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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Adams, NH
Trails
Trails: Air Line Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Appalachia is melting! Overnight freezing temps freeze lakes at both entrances but these turn back to lakes by the afternoon. No issue getting across them in with matter state. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Three brooks. First crossing is the largest, able to rock hop with snow shoes. Remaining two crossings are opening up but small and would not present an issue even with spring run off. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: None. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: No dogs. 
Bugs
Bugs: No bugs, yet... 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Monorail on beginning of Airline is destabilizing. There is about a 12 inch stable rail in most parts below 2000 feet elevation. Even snow shoes are starting to punch through. The trail up to 2000 feet is a post hole mess (includes new and pre-winter holes). You will twist your ankle if not watching.
Above 2000 feet the monorail stabilizes, but numerous post holes make it a challenge for snowshoes to gain purchase, especially on the 0.5 mile steeps through the Hemlock forest. This section remains in shadow and will likely be the last section to melt. There are lovely, but significant ice run offs on the already exposed rocks of these steeps. Able to gain traction in snowshoes around these sections, including downhill. Hate saying this but I was glad for some of the post holes in this section as they provided hand-holds for going up the most vertical sections.
Above tree line is interesting. Last week it was snow and ice covered even over Durand Ridge and the knofe’s edge. 6 days later there is very little snow and ice and a lot of rocks. Later in the afternoon there was mud. I wore crampons because the ice flows were wide and long in the sections where they were present. Crampons, however, presented a balancing issue on the numerous rocks of the scree. So, I ended up taking off and putting back on the crampons for the 1 mile of scree below the summit cone.
At about 5400 feet elevation the rocks remain covered in snow and ice, more thickly on the northern side. Traction required at this point and up to the summit as the snow is ice covered.  
Name
Name: Remington34 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-03-21 
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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