Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
East Osceola, Mt. Osceola, NH |
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| Trails: |
Greeley Ponds Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Saturday, February 22, 2020 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Greeley Ponds Trailhead on Kanc is not being plowed this winter. I parked a few minutes' walk east of the trailhead at a plowed turn-out - room for a few cars there. I believe people are also parking a short distance west of the Trailhead at the Greeley Ponds ski trail parking turn-out. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Traction, Ice Axe |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
A few open drainages low down, but the two major stream crossings were adequately snow-and-ice-bridged (though opened up a bit by some hikers who were not wearing snowshoes). |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Signage seemed okay (no signs noticed atop Osceola). Blazing seemed okay on GPT, not so prominent on Mt. Osceola Trail. The little summit cairn atop East Peak is under snow. A few leaners, droop-overs, and blowdowns - one a crawl under - but no major obstructions with current snow level. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
I saw one dog with his human companion between the two peaks. |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
I was able to snowshoe from the trailhead on the Kanc to the main summit and then back to the top of the steeps below East Peak, where I switched to crampons for extra security on the descent; I switched back to snowshoes at the base of the steeps. There were a few spots ascending East Peak from Greeley Ponds that were steep and with somewhat awkward conditions (e.g. soft snow that slipped off a firm base; one or two spots with exposed ice; some rocks sticking up through the surface, etc.). I opted for the bypass of the chimney bypass, which was not too bad on snowshoes; others were opting for the chimney bypass. The GPT had been tracked out recently, and the MOT had been tracked up to the East Peak, but I had to break trail through some wind drifts over to the main peak; the breaking was straightforward, as was following the old track. Several other hikers were using snowshoes, but the trail down from East Peak was churned up and divoted a bit from several hikers who were not wearing snowshoes. |
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| Name: |
PeterC |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-02-22 |
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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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