| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Osceola, East Osceola, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Tripoli Road, Mt. Osceola Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, January 16, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We parked at the Livermore trailhead which is plowed but icy, and has working (outhouse) bathrooms. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
N/A |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There are a boggling number of blowdowns on the Mount Osceola Trail between Tripoli Road and the Osceola summit. At least a dozen, probably more like 18. I lost count. If you are planning a spring saw-stravaganza let me know, my Silky saw and I want to help! |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None today. It was wicked cold. |
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 | Bugs: |
Nope. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nope. |
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 | Comments: |
The Osceolas via the Tripoli Rd roadwalk and then the Mt Osceola trail is most definitely a reassuring plan in winter conditions. (Thank you to grid finishers LC and KL for the details). It allows you to avoid the steep and icy sections between Greeley Pond Trail and the East Osceola summit.
We parked at the Livermore trailhead and then snowshoed up Tripoli Rd. You have to wear snowshoes and stay to the edges of the road because it’s groomed for XC skiing and gets a lot of skier traffic. From the Livermore parking lot to the Tripoli Road trailhead parking lot is 2.9 miles with about 700’ of gain. It took 1 hour 10 minutes heading up and 50 minutes coming back. Easy walking and sooooo worth it.
Mount Osceola trail from this side is broken out and very bony and narrow so we pulled off our snowshoes right when we got on the trail and had on trail crampons until returning to that point. The route up to Osceola is much easier with snow because it makes the sideways ledgy areas easier to walk next to. The trail was mostly snow with some small ice flows.
Between Mt Osceola and East Osceola the steep pitches are difficult to travel in the downward direction and we also appreciated the ice luge issues that AdventureSkier referenced in his/her post today. We didn’t see as many people (only 3 total) but shared the same concerns noted in the other post. Of particular note I saw my first ever trail runner running while holding an ice axe.
Hats off to the bypass of the bypass. THAT is absolutely the best way to get up and down when there is ice involved because there are so many wonderful and sturdy trees to hold onto.
We were the only ones that hiked from the Tripoli Road side today. I will definitely hike the Tripoli Rd route again. |
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 | Name: |
Bikecamphikegirl |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-01-16 |
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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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