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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Whiteface, Mt. Passaconaway, NH
Trails
Trails: Dicey's Mill Trail, Tom Wiggins Trail, Rollins Trail, Walden Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, April 18, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Was the first car in the lot today around 9am. A few cars when I got back. No issues. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Small Patches 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The one water crossing on Tom Wiggins was a little tricky -- there wasn't an optimal path to cross. Ended up just walking across the shallowest part I could find. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: Bugs in the parking area, but none on the trail. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Did the loop clockwise today, hitting Whiteface first via my good friend Tom Wiggins. Tom Wiggins trail is half dry, half ice. The lower half is very steep and loose as the trail sign indicates. At about 2500', I hit the first ice sections, where I opted for full crampons. Because this trail is so steep and narrow, I would not suggest doing it with just microspikes. I took the crampons off once I hit the Blueberry Ledge intersection. The section on the ridge after the Blueberry Ledge/Tom Wiggins intersection and the summit of Whiteface is off and on ice monorail. This was the most annoying part of the hike because the microspikes went on then off a few times. The Whiteface ledges are ice free, but the small trail sections in between have ice on them. Due to these conditions, it took me longer than I would've hoped to get to the Whiteface summit.

The Rollins trail between Whiteface and Passaconaway is smooth sailing. It is a mix of ice monorail and/or solid snow monorail where micros worked perfectly. Once you get back to Dicey's Mill, the ice starts to get more patchy, and remains that way up to the Passaconaway summit. I kept the micros on anyway even though I probably destroyed the spikes crawling up the rock stairs to the summit. Dicey's Mill going down was way better than Tom Wiggins. The ice is patchy most of the way and starts around 3000'. A talented hiker may be able to get to the Dicey Mill/Rollins trail intersection just barebooting.

Overall, great day to be out and great way to spend Marathon Monday. Only saw a couple people the entire day.  
Name
Name: psuhiker 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-04-18 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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