| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Jewell Trail, Gulfside, Jefferson Loop, Cog Rail Trail, Trinity Heights Connector |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the Cog hikers' lot and paid the $10 fee. Lots of room today, but on a weekend with nice weather, I'd imagine it would fill up quick. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blowdowns along the Jewell Trail, which were easy to get around. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The Jewell Trail was well packed but a bit soft, so I wore snowshoes from its trailhead to the junction with the Gulfside Trail, then switched to light traction and kept it on for the rest of the hike. There were some icy spots on Gulfside, as well as the above-treeline part of the Cog trail, but I got by fine with careful steps. The snow got a little wet and sticky on the hike down from the sun hitting it, and it was balling up under my spikes, but overall the snowpack there was still mostly firm.
With only a few days left in winter, a day off from work, and a stellar weather forecast, I knew I had to spend the day above treeline, and this loop over Jefferson and Washington fit the bill nicely. A couple weeks ago, I tried to hike Jefferson for the first time in winter but turned back, so it was good to finally get that first winter summit, and since this was my first hike of Washington in March (which was the only month I hadn't hiked it in), I've now hiked the Northeast's highest peak in every calendar month. Textbook ending to this winter season for sure. |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-03-17 |
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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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