| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Webster, Mt. Jackson, Mt. Pierce, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Webster-Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail, Crawford Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 14, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
At Highland Center, Crawford Station, the pullout below the station, pick you're poison. Not a lot of people today for sure. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Most crossings on Webster/Jackson were pretty easy. The one 2 tenths below the Webster Cliff trail cutoff is a little tricky. Go upstream a bit and you have better rock hops. So the big one on Webster Cliff Trail just after the cutoff was easier than it looked. Footprints indicate recent traffic turned around there. There's a log that will get you to the middle of the stream (you're wearing spikes right? so you won't slip off it...it's just a balance issue), then you can rock hop from there to the other side. BE SURE TO PROBE WHERE YOU INTEND TO STEP, a lot of inviting footholds will just collapse right into the stream. After that just nuisance crossings. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blowdowns, frankly I expected a lot more. Most of the big ones you could walk around. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
No dogs today. No people today either. |
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 | Bugs: |
No bugs |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
Very icy on the lower to mid sections on Jackson/Webster. Microspikes were serviceable, but the Hillsounds would have been better. Contemplated putting on the snow shoes just for the traction (but didn't). There was more of a snow pack higher up on Webster Cliff so the ice was less of a problem. EXCEPT coming off Jackson summit there's a big sketchy spot of ugly brown ice. You can avoid some of it by going around the right side, but 40-50 feet of it seemed unavoidable. An ice axe would have been welcome. The trail was (mostly) consolidated Webster to Jackson and I tread lightly and didn't put on the snowshoes. After Jackson the surface is softer (when it's not a freaking stream) and you will want the shoes. I just kept them on for the rest of the hike, even down Crawford Path, for the traction.
There is water everywhere after the rains Saturday. There are dozens of streams running across the trails or down the trails. Some you can sidestep, some you just have to clomp through and apologize to your traction which is taking a beating from the rocks. Rocks, ice, snow, repeat for pretty much the whole trip. It's just a nuisance and slows you down. |
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 | Name: |
Muench |
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 | E-Mail: |
erik dot coder at gmail dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-12-15 |
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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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