Summary: The most commonly climbed trail out of the Lake Imaging parking lot, Jim Branch is a fairly mellow climb with a few steep sections and a handful of rooty, technical climbing sections that leads into most of the other trails in the Lake Imaging area, such as Ridgeline and Isaac Heath.
Difficulty: DuPont Beginner - The climb is fairly mellow and there are no high consequence features, but for true beginners, the grades may be a bit challenging in certain spots and there are a few technical sections to note, one of which starts off right at the beginning.
Length/Elevation Change: 1 mile, 300ft of climbing
Notable features: The trail can be a bit intimidating right at the start, as there is a long rock armored segment to start the climb off. There is a bypass on the left after the first 20ft or so, but don't be alarmed, this is the only segment of this nature on the trail. From there, the trail weaves through and pitches up/down a bit, with a few short, but steep climbing sections. Near the middle, there are a few technical features, mainly consisting of small batches of roots, but all are easily seen and walked. Outside of these 3-4 sections, the trail is mostly smooth and mellow to the top.
Details:
Coming soon...
Directions:
Parking at Lake Imaging, take Lake Imaging Rd past a small lake on the right. Shortly after the lake, you'll see the rock armored section on the left, which starts off Jim Branch.