| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Carter Dome, South Carter, Middle Carter, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Carter-Moriah Trail, North Carter Trail, Imp Trail, Camp Dodge Cutoff, Route 16 |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking this day. Lot was well plowed. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All easily crossed. See comment below. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A number of leaners on the upper half of Carter Dome Trail, but easy to duck under. This will change if we ever get some decent snow amounts. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Large numbers of small insects commonly called snow fleas (actually springtails, Hypogastrura nivicola) became active as the snow warmed in the afternoon. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
All trails had a hard base of frozen granular snow and ice, with between one and two inches of new snow and a thin glaze of frozen drizzle. The base was thin at the lower elevations of the Nineteen Mile Brook and Imp Trails, with a few rocks showing through and short stretches of water and mud. Cover was continuous at the higher elevations and micro-spikes were sufficient. I switched to crampons as the temperature rose to avoid the snow balling up on my spikes. The only time I made a posthole was when stepping off the trail. Tyson switched to snowshoes so he could use the televators.
There appears to have been a recent major change in one of the stream crossings on the Carter Dome Trail. When I was there this past November, the final crossing just below the switchbacks was a rock hop, easy in low water. Now, two large objects are wedged into that part of the stream and you can walk across by just stepping over a small gap between the embankment and these large objects. It's a little hard to tell exactly what these objects consist of, but it appears they are a mix of frozen soil and gravel. I envision the recent heavy rains undercutting the frozen embankment further upstream, pieces breaking off, and being swept downstream. These objects are big - 1.5-2 feet thick, 5 feet across, and 10 feet or more in length. When they melt in the Spring, the soil and small gravel will be swept away and the crossing should return to its former appearance. |
|
 | Name: |
Tom Harris |
|
 | E-Mail: |
tdharris911@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-01-18 |
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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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