| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Wildcat A, Wildcat B, Wildcat C, Wildcat D, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, ski trails, Route 16 |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, February 15, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lot is pretty well packed down snow but easily negotiated and plenty of room. About 8 cars when I arrived at 7AM. Lot close to full at 3PM when I left. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Few crossings all frozen over and had log bridges. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Pretty good condition. The annoying blow down 100 yds or so from 19MB parking lot is still there. After that, only a few easy duck unders the entire way. Not a problem now but if snow ever gets deep they will become problematic. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Fine for dogs although I didn't see any. |
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 | Bugs: |
none |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Found a Black Diamond carabiner on one of the ski trails which I managed to loose by the time I got home. |
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 | Comments: |
Trails in very good shape. 19MB trail picked up a bit of snow recently and most of the hard ice and scratchy areas from last weekend were a nice packed powder track. Surprisingly still a few open areas of standing water (easily avoided). After the Carter Dome split the trail was almost entirely packed powder/loose packed powder with an occasional scratchy spot. Shortly after junction with Wildcat Ridge Trail I switched to crampons expecting an icy and scratchy climb. It was all packed powder, grippable granular and loose powder almost the entire way up. The entire ridge was pretty much the same thing with a few exceptions. The B/C col for about 0.1-0.2 miles was untracked, very deep and firm drifts that were very slow going. And the steep drops in the "step" section heading from C to D were pretty icy with loose powder on top and scratched off areas. I wore crampons all the way over to the observation tower and it was nice in the steep areas and for grip in the powdery areas. Snow shoes (which for the first time in I don't know how long I did not bring) would have been the best call for the ridge overall, the drifted area, grip and televators on the steep climb up. Saw 2 people in snowshoes, 3 in spikes and 1 in crampons (but he came up from Rte 16). Hard to imagine much better conditions this far into Winter. |
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 | Name: |
DayTrip |
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 | E-Mail: |
bblanchette0709@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-02-16 |
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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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