| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Passaconaway, Mt. Whiteface, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Dicey's Mill Trail, Rollins Trail, Blueberry Ledge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, November 29, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Four cars in parking lot when I arrived at 11:30 am; one car and one 15-passenger van in lot when I returned at 5:30 pm |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Slush |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Put on Microspikes for one major crossing on Dicey Mill Trail; left on for remainder of day |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No major blow downs, but removed hundreds of branches |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Severe water ice makes trails unsafe for dogs right now, unless they can be outfitted with crampons, which would be really cool to see |
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 | Bugs: |
None today; perhaps temperatures in low teens had something to do with that? |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Sanity was lost several times |
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 | Comments: |
Upper Dicey Mill Trail above junction on summit cone consisted of boilerplate water ice over extensive stretches. My old worn, broken Microspikes were marginal, but crampons would have been a pain, as still lots of exposed rocks that hard to avoid.
Passed the only other two guys that I saw all day just below the Passaconaway summit; they had come across from Whiteface and "sandbagged" me by saying that the ice was not too bad; one had bare booted the entire route. In fact, Rollins was extremely icy, although some crunchy snow in places.
Upper Blueberry Ledges were extremely icy and dangerous, with many places where a slip would have fatal consequences. If I had crampons or a rappel rope, I would have used them in several places. Lower Blueberry Slabs also icy, but more easily manageable. Lots of open water on bottom two miles, which was tedious to navigate in the dark. I do not recommend this route until temperatures warm up to soften up or remove some of the ice, or we get some thicker snow cover. |
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 | Name: |
HFKA Dr D |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-11-30 |
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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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