Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Washington, NH |
|
| Trails: |
Tuckerman Ravine, Lion Head |
|
| Date of Hike: |
Sunday, November 29, 2009 |
|
| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
|
|
| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
| Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
|
| Water Crossing Notes: |
|
|
| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of new blowdowns on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and on the way up to Lion Head. Most can be circumvented easily, but there are quite a few blowdowns an hanging branches on the Lion Head trail that you have to basically crawl under. |
|
| Dog-Related Notes: |
You could probably take the average dog to Hermit Lake. Above tree line...it would be a challenge. |
|
| Bugs: |
|
|
| Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
| Comments: |
Started off the morning with some question as to whether the winds would allow for a summit attempt. By early afternoon the winds were only in the 50's so it worked out great, saw 20+ other hikers hitting the same window of opportunity.
Tuckerman Ravine Trail is essentially packed down enough that you can bare boot all the way to the Lion Head Trail junction. On the way down it was developing some icy patches the last mile before Pinkham Notch.
The Lion Head Trail is too narrowly broken out to make snowshoes a good idea, so started with microspikes. Unfortunately, there is a large bushwhack opened up that goes almost straight up the grade and looks quite a bit like the actual trail, at least at first... The bushwhack is to the left of the correct trail and be warned, if you go this way, you will need crampons, crawling skills, and lots of long reaches for branches to help pull you up. It does reconnect with the correct trail on the ridge but it wasn't all that fun.
Cloud level around 5000 feet but it receded as I approached the summit. Snow conditions on the ridge are mostly drifted, packed powder. Footing is good, with a few posthole hazards between the alpine garden and the summit. Snow ranges from 2-3' above treeline with some scoured out areas. |
|
| Name: |
John Stevens |
|
| E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2009-11-29 |
|
| Link: |
https://www.netrucktire.com/mtwashington112909.html |
|
|
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. |
|