| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
East Sleeper, Mt. Whiteface, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Dicey's Mill Trail, Tom Wiggin Trail, Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Kate Sleeper Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Brook crossing on exposed stepping stones. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Solo trip. East Sleeper was the target but I also summited Whiteface for the heck of it. Used Tom Wiggin as the primary approach to Whiteface. OAB to Sleeper from/to Whiteface, descended to Ferncroft via Blueberry. Minimal snow depth below, around 2 feet up high (4" fresh powder atop older denser stuff with breakable crust).
Lower Blueberry and Dicey's were hard packed, compressed to ice in places. Found only a single set of footprints on Tom Wiggin, partly filled in with new snow. Very little ice on Wiggin, just needed to kick step up with spikes. Snow got deeper above the steeps and I used snowshoes the remainder of the way up Whiteface and on to Sleeper. Upper Blueberry was a mess of postholes and drifts alternating with stretches of firm packed trail, with icy spots on the tricky ledges but I managed to get up with snowshoes (can't recommend it though). Followed a buried set of snowshoe tracks for about 0.3 down Kate Sleeper but they seemed to vanish (must have turned around). I broke trail the rest of the way, although the crusty snow beneath aided floatation in places. Kate Sleeper trail seemed in good shape, just a couple of walk-over blowdowns. I abandoned snowshoes for spikes on the descent of Blueberry but there were some sketchy spots that made me wish I brought crampons. Saw no one else all day. Spectacular atmospheric conditions--could see as far south as Monadnock and the Uncanoocs, maybe even Wachusett (I think), to the SE I could see the ocean glinting. |
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 | Name: |
Barefoot Paul |
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 | E-Mail: |
paulwgagnon@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-19 |
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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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