| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Emerald Bluff, NH |
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 | Trails: |
The Link, Castle Ravine, Emerald Path, Israel Ridge Path, Cabin Cascades Trail, Log Cabin Cutoff, Randolph Path, Amphibranch |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 30, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
There were maybe half a dozen vehicles there when we arrived, and about the same when we left. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
There was open water on most, but rock hops on snow covered boulders or fallen logs on minor drainages worked fine. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There were a few blowdowns, a couple are walk arounds, but I took out the one new one that really blocked the trail on Israel Ridge. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
There is a fair amount of open minor seeps and drainages which could get paws wet, more down low than high. Emerald trail was hard for Pepper, it was hard enough for me to get traction, but he had to get through chest deep snow too. Sometimes being a small dog has its challenges. It is a very steep trail with granular snow over hard icy crust, and probably would have been much easier going down than up. He picked up quite a few snowballs from this section. I would break trail for a stretch, then hike down to get behind him in case he slipped, and then he would hike up the broken section. That worked well, although it was slow, and he was able to get up on his own. Israel Ridge, Cabin Cascades and parts of some other trails were unbroken with a half of foot of snow or so, sometimes more, and so he had to work extra hard. Once we hit Amphibrach the trail was packed and he just flew down ahead of me, kicking up his heels in the freedom. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I hiked The Link to past Amphibrach in bare boots, then switched to snowshoes partly for traction and partly to pack more snow down for Pepper. It was a delightful snowshoe. On Emerald's steeps the granular snow kept their crampons from biting into the icy base, so I eventually took them off to bareboot. I did try my spikes at one point but I don't think they helped all that much. Long spike crampons would have been best. On Emerald Spur I switched back to snowshoes and they were just the ticket. Upper Link, Emerald, Israel Ridge & Log Cabin Cutoff were all unbroken with no base underneath that I could find. Cabin Cascade had a single boot track. Due to granular snow on a slide slope, it was slower going than expected to keep from sliding downhill. These trails may be "broken" but they aren't at all packed; snowshoes are still best. Randolph had a single snowshoe track so I tried to add to it. Amphibrach was packed down and fast. Cliffway was unbroken.
The views from Emerald Bluff were nice; surprisingly there were some pretty good wind gusts while we were there. The original plan was to just do The Link to Cabin Cascades and then do the Cliffway complex. By adding Emerald Bluff I turned a delightful snowshoe into a tough hike for Pepper and he deserved all the extra treats he got and more. He is the mighty tough little dog. Thankfully he didn't fire me as guide, but I apologized. He was delighted with The Link and Amphibrach sections.
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
windriversjohn at gmail dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-01-30 |
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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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