| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Willey, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ethan Pond Trail, Willey Range Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 3, 2011 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The short road up to the summer trailhead is still closed. Plenty of parking just off 302 where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All the small brooks this route crosses remain snowbridged. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Couple of step-overs. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Great hike for dogs, but beware the ladder section, which is very steep and icy in places (see below). Tuckerman had no problems going up or down -- his long legs gave him a boost -- but Polly struggled a bit in this section. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
I lost a water bottle somewhere, probably on one of the butt-slides coming down. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Plan A was to go up Adams with the dogs while there's still plenty of snow-cover on the rocks, but with wicked fierce winds in the forecast, we opted for Plan B. The entire route was beautifully broken out. All the ladders on the Willey Range Trail are still buried in snow, and this section is very steep and difficult in any kind of traction. Going up, previous butt-sliders had made it slick; digging in with snowshoes step by step took time, and the last 10 feet were especially difficult. (Crampons wouldn't be overkill over the ladders right now, and neither would an ice axe.) Other steep sections were also smoothed by butt-sliding. Going down, we butt-slid the ladder section in two parts and controlled our speed with my walking staff. The summit was windy on the southwest side, not windy at all on the northwest side. Stunning views in all directions. Saw one person. Got an early start, so home in plenty of time to watch the afternoon's Red Sox game. Photos at link below. |
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 | Name: |
The Feathered Hat |
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 | E-Mail: |
stevebjerklie at yahoo dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2011-04-03 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/99682097@N00/sets/72157626297206777/ |
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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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