| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Moosilauke, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ravine Lodge Road, Gorge Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 31, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot and road were both very icy in the AM when we arrived , wet and muddy in the afternoon when we exited. While we were descending, we started to hear from hikers coming up about a parked truck that had slid from it's parking spot across the lot and was blocking the road, preventing a number of people from leaving. Shortly after that, the owner came running past us on his way down to the base. The truck was gone when we arrived back to the lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Some open, some bridged - all easily managed |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw several, all looked to be enjoying themselves - although the smaller ones may have got swallowed up by the post holes up top! |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
We carefully bare booted the road up to the TH although spikes could have been worn from the start. We put spikes on at the TH start just past the lodge and they stayed on the rest of the day. The cloudy skies and cooler temps (although still above freezing all day) kept the trail bed mostly firm in the AM with good footing. It got a little mushier on the way down, but spikes were still the best option. Lots of mud and debris on the trail down low. We cleared some, but some of the branches / tree limbs were embedded and frozen in the remaining snow. Lots of deep post holes on the last switchback and "ridge" portion of the trail where it was more open. It was very choppy through this section and we came to the conclusion that snowshoes would not have helped and would probably have resulted in a lot of ankle twisting moments. Best option was careful stepping in and out of the already established post holes. Once totally out in the open, the summit cone itself was mostly bare rock with patches of ice. All in all, it was a fine day on the mountain - winds were manageable, trail conditions were better than expected and we beat the rain. Conditions are changing quickly though so this report may no longer be valid in a day or two! |
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 | Name: |
Red |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-01-01 |
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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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