| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jefferson, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Castle Ravine Trail, Cornice, Castle Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 4, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
no issues |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Drifts, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All water was very high making it imposible to cross the lower stream crossings by stepping on stones |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some blowdowns on Castle Ravine Trail and on Castle Trail. Castle trail needs blazing badly |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
none |
|
 | Bugs: |
none |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
This was a long hike. This was the second training hike for a group doing a single day Presidential Traverse in June and while I have done this hike before with groups, this day was particularly challenging. The water was high which made for tricky crossings, especially in the early goings. As we got up towards the section where the Castle Ravine trail turns into virgin forest, we encountered several feet of rotten snow making the climb slow going. We broke out onto the boulder field at the bottom of the headwall and found all the talus wet, making it very slippery. We made our way up to Edmands col and chose to bail by taking the Cornice trail across to Castle trail rather than bag Jefferson as originally planned. On the col, and at that 5000' elevation or so, we found large snowfields, some as much as 6-8 feet deep. This, in effect, buried many cairns, and, with the heavy fog and mist, made navigation difficult at best. The snowfields were full of spruce traps which only compounded the need for care.
We got to the Castle trail and picked our way down in fog with no views. Once below treeline, there was still 2-3 feet of snow in many places with plenty of postholes. Trail was relatively unblazed which added an extra challenge to wayfinding in the dark. We finished this hike hours after we normally finish.
For 360 video from the hike go to: https://youtu.be/-bqkK5sdXEg For hiking opportunities with Exploring the Whites, check out the website at www.exploringthewhites.com
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|
 | Name: |
Charlie Stewart |
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 | E-Mail: |
charlie@exploringthewhites.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-05-07 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.exploringthewhites.com |
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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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