| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Whaleback Mountain, Mt. Flume, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Old Osseo Trail, bushwhack, Osseo Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, March 4, 2017 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
room for several cars at Clearbrook condo development visitor parking area |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
There were several minor crossings and 1 major crossing - had to step on icy rocks/rocks below water level to safely cross. All streams required careful selection of crossing site. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Old Osseo Trail is VERY difficult to follow above Whaleback in winter. I don't recommend it at all. Several times I almost turned around. I noticed flagging in certain spots. The snow, being maybe 2-3' deep puts the firs at about 3-4' above the snow - VERY difficult to find the corridor. Occasional yellow blazes helped. Eventually, along the ridge, I just took a north bearing and bushwhacked to the Osseo Trail - was VERY tedious. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
crossed some large dog tracks coming down the steeps |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was not a good choice of route to a 4K for the calendar day. My goal was to avoid postholed trails to avoid turning an ankle. I really wasn't planning a bushwhack, either and I didn't remember this being a bushwhack trip (during summer as I've hiked it before, perhaps a few years ago). SO, after a recent (skiing) eye injury and having no eye protection proved vexing along the ridge as I tried to protect my eye with my hand as well as navigate in the zero temperature and hold poles. At times, the trail corridor just disappeared. Glad I carried hand warmers as it was horrifically arctic along the ridge. Once on the regular Osseo Trail, I couldn't find the Old Osseo Trail from that end either. Side hilling was very rough.
Descent was tough also - at times I wished I had crampons as the dusty snow just covered up icy crust. In places, on the steeps, I just scooched down - butt sliding didn't really work. I took it very slow - I think the descent took longer than the ascent. I couldn't stop to do anything as it was just too cold.
All in all, better than a day indoors, but, not by much!!!! Took about 6.5 hours RT for around 10 miles - YIKES - it was SLOW |
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 | Name: |
Becca Munroe |
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 | E-Mail: |
beccahiker@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-03-04 |
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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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