| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Whiteface, Mt. Passaconaway, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 31, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I thought they were giving away free stuff because the lot was almost full. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable) |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction, Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The log is much wider than a balance beam! |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some minor blowdowns near the bottom of Dicey's Mill, that's about it. They took care of the BIG ones. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
One content border collie on the trail moving well. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
It was -13 when I left my house and 12 when I left the lot in micro-spikes at 10:40. My goal was to do the loop & return to the car in 4:50 and that was my exact time. Blueberry ledge trail was thin & crispy with no real base for over a mile then it turned to packed powder. The sun was really strong and it was like a sauna once the trail got steeper! The lower ledges were nice but as soon as I hit the steep first 'real' ledge on went the crampons. The snow was turning mushy and once again, I could never have found traction with just spikes on. The ledges had tricky spots but were not treacherous because there was no ice.
The Rollins trail was soft but consolidated and I was able to blaze from South Whiteface to the Dicey's Mill jct in about 50 minutes even pausing for the great views into the Bowl. I think Rollins wore me out because I felt sluggish going up Dicey's to the Passaconaway summit but the trail was beautifully broken out. I didn't do the summit loop because the Wonalancet Trail was too powdery. From the summit it was all downhill on Dicey's Mill until the stream crossing, then it leveled out with minor ups & downs. Tomorrow 2/1 might be your last chance for 'highway conditions' before the big snow hits on Tuesday! These two 4000' peaks give me #32 & 33 in my quest for the single-season Winter 48. Hopefully, with 7 weeks of Winter left I'll have enough energy to finish the final 15 on the list in 9 more hikes. All this driving is what's wearing me out! |
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 | Name: |
Bob H |
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 | E-Mail: |
hynoskyb@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-31 |
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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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