| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Flume, Mt. Liberty, Little Haystack Mountain, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Truman, Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Garfield, Galehead Mountain, South Twin Mountain, West Bond, Mt. Bond, Bondcliff, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Osseo Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail, Frost Trail, Twinway, Bondcliff Trail, West Bond Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 21, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I was the ONLY one in the lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Slush |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All the crossings were easy rock walks. No ice on rocks |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Franconia ridge could use some brushing back. There are a couple blowdowns on the Bondcliff trail that will require some attention with a saw. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
The weather and trails were not fit for man nor beast. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Lost my blue Columbia beanie. Maybe on Garfield ridge. |
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 | Comments: |
Osseo had been broken out. It looked like several people had gone up and across to Liberty. From Liberty Spring trail on the trail was unbroken. The deep snow and drifts from previous reports had been reduced by the warm temps and rain to about eight inches of mashed potatoes. Even in snowshoes I sunk in about four inches.
Above treeline, most of the snow cover had turned to slush, puddles, and running water. It was basically impossible to not get wet. Micro spikes worked well above treeline to deal with the ice between rocks. The winds along the ridge and at Garfield were much higher than forecast. The descent from Lafayette was treacherous, with saturated snow over sheet ice which basically laughed at my spikes. After several serious spills I made it down to the trees again and back to snowshoes. Not surprisingly, Garfield Ridge was unbroken. This section of trail had much more slush and standing water.
I finally made it to the intersection with Gale River trail and some much anticipated broken trail. Thanks to all that had a hand in that. I ran into Dr D and a friend. We chatted for a while and shared some tales and common friends. Twinway was deeper than elsewhere, with probably a foot of mashed potato. My final hopes were dashed when I saw that no one had visited the Bonds. I finally got back to broken trail where the Bondcliff trail pops out to parallel the Pemi. Whatever survives the warm and wind is going to be solid concrete once temps drop. I think micro spikes will be the tool of choice.
This hike was a good physical challenge and a good test of gear. Staying somewhat dry without overheating or getting chilled required frequent clothing changes, with varying results. If faced with similar conditions I may pack a little differently or, hopefully, be smart enough to just stay home. |
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 | Name: |
Gritty Coil |
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 | E-Mail: |
Pfwayne@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-12-22 |
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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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