Brian and Jim tried to do this a couple of years ago, but something else came up. After about 10-15 suggestions as to what to do this weekend, we had a winner. I had never hiked this trail when it in use. The trail is fairly easy to follow to begin with, and is seeing some maintenance, which I highly doubt is legal. On the way we took a short side trip to a 3k peak, S. Whaleback, leaving the trail around 2800'. We had good woods, no blood was shed (yet), and despite some drifting off the ridge, and then getting turned around, we made the summit in good time and even better spirits.
Getting back to the trail and doing some steep climbing (passing an old AMC sign on the way), we reached the prize for the day, the ledges, including a nice view of the Osceolas and Scar Ridge.
Above the ledges is a large, long plateau. The trail was still easy to follow for a while.
And then it wasn't. That's Brian on the trail, with me on the trail behind him.
We hit numerous patches of thick, thick fir/spruce, with a ton of blowdowns. Curses were uttered, blood was shed, continual climbing and crawling. It was going to be a long, long day with a possible headlamp finish if the whole way was like this, but after a good, long while it opened up again and we had a pleasant cruise to the Osseo Trail, which I've also never hiked, so the amazing run of ladders was new to me.
Of course, so was the Downlook. The sun started to peek out just as we got there, giving especially nice views of the Bonds and especially Bondcliff.
