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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Middle Carter, South Carter, Carter Dome, NH
Trails
Trails: Route 16, herd path, Imp Trail, North Carter Trail, Carter Moriah Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Nineteen Mile Brook Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty at 19 MB no issues 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Some of the smaller crossings on lower Carter Dome trail were open but easily crossed - a few had sketchy snow bridges but they held today and will hopefully stabilize a bit with the colder temps - no problems with the big crossing or the smaller ones on other trails 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Some blowdowns here and there, some with established herd paths but overall not too bad for this time of year 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Hannah had a great day - she postholed a few times if she stepped off trail but otherwise kept it in four paw drive all day and did fine 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Did the loop clockwise today, surprisingly some parts were not nearly as packed out as I'd seen on the Wildcats just two days ago, we wore snowshoes all day - Camp Dodge herd path and lower Imp trail were pretty choppy, trail was broken out but very unconsolidated crust and snow, snowshoes helped but it was still uneven and slow going at times. The track had less crust and was smoother in the trees, presumably because it didn't soften with the sun yesterday and then freeze again. Similar conditions to the ridge and over to Middle Carter with a few spots of bare rock on the ledges, CM trail north of the North Carter trail junction hasn't been broken out since the storm. The conditions from Middle Carter to South Carter were worse - the trail was broken out but had seen more bareboots/spikes than snowshoes, and the track was even more uneven - the track improved once past South Carter though, so some people must have done an out and back to either South or Middle over the weekend. Near Zeta Pass there's a shortcut path from CM trail leading to Carter Dome trail, either path gets you to the junction quickly though. The side slope on CM trail to Carter Dome was annoying as ever, pretty well broken out but still tedious and not too consolidated - some big drifts approaching Carter Dome summit in the usual spots. The loop over Mt. Height and CM trail down to the hut were well broken out but like all other trails they weren't totally consolidated - no sign of recent activity on Black Angel trail and only one set of ski tracks headed down Rainbow trail. Carter Dome trail heading down was somewhat consolidated, 19 MB was not surprisingly the most well packed trail all day. Snowshoes definitely recommended for this loop - these trails haven't gotten as packed down as others since the big storm last week, and we saw several waist deep postholes in addition to the unconsolidated track - anything less would have been very tough going. Some flurries in the afternoon but no wind to speak of and we didn't see a soul all day - thanks Tim and Hannah for a great day.  
Name
Name: Hikes with Hannah 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-03-21 
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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