| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Zealand Mountain, Mt. Guyot, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Zealand Trail, Twinway, Zealand Spur, Bondcliff Trail, Guyot Shelter Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 1, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Zealand Road was OPEN. The initial hill was a show stopper for a few folks with bald tires. As of this evening, there was an inch or two of snow on it with some ice underneath. Zealand Road, Haystack Road, and Gale River Road gates were ALL open. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Black, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossing above hut was ice bridged. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blowdowns, but nothing too bad. One stepover between hut and ridge, I think another one between the ridge and Zealand, a couple in the Zealand-Guyot col, one on the descent to the Guyot-Bond col. A few on the Guyot Shelter Spur, including one that has fallen on tent platform #2. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Zealand Trail was generally packed powder, 1-2" deep. Contrary to the AMC backcountry reports, there is nowhere near 9" of snow at the Zealand Hut - more like 3".
Trail not as well packed out beyond hut. Some black ice lurking underneat the snow. Deepest drifts between hut and Zealand Mountain were generally 6" deep.
Little traffic beyond Zealand Mountain. I was the first set of tracks (followed later by two folks). Like Zealand Ridge, generally 2-3" deep. Around treeline, however, there were drifts up to 3 feet deep, but they were short lived, and followed in places by bare rock. Generally slow going due to the shoulder season snowpack.
Went all this way to do the Guyot Shelter Spur. Some interesting views through the trees, but otherwise sort of a long way to go for stupid redlining purposes. Perhaps I should be calling me stupid, not the redlining. But I digress.
I carried Microspikes and snowshoes the whole day without so much as considering using them. Others used Microspikes most of the day without issue. Trails were way too boney today to just snowshoes, however, it snowed throughout the day and into the night, so who knows.
Windy in places along the Zealand Ridge, but surprisingly not bad on Guyot. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-12-01 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos/NewHampshire/zealandmtn-2012-1201.php |
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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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