| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Tom, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, May 1, 2015 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Summer like conditions |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Lower crossings were open with some unstable rocks, poles helpful but wet boots likely; middle ones were still bridged enough for snowshoes but likely boots will punch through this weekend, upper were still bridged. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I recall one significant blowdown down low, but it isn't a big problem. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Pepper had fun in his first hike after getting his winter fur removed. He had to do some wading in the lower crossings but water levels/flows aren't bad. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Found two nice OR mitts on the Avalon section on the way up. Since they were still there on our hike down, and given the late hour, I took them to the Highland Center and turned them in at the desk. |
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 | Comments: |
This was an after work Calendar Day hike, and to my surprise it was a wonderful snowshoe once we got above the first sets of crossings. Bareboots gripped poorly right from the start, spikes helped on the icy sections that followed, but there are bare patches with them, and this stretch didn't last all that long, and in the loose snow of a rotting monorail they were useless. After getting across the first sets of crossings and spot bare areas, I put on the Evo Ascents and they were perfect. They smoothed out the soft rotting monorail section and higher up they bit into the more solid monorail nicely, up and down. There is some postholing mostly on the sides of this monorail section, but it is still sufficiently wide, flat and supportive. We ran into 3 young men in summer hiking boots on the Tom spur, with no gaiters, who had come up the A-Z from Zealand, and the first comment from one was: "He's got snowshoes. That's what we should have had." They said they had no idea there would be a lot of snow on the trail. I am used to this on major traffic trails like Crawford Path in April, but this year I've heard it on several much lesser used trails. We saw one other couple in spikes. It was a peaceful and contemplative late afternoon to early evening hike, with splendid views of the higher Presi peaks from the viewpoint, the patchwork evening sun shining on the new snow caps. |
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
|
 | E-Mail: |
windriversjohn at gmail dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2015-05-01 |
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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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