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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Wildcat D, NH
Trails
Trails: Wildcat Valley XC Ski Trail, Jackson Ski Touring/Prospect Farm trails
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 19, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Carter Notch Road is only passable/plowed until the lower Prospect Farm parking lot, where we parked. The Bog Brook Trail lot/trailhead is unplowed but not gated. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: At higher elevations a few small water crossings were lightly bridged. No major water crossings on this route. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A few large blowdowns cross the trail, but nothing impassable on foot. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw a few tracks but no dogs in person.  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: A beautiful day for finding total solitude on the back way up to Wildcat D! The most notable guest on this hike was a sleeping black bear who we passed on the way down—she was out like a light in the middle of the trail and so still that we hardly even noticed her!
I used microspikes for the hard packed ice of the groomed XC ski trails at Prospect Farm, switched to bare boots for the middle section of the Wildcat Valley XC trail, and then back to spikes for the final ascent. As the day warmed up (it was in the low 30s at the trailhead and below freezing at the summit), the snow at lower elevations became much stickier, and I ended up ditching the spikes a few times during the hike because snow kept balling up under my boots. Snowshoes definitely would have been preferable, as we post-holed a few times in the soft loose snow towards the top of the trail. Since this trail is very lightly used, the snow isn't forming a monorail and in some places is still quite deep and soft, although there is a pretty study crust under a good deal of the trail.
The Wildcat Valley Trail has been closed to skiers since 3/18, was totally empty except for us today (no hikers on the summit, but lots of skiers). There are tons of animal tracks visible on the trails, though, including bobcat, moose, rabbit, several birds, and bear (live bear included). The Wildcat Valley XC trail is full of wildlife, surprisingly gentle, and a great alternative to some of the steeper/icier and busier trails up Wildcat. I used the Jackson Valley Ski Touring map for this hiker (http://jacksonxc.org/wp/media/jackson-xc-trail-map-2014.pdf).
A longer blog report with pictures is forthcoming, whenever I happen to get around to it. :~)  
Name
Name: Sarah 
E-Mail
E-Mail: swelch 94 @ gmail dot com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-03-19 
Link
Link: https://thewoollysock.wordpress.com/ 
Bookmark and Share 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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