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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Moosilauke, Mt. Moosilauke - South Peak, NH
Trails
Trails: Ravine Lodge Road, Gorge Brook Trail, Carriage Road, South Peak Spur, Snapper Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, April 19, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: First one in the Ravine Lodge Road @ 7:30. About a dozen others when I returned early afternoon. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Major crossings on this route are bridged. Other minor crossings were no problem today. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A couple of fallen trees on Snapper Trail. Sign at Snapper Trail/Carriage Road junction is on the ground.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw four coming up Carriage Road as I was descending. They seemed to be happy - as were their owners. 
Bugs
Bugs: None. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: I put on rock spikes at the car due to a semi-frozen coating of snow on the road which disappeared when I returned. Gorge Brook Trail was mostly down to the ground at the start but increased snow fill until ~ 2900' where there was total snow coverage with a stable base until out of the trees where coverage was less. Carriage Road from the summit was a postholed mess in a couple of spots likely due to drifting. Once approaching and into the scrub a stable base reappeared until Glencliff/South Peak junction. South Peak spur was in surprisingly good shape. Rock spikes stayed on until return to the junction. Carriage Road below the junction had seen less traffic so I put on snowshoes as the snow was getting sticky late morning. It helped for a small period but they became overkill since much of this stretch of Carriage Road is more open and therefore the trail was pretty boney. I kept the shoes on thinking I may need them on Snapper Trail but it was more of the same there so I took 'em off and put the rock spikes back on - which really did not do much good: by this time what snow is left became was getting sticky and slippery and I felt like a marionette bumbling down the trail. Took the spikes off for good at Gorge Brook junction. Though they weren't critical today I can see where snowshoes will be the best bet in coming days. From mid-morning on there were many drips and globs of snow melting off the trees - I almost put my pack cover on.

I was going to go clockwise and visit South Peak first but since I was the first one in the lot I figured there was a good chance I would have the summit proper to myself - and I did. With near zero wind I stayed for about 30 minutes listening only to a very light breeze and some melting snow drips. I could have stayed longer but pressed on to South Peak for an early lunch - spent about a half hour there in solitude also. Clouds were high enough to barely allow for defined views of distant peaks and ridges. I saw a total of six others for the entire trek.

 
Name
Name: HMJ 
E-Mail
E-Mail: trailsntrees(at)gmail(dot)com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-04-19 
Link
Link: https:// 
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