| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Chocorua, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Champney Falls Trail, Piper Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, December 24, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The parking lot is plowed, but is also a giant sheet of ice. It is lightly sanded, which helps a bit... |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Numerous crossings, nothing is bridged. Bring waterproof boots, I wouldn't even attempt this trail without them. The first crossing is almost impassable due to high(ish) water an icy rocks. DO NOT ROCK HOP. We took the bridge for the road across and found a herd path rejoining the trail. Beware icy rocks at other crossings. See "Comments" about accessing Pitcher Falls. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
2 notable blowdowns, although they aren't causing too much disruption. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
My had a blast. Plenty of water on trail to drink from. The snow is crusty on and off trail. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The trail is in ok shape until about halfway between the trailhead and the waterfalls. From this point all the way until breaking treeline on the summit ridge, the trail is torn to bits. Postholes continuously and the warm up has melted/washed away big chunks of the snowpack on the trail. This means that there is a ton of water, mud, and exposed rock. We were in and out of our spikes way too much. The postholes were everywhere... Fragments of the monorail are surprisingly stable, which helps, but geez our ankles were sore by the end. The falls were amazing with all the ice and flowing water. The "trail" to Pitcher Falls was only doable with waterproof boots. This is because to have to only use submerged rocks for the water crossing to avoid the ice above the water, totally worth it though. |
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 | Name: |
T Jordan |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-12-24 |
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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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