NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Wildcat A, Wildcat B, Wildcat C, Wildcat D, NH
Trails
Trails: Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, ski trails
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Thursday, January 7, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at Great Glen Trails, walked the mile to 19-Mile Brook then only had 1.25 miles back to the car after Wildcat Ski Trail descent at the end of the hike.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable) 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The tricky 'flooded log bridge' was much lower than last week & very easy. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: 19-Mile Brook is well consolidated and a little powdery above the stream crossings (Micro spikes are best). Wildcat Ridge to A Peak is firm and easy to follow; I used crampons but good snowshoes would work as well. Switched to snoeshoes after A peak and kept them on the rest of the trail & all the way down Wildcat Ski Trails. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Parked at Great Glen and walked to 19-Mile Brook, started up at 11:30. Met someone in the lot who had just come down from A Peak in snowshoes, saying there were no issues (other than cold and steepness!). 19-Mile Brook was well-packed fast today with much less ice than last week; made it to Wildcat Ridge in 1:15. Switched right to crampons and ascended Wildcat Ridge without poles to A Peak in 45 minutes. Never missed a step and not a single posthole so crampons were the perfect choice for conditions. Just past A Peak I put snowshoes on and the trail got more powdery with lots of 2' deep drifts in A-B and B-C cols because it was very windy. But there were many sections where the monorail stayed firm and intact. Some of the descents were steep but never really tricky and I was up & over D Peak in just 1:10 after reaching A Peak. Descended The Polecat & Catnap Ski Trails and reached the bottom in another 50 minutes. Two more Winter 4000 footers brings my 8-hike total to 14 peaks in my quest for the single-season Winter 48. I'd like to do them all in 30 or 31 hikes or less (conditions permitting). Mid-week hikes rule because I did NOT see another person on the trails today. Total time 3:30 plus 50 minutes for Ski Trail descent.  
Name
Name: Bob H 
E-Mail
E-Mail: hynoskyb@aol.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-01-07 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved