| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jackson, Mt. Pierce, Mt. Eisenhower, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Webster-Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail, Crawford Path, Eisenhower Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 20, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked at the small lot across from the W-J trailhead on RT. 302. Plenty of parking in Crawford Notch. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The first crossing on Webster-Jackson was flowing good and only partially bridged but not very stable. I crossed using the pair of logs just upstream. The other crossings were fully bridged and supported my weight, I wouldn't go jumping on them though. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nothing significant. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Popular trails for pups and I saw six in total today. Just watch where you step on the first mile or so on both Crawford Path and Webster-Jackson because they are both popular sections for careless people who don't clean up after their dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Webster-Jackson from the start was a mix of ice and snow and supportive enough. The first steep section had more significant ice flows but it was soft enought early this morning for my moderately dulled micros to grip. The approach to Jackson's summit was all exposed rock. Just after descending down Webster Cliff Trail there are two sections of firmer ice. These required a little more care in the dull spikes but I succeeded in safely/awkwardly navigating.
The trail to Mizpah Spring Hut was soft yet still stable if on the track, there were certainly sections that were postholed but most looked to be done by a moose. From the hut to Pierce there are some elevated narrow sections. Need to stay on track here, just slightly stepping off would result in postholing. Snowshoes could be used here.
Pierce summit was bare rock but once on Crawford Path you'll hit a mix of sections of deep snow to ice and exposed rock the whole way to Eisenhower Loop. The sections of snow were heavily postholed and unstable. I did put on snowshoes at one point but quickly switched back as it went back to bare rock, there is just no great way to deal with this section. I ended up barebooting much of the way up to Eisenhower then back to spikes on the descent, just short sections of ice here. Crawford Path back down to RT. 302 is a sidewalk and fast.
All summits were completely socked in but weatherwise not all that bad. I spoke to a few who mentioned the wind on Eisenhower earlier but when I hit the summit it was only lightly gusting. The weather (and likely the fact it's now spring) did appear to keep people home today. I crossed paths with only about 25 people all day.
These three peaks grids out March for me. Bring on April. |
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 | Name: |
Kyle L |
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 | E-Mail: |
kjlanctot g mail |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-03-20 |
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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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