| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Tuckerman Ravine Trail, Lions Head Winter Route, Lions Head Trail, snowfields, Lawn Cutoff, Davis Path, Boott Spur Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, February 25, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The lot at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center was about half full when I rolled in around 7:45 AM. On a clear, mild winter day however, the lot can fill up as fast as it does in summer, so keep that in mind. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction, Ice Axe |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No notable issues |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Tough enviroment up there for dogs, although I did see one dog in between Lion's Head and the Alpine Garden trail junction. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The lower part of Tuckerman's was well packed by skier (and later snowcat) traffic; I wore light traction for that portion. Switched to crampons at the start of the Lion's Head Winter Route and wielded my ice axe as well. The "Hillary Step" section was busy, so I had to wait a bit before I could scale it. The step itself was a little bony in spots, but with careful footing and thinking, I got up it a-ok. The rest of the route was steep and rugged (but with good snow conditions) most of the way to the summer route junction. I would not recommend attempting the Lion's Head Winter Route without crampons and an ice axe.
Once on the standard summer route of Lion's Head, the trail conditions consisted of mostly packed down snow, with some areas of frozen granular snow on south facing slopes. Between Lion's Head (the actual overlook spot) and the Alpine Garden Trail junction, there was a lot of boilerplate ice; crampons are strongly advised here. The snowfields above the AG junction were somewhat loose and powdery, so the going was slower here, but picked up a bit once on Tuck's.
Going down, I walked on the snowfields for a short while to bypass the more icy sections of Tuck's and the Lawn Cutoff, then cut over to LC and followed it to the Davis Path, which I took to the Boott Spur Trail; I then got on Boott Spur and hiked it all the way back down to Tuck's. Davis Path and the above-treeline portions of Boott Spur had a few icy areas, but it was mostly hardpack snow. Once below the trees, Boott Spur was not broken out, so I had to break trail all the way back to Tuck's, and the unbroken snow was 2-3+ feet deep in some places. I was very glad I brought my snowshoes, needless to say!
It was cloudy all day with light snow on the hike down, but the summit of Washington was in the clear when I got up there, allowing for some good views before the aforementioned snow moved in. Not much wind, either- the peak wind gust was only around 30 mph, but the air temperature was low enough that it didn't take much wind to knock the wind chill to 30-35 below zero, which it stayed at all day. T'was a challenging but rewarding hike of the Northeast's highest mountain, but if you're going or thinking about going to hike it in winter, you'd better be well prepared and in good physical shape, as well as willing to turn back if things get ugly. |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-02-26 |
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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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