Sucker Brook trail to Colvin Brook lean-to

[twochordcool]

Please post any and all information that you may have about this trail!

Well, this past weekend a friend of mine and myself attemted to get to this lean-to, but a few variables made us turn back when we were just about at the height of land before heading down to the other side.

1) We ditched our snowshoes because there was very little snow when we started out - but we were sinking in up to mid-thighs when we just about made it to the top!

2) My friend got a wet foot when attempting to cross a brook!

3) Due to my "unorganization" it was already 3:30 when we had about 4 miles more to go - and we were quite fatigued already.

4) The temperatures were in the teens and dropping.

5) The Central Region book states that "the trail beyond the col is not recommended in winter"! We did not know exactly what to expect, as neither of us had been there before, and we did not want to take any chances. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY THAT TRAIL IS NOT RECOMMENDED IN WINTER, PLEASE?!

6) The book also states that there is a brook / stream / river after the col that we were going to have to cross no less than 10 times before we arrived at the lean-to.

Considering everything that we knew, and everything we did not know, we decided that it would be a good idea to turn back and try something a little easier and more familiar.

I am dying to know what this area is like - the Carry lean-to area and the Colvin Brook lean-to area - it bothered us to turn back -

can anybody tell us what they know about this section?

Also, can parking be reached near the Wakely Dam this time of year?

Is there high water with no bridges that we need to concern ourselves with? (It talked about "wading across" in the book!)

Thanks ahead of time for any and all information!

[AntlerPerak]

twochordcool

can parking be reached near the Wakely Dam this time of year?

Usually not but I have driven in there in early April years past. As the road is steep and has several sharp turns it is best to wait for the town crew to grade it first. The road is dirt over the later miles and is often rutted making spinouts a risk.

I am dying to know what this area is like - the Carry lean-to area and the Colvin Brook lean-to area - it bothered us to turn back -

The N-P between Carry Lean-to and the Colvin Brook Trail travels through a wet area but is a very pretty section. The Carry Lean-to reminds me of a scene right out of a Field and Stream photograph. The Colvin lean-to sits on the east side of the Cedar River. You cannot access the N-P from Colvin lean-to without fording the river.

I have not been on the Colvin Brook Trail east of the col/river but it seems to me the 10 crossings you speak of are because the trail follows the stream up to the col. It is really two different streams we are dealing with here. Colvin Brook follows the trail up to the col which you would cross ten times. Between the Colvin Lean-to and the N-P trail you have the Cedar River. So had you managed to follow the Colvin Brook Trail all the way you would have discovered the Cedar River just west of the lean-to .