| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Carter Ledge, Middle Sister, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Carter Ledge Trail, Middle Sister Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 5, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
There were two plowed out areas maybe .5 to 1 mile south of White Ledge Campground but we pulled right up to the gate even though there was about 6-8" of snow on the ground. Needed to shovel out some tracks to get my AWD car that has a low clearance up off the shoulder. Room for about 5-6 cars maybe. We were the only three there at 8:30 a.m. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Bridged or hoppable |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some blowdowns but easy to get around |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
There was so much snow at the top of Carter Ledge and on the summit of Middle Sister, a dog probably would've been okay but normally the ledges can be too icy. |
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 | Bugs: |
N/A |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Pair of hiking poles were left at the gate. We snapped a photo to post on Lost and Found in the White Mountains Facebook page. |
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 | Comments: |
We broke trail all 9.5 miles up Carter Ledge and down Middle Sister. Leading up to the Nickerson Ledge junction, the snow was crusty and not too deep but once we started to ascend the 2nd half of Carter Ledge Trail, the snow got deeper and took a lot of energy even for 7 of us in our group to alternate breaking. A couple steep pitches at the last mile toward the ridge were slippery with 8-12" of fresh snow over rock and sometimes with little to grab onto but not impossible. The infamous sloped ledge that abutts a cliff was also covered in deep snow. In dry conditions, this ledge is tough to climb up and we debated how to tie webbing or nylon rope to a tree above but, to our surprise, one of our group discovered with that much snow, you can just walk up the ledge! The trail was marked very well until the last .5 mile to the ridgeline. Then, it got tricky to find the route so we may have bushwacked here and there. Summit was windier than expected but great views all around. The way down Middle Sister from the ridge had some blue ice underneath snow so it was easier to butt sled down a handful of steep descents. We saw lots of bear and maybe moose prints along the way. Snowshoes all the way but we carried crampons just in case since the summits are notoriously icy in winter. Wouldn't hurt to bring rope and an ice axe. |
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 | Name: |
Annaliza |
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 | E-Mail: |
annaliza.hikes@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-01-06 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.meetup.com/rndmhkrs/photos/30648645/487945034/ |
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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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