| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Moriah, Middle Moriah, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Rattle River Trail, Kenduskeag Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, December 17, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Rattle River lot is directly off US 2 and is plowed after storms. This nice dirt lot (in summer) can hold 20 cars. No privy or kiosk. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The two major crossings of Rattle River (past the shelter) were accomplished with careful testing of the ice bridges. These small bridges held my 160LBS and snowshoes. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Several small blow downs on Rattle and Kenduskeag. One large blow down directly on Kenduskeag just before the steep ascent before the junction with the Carter-Moriah trail. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good trails for dogs. Watch the two large water crossings outside of freezing temps. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Route:
Rattle River Trail > Kenduskeag (both are the AT) > summit trail > and back.
Gorgeous fresh powder during today's snow storm. I could not resist. My snowshoes demanded a "snow day." Oh did the weather gods deliver... I savor that silk sound as the powder flies off the snowshoes. Swish, swish.
Rattle River: well blazed in standard white AT blazes. All are above the snowpack. Water crossings discussed above. There was already a pretty good snowshoe trench set up past the shelter. But today's snow filled that it. Now there's only my shoe prints.
Kenduskeag: Also nicely blazed in white. This was NOT broken out at all. Man, I forgot how exhausting breaking trail though 2+ feet of snow can be! Man was I smoked by the time I got to the junction with the Carter-Moriah (C.M.). I lost the trail just before the steep scrambling up Moriah. I figure my snowshoe prints will be filled anyway, but to help: about 0.5 miles before the C.M. junction there is a large blow down in the trail next to a sizeable bolder. You must head towards the right of the boulder, then turn sharply left and begin attacking the steep slopes of Moriah. There is a white blaze higher up on this hillside, but you have to be heading that way to see it. Gaia helped me figure out where to go, kinda. It at least showed me I was going the WRONG way. Freezing temps don't allow holding small electronic devices for long. I managed to find the trail sans Gaia. But man, trail breaking from this point to the summit was a total body effort.
I wore snowshoes from start to finish 'cause that's what is most advantageous in these (finally!) winter conditions. Plus it is so satisfying watching the powder poof up when walking through it.
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-12-17 |
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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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