Trip report 4/31/10 Following the trail up Ramsey's Draft from the Mountain Home trail head, there are 6 crossings before you reach the intersection with the Jerry's Run trail and 6 more to the point where the Left and Right Prongs of Ramsey's Draft merge and you head up the little valley of the Right Prong. The water was low for us and crossings were easy, leaving hiking boots dry as we crossed on stepping stones. Downed trees slowed us down slightly but they are marked for clearing by trail crews soon. On the other hand, the Jerry's Run Trail is heavily obstructed by large downed trees - forcing us to crawl under and around them - not pleasant and slow going. The Right Prong stream is small enough that the three crossings are just a hop across. What was once a notable virgin hemlock grove in the Right Prong is now a sad graveyard of hemlocks - easily 90%+ are dead now (they have been wiped out by the the hemlock woolly adelgid, an insect introduced from Asia) and with their shade gone, the ground is exposed to sun and the trail is crowded by yellow birch by sapling branches - making this part of the trail a hot, brushy slog. This had been perhaps the most beautiful place to camp in Ramsey's Draft - it isn't anymore. We filled water bottles at Hiner Spring at the top of the Right Prong - a good thing because it was the last potable water we saw as we completed a loop back via the Hiner Spring, Wild Oak, Bald Ridge and Bridge Hollow trails (walking the eastern ridge above Ramsey's Draft). These trails have not suffered storm damage and were clear. The small wildlife pond at the intersection of the Wild Oak and Bald Ridge trails - between Big Bald Knob and Gordon's Peak - had some murky water in it. This section has fantastic views, at least before all the leaves are out.