0X0rKy6sjTayyCkMXLAafxUfsZquzmu5hNIOdY-g_c0_p_JTg7u8ysDW1Vhf8dNi_5MeOkBpDl1YHXaalminKSf7s31pn/s640/IMG_20160409_122402607.jpg) |
Coming back down and looking back up at the cliff wall. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSz0LLxVO0ilaS1osPxhyphenhyphenuhrhO2csqqboWAEs-ytqdQC-m4y85Db1Pnk5n0jYyqCMugjCuzN00jsk5tn_sEsBytEBnU_-LUoKpRpuCJCF2_UwsrSb81zO0SFFHtORaR7tgGlFg982O2vAU/s640/IMG_20160409_122655312.jpg) |
A last look at the icy headwall. |
Hike Stats:
Hike Distance: 7 miles
Hike Time: 4.25 hours
Total Vertical Gain: ~2000'
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoby7_4hJLDNaJGBqFFEwIEWzKSKx7_D7Rv7zUa3i3_lQiXR8JH5ZVqIPgkSoPybf9PiaJR9lJMZrOD-r44s29GQcB3eT9pYDu7-CNfxcqf1-a42qY6C3uyvzLi-86W4niAvA-iU4J9er/s640/20160409+Washburn+Ridge+topo.jpg) |
The route (click image to enlarge) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1cj8cCsP0CdYL_hPFa3jVWSk7879S1rBIWUuQDObf5otxQ6V_HzKDsvRHtYwlzeym_crDaTJ5rnsC-lO8vu479p5KNPDUgpnGklvs-8pcBuV8nI8vU14hV9YPHqxGOZ-Vn4wJO4aGDwm/s640/20160409+Washburn+Ridge+NG+topo.jpg) |
The Nat. Geo. map |
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