| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
East Mountain, Snake Pond Peak, MA |
|
 | Trails: |
New England Trail (NET) |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, January 12, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked by the gate at the end of Old Holyoke Rd in Bush Notch. I then got a Lyft back to my car from a parking area on Rt 141. Room for just a few cars at each. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
I don't recall any. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The NET is blazed in white, and usually pretty frequently in my experience. I don't remember this section being hard to follow, except for a shar left turn off the ridge shortly north of RT 202 that could have been marked much better. Signage was in place as far as I recall and the NET is usually signed at all road crossings in addition to having more detailed signage at the start of every section. I don't recall any blowdowns, but that doesn't mean there weren't any. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
This was a redline of sections 4, 5, and a very small portion of 6, of the NET. The part of Section 6 I did was just from where it crosses Rt 141 to where it comes very close to it again, just west of the Whiting Street Reservoir (it wasn't quite dark yet, so I wanted to keep hiking, but not enough time to get to another road). This was during that stretch of warm weather and before the snow came, so snowshoes weren't needed, and there was a lot of bare ground. It was a pleasure to be hiking without a jacket and in trail runners instead of boots! Spikes could have and probably should have been used at times with some icy sections, but they were very here and there, and I was too lazy to put them on. This section has more views than other sections, but is also a bit steeper and rougher, though, when compared to the White Mn guidebook, certainly over exaggerates (the climb up from Bush Notch is most definitely not "very steep"; the side of the mountain is very steep, but the trail switchbacks, making it more moderate). Gaia had me at 10.4i, 1500ft of gain, 4hr10min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2026-02-06 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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