NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Jefferson, NH
Trails
Trails: Jewell Trail, Gulfside, Castle Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, February 20, 2022
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: about 6 cars - parking rather haphazard at 8AM. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The one down low was looking a little sketchy, and you can see some who pushed the limits too far - tread carefully due to the warm ups. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Two duckunders in close proximity to each other a bit before you pup up above treeline. Easy enough to navigate, small saw could take them out.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: none seen. 
Bugs
Bugs: negative 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: negative 
 
Comments
Comments: What started as a relatively easy glide up Jewel turned into a maddening traverse above tree line. For some reason, the 10 or so hikers all started from the lot in crampons. I bare booted 1/3 of a mile up Jewel before switching over to snowshoes to try to level out the postholes. Lucky for me, I' slow, so I was the last one coming back down the trail, and I snowshoed that back down again. Trail is well established. Winds were fierce with definite below zero wind chills. (-50? 70mph gusts). Ran across two hearty lads coming over Adams and Jefferson, planing to hike out Isolation. Wow... much too cold/windy for a big traverse, but I hope they exited safely. My eyelids began freezing to my face, and the balaclava was covered with ice. Goggles a must. Brought the ice axe, and a few sections could have been prudent to use it, but they were short enough. microspikes did the trick for me (Hillsound Trail Pro's) once above treeline.
There's a section above treeline where the trail goes astray, but by following the established winter trail, you can hook back up with it. Another section not marked well (sign also blown down) in the valley between Clay and Jefferson. #44 for me on the NHW48.  
Name
Name: celo626 
E-Mail
E-Mail: celo626@comcast.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2022-02-22 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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