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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Stairs Mountain - East Peak, NH
Trails
Trails: Jericho Road, Rocky Branch Trail, Stairs Col Trail, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 5, 2022
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: There is room for 10 cars so so at the end where they stop plowing Jericho Road. There was one car there at 9am and it was still there when I returned. A couple other cars were there and they were dog walkers. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Rocky Branch bridge is necessary to cross the river but is difficult to climb up onto, climbing skills and upper body strength are necessary to haul yourself up 6 feet to the deck. All small streams and ditches are snow bridged  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: trail is wide and not well blazed but it is clear 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Dear me, everyone in Bartlett walks their dog here. Watch out for the poo 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: I kick and glided up a wonderful snowshoe track 1.8 miles up Jericho Road to the washed out Rocky Branch bridge, I took off my skis and I threw my skis and pack up on the bridge. I used the shoelaces hanging from the hanging guardrail to put my left foot and pushed against the post while I grabbed the guardrail with my hands and pulled myself up. I knew that climbing down later would be more difficult. The ski to the Rocky Branch Shelter was nice and I side stepped and herringboned out of the three biggest drainages. Just past the shelter I ditched my skis and put on my snowshoes. I continued up the nice snowshoe track, yah thanks Snowflea&FancyPants and a lone snowshoer that beat me out this morning. About elevation 2000 I left the trail and headed straight up East Peak. Snow was unconsolidated and I used my Northernlites snowshoes, good choice because they float well and crampons were little use in the loose snow, I sunk between 6 to 9 inches. I didn't like this steep bushwhack in August 6 years ago but today was much better being on snow above the bad footing. Nice open woods and then into thicker and thicker forest. I just chugged along happy through thick woods gave me something to hang onto. I went around a couple of cliff bands and magically ended up going straight at the recognized summit (last time it took me forever to find it). On the way back down I fell on my butt and slide a half dozen times, good fun. Skiing back was good and easy.  
Name
Name: Nordic_gal 
E-Mail
E-Mail: amybike@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2022-03-05 
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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