| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Velvet Rocks, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Velvet Rocks Trail, Velvet Rocks Shelter Loop, Ledyard Link |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 13, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking area on Trescott Road at the AT crossing is plowed but very icy - be careful. No officially allowed parking at the western end of Velvet Rocks Trail, however I did see a hiker emerge from the trail and get into a car that was parked there. There seemed to be no shortage of parking spots in that vicinity, so I'm not sure why hikers are told not to park there. Parking area for Ledyard Link is plowed, and there doesn't seem to be any parking area for Trescott Spur. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All bridged or frozen. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails seem to be well maintained. No blowdowns, and all signs are in place (including the sign for Trescott Spur, which the WMG claims doesn't exist). |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I suppose. Some of the steep icy sections might be tough though. |
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 | Bugs: |
None. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Headed west on Velvet Rocks Trail from the trailhead on Trescott Road. Trail had plenty of bootprints but no one had snowshoed it. Snow couldn't have been more than a foot deep, so it wasn't too bad. Since it had been warm Saturday and then there had been a hard freeze, the snow was quite hard, almost solid - snowshoes wouldn't really have helped much since they wouldn't have packed down the snow much. Initially there wasn't much ice and barebooting worked. The trail takes a winding and mostly gradual route up the Velvet Rocks ridge, until it reaches the junction with Oli's Trail, at which point it becomes steeper and icier. I could've put my spikes on then, but decided to be stubborn and made it up to the high point while still in bare boots. There were a few bootprints on Trescott Spur just past the summit, and there was also a sign (the WMG says there's no sign).
The next 0.7 miles, to the northern junction of the Shelter Loop Trail, was interesting. This section goes up and down some small but steep hills, and many of the steep sections were also quite icy. I slipped and fell on one of the icier sections, and decided that was a good time to put my spikes on (I'd definitely recommend spikes for the entire trail west of the high point). I think I could tell approximately where the fixed rope was, but I couldn't see it (I assume it was buried under the ice and snow), and I didn't need it - the trail is icy, but if you take it slowly and carefully you'll be fine.
From the northern junction with the Shelter Loop Trail (which is also the junction with the side path to Ledyard Spring, and thus to Ledyard Link), I took the Shelter Loop first. The short, steep pitch at the beginning wasn't too bad, and the rest of it was fairly easy and quite obvious. The rest of the AT to Route 120 was also obvious, but quite icy in places. On the way back, I took the section of the AT bypassed by the Shelter Loop, which was well-packed and easy.
Not wanting to hike those steep, icy sections back up to the high point, I followed the spur to Ledyard Spring, and then Ledyard Link to Trescott Road. This trail was well packed and mostly flat except for a gentle descent near the end. The road walk on Trescott Road back to the AT crossing was about 1.7 miles.
Just one more AT section needed (Hanover Center Trail) before I've hiked it from Hanover to Kinsman Notch. |
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 | Name: |
GN |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-02-13 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.meetup.com/young-redliners-hiking-group/ |
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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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