| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Lookout Ledge , NH |
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 | Trails: |
Vyron D Lowe Trail, Crescent Ridge Trail, Sargent Path, road walk |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, April 11, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The snow was minimal enough that I could pull off roadside without a problem at the Vyron D Lowe Trail where the Randolph Spring is located. Look for the sign! I don’t recall whether or not there was room to pull off at the trailhead for Sargent Path. I was the only car around. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Vyron D Lowe Trail crosses two small brooks as the guidebook noticed but I crossed water at least a couple more times than that. Probably just drainages. In any case, everything was small and easy. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Vyron D Lowe Trail and Crescent Ridge Trail are blazed in orange although the very short section of the CRT I was on may not have been blazed. There was one large limb down low on the Vyron D Lowe Trail that’s easiest to walk around and I think there was a step over blowdown a bit further up as well. I had to do some blaze searching on Vyron D Lowe Trail as it was untracked and not all that obvious. Sargent Path has seen bootprints so not sure how hard that would be to follow if it wasn’t. I don’t recall how that trail was blazed but it was probably orange and blazed decently like Vyron D Lowe Trail and most other trails in the RCF. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I didn’t see any but dogs would probably be fine on this short hike. |
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 | Bugs: |
I saw some snowfleas on one of my weekend hikes...can’t remember if it was this one 🤷 |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
I had a few hours left of sunlight after doing the Blue Trail Loop in the Cooley-Jericho Community Forest and figured doing this hike would make a future redline in the RCF easier. 35F when I started around 5pm and a mix of sun and clouds.
Bring snowshoes! I didn’t and definitely regretted it. The snow depth is minimal to begin but I was surprised how much the (new) snow depth increased in under 900ft of elevation gain. Sorry if my postholes bother anyone tramping through there although after yesterday’s warm weather and today’s rain I imagine they’re mostly gone. The only time I sunk in to my knee was when Vyron D Lowe Trail flattens out and joins the old logging road and around Crescent Ridge Trail where there was unstable snow underneath the new snow that I punched through a few times. Other than those few times, I pretty much just sunk to mid-shin.
Snow coverage was complete except near the botttom of Sargent Path where the trail was open and wet. Nobody had been on Vyron D Lowe Trail but at least one person had done an out-and-back on Sargent Path. The snow depth seemed less on it as well but maybe that was just because it was broken. Hard to get traction coming down Sargent Path as there usually wasn’t a base underneath the few inches of powder. Consequentially, I don’t think spikes would help much and I didn’t bother to put mine on. Just prepare to slip and slide a bit.
Personally, I was happy to go up the less steep of the two trails and descent the steeper. Nice views to Kings Ravine and Adams with two of its sub peaks and Madison to the left of it. There seemed to be a handful of animals that came out to the ledges to enjoy the view as well ;) |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-04-13 |
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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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