| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Field, Mt. Willey, Mt. Tom, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Avalon Trail, Willey Range Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, A-Z Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, November 10, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No issues, water was low and rocks weren't icy today |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One blowdown between Field and Willey at an annoying height (difficult either over or under), shouldn't be an issue with a few feet of snow - four blowdowns between Field and the col but all easy to get around - otherwise trails in good shape |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Hannah had a good day, plenty of tracks to sniff up high (bear, pine marten, rabbit and grouse among others) and not too cold with one coat - one small slip on an icy flat section but no issues with the steeps - still plenty of open water down low for a drink |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Started in 1-2" fresh powder from the Highland Center, gradually increasing to 3-4" in places on the ridge. We headed to Field first and the icy patches started shortly after the Mt. Avalon spur - I put my micros on there and left them on until down low in the afternoon. There were a few icy sections on the ridge where I was glad to be wearing them but for the most part it would have been navigable without them since the snow was sticky, I just feel more sure-footed with rock spikes with the changing conditions this time of year. Some tricky ice on the Mt. Tom spur and down to the junction, spikes definitely helped there. Snow became slushy heading down from Tom and the trail was down to mud below the junction where it was probably above freezing most of the day. I would definitely recommend bringing spikes since some of the slush will likely freeze over in the coming days, especially if there is some melting from the trees. Saw 8-10 people on the trail, most were reasonably dressed for the conditions - one group had come up the ladders on Willey Range Trail and said they weren't too bad. Not as windy as forecasted and we had some decent views from the outlooks near all three peaks. Great day to get out and start getting used to colder weather, mixed conditions and all the fun the comes with winter hiking - thanks to Tim and Hannah for another fun hike! |
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 | Name: |
Hikes with Hannah |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-11-10 |
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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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