| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Deer Mountian, Deer Mountain - South Peak, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Snowmobile corridor, Deer Mountain Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, December 29, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
As luck would have it, the lone DOT guy on his way to the Canadian Border stopped, backed up, and plowed out the lot for us. We had prepared to be plowed in and left car in such a manner to get out. Lots of thank yous and thumbs up where had for this plow driver! 4" of fresh pow at the lot |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No issues with water |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The blazing here is done via painted blue rectangles nailed to trees. However, they either where applied too tight, or the trees have grown and are dropping them on the ground. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
There was a dog on trail who was having an absolute blast by his footprints. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A MAGNIFICENT day was had way up there bub, about 4.4 miles from Canada. The day started with an absolutely stunner of a sunrise over the Franconia Haystacks. Thanks to Charlie for an amazing breakfast, couldn't beat that view. Wow!! See parking notes above. We broke trail - go figure - through the entire journey. We opted to go to the fire tower first as we both knew there would be little chance coming out of the whack we would want to go there. The trail is hard to follow in spots, but thankfully Nordic had a summer track so we could at least check it down and then. See trail maintenance notes as to why. The fire tower is actually cool, you cant really climb it as they have removed the rungs, but there is a tree stoically growing right up the middle of it. Worth the price of admission alone. This would be the end of the type one fun. We launched from more or less the HOL at 3000. The first half or so was decent wood, tough, but movable. The last half to the summit proper where some of the most challenging woods I have been in to date. Coupled with heavy, snow laden trees. It was thick, and then it just kept getting thicker. It never stopped. Nordic cracked a remark that is not fit for this forum but it makes me guffaw even writing this. "Hey Teal It could be worse, just think...." And that was the boost we both needed. She was like a bull in a china shop through this stuff, which was absolutely warranted. I was helping with navigation and watching the compass. We ended up walking right up to the canister, of which we could not open. It we where even five feet left or right it would have been an absolute thrash fest. The vintage 1970's sign that was removed a few years ago has been returned to its true home. Even with our own tracks, in many spots it was hard to follow our own footprints. That thick. Lots of moose activity, came across two yards, and fresh moose tracks using our trail, whom must have been displeased because there was fresh pee and poop in our tracks. Oddly enough, a bare booter or two had come up to the first water crossing and turned back. We smoothed it out. Trail is a mix of fresh pow on a layer of crust, to fresh pow up high. Approx 24-36" at summit proper, as derived by tree wells and how far the trek poles sank in. Incredibly hard fought day, another one for Nordic for the 200W! :) I'm beat! |
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 | Name: |
The Teal Goat & nordic_gal |
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 | E-Mail: |
sea2thebiscuit@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-12-29 |
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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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