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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Tom, Mt. Field, Mt. Willey, Mt. Avalon, NH
Trails
Trails: Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, Willey Range Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, December 9, 2012
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parking lot at Willard House open and dry. Only car in the lot at 8:00AM.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Black, Ice - Blue, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All crossing had low water, no ice and were easily negotiated 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No issues. Tree work referenced in prior updates on this site nearly complete on Willey Range Trail. Remaining trees were easy to step over. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw 6 dogs on trail of various sizes. Water crossings and most ice was easily negotiated even for small dogs. They all seemed to be handling the conditions easily. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Somebody left a neon green stuff sack on the summit of Mt Field at the outlook facing Presidentials. There were still several groups out behind me and it was in a very obvious spot so I left it assuming it was left intentionally to cut weight (?). Hopefully that was the right decision. 
 
Comments
Comments: Very good conditions for this time of year.



Avalon Trail from lot to split with A-Z was very dry and had very little ice. All water crossings were very easy. Up A-Z trail to Willey Range had a little more ice and slick dirt so I put on microspikes just before the 2nd river crossing but it could still have been done without. River crossings on this section also very easy.



Mt Tom spur trail very easy with a little ice on some of the rock scrambles that could be easily avoided. Willey Range Trail had quite a bit of thicker white ice on all the rocks but very easy with microspikes. There is one steep section down the back side of Mt Field heading toward Mt Willey that would be pretty tricky without traction due to steepness and ice. The storm damaged sections of the trail heading to Mt Field have been nearly completely cleared by trail crews. Only a few step overs of some remaining trees and one well trampled bushwhack around a particularly bad section. Thanks to that trail crew!



I descended Avalon Trail and the top section going from Mt Field down to the flats before Mt Avalon had a lot of very tricky sections where I had to grab trees and bushwhack even with microspikes. I would avoid descending this way. Quicker and safer to head back out to Mt Tom and go back down A-Z trail even though it is a little longer.



All in all good conditions and good views at all the outlooks. Dead calm on Mt Avalon at 3PM. The Gray Jays were out at all the peaks too looking for snacks. Excellent day.  
Name
Name: DayTrip 
E-Mail
E-Mail: bblanchette0709@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2012-12-10 
Link
Link: https:// 
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