| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Wildcat D, Wildcat C, Wildcat B, Wildcat A, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ski trails, Wildcat Ridge Trail, Nineteen Mile Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 2, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
No issues. Nineteen Mile Brook is well-plowed. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Water crossings on the upper part of Nineteen Mile Brook are still well-bridged. Down low, the snow "bridges" over the series of small tributaries are starting to get quite soft. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of blowdowns and branches on the Wildcat Ridge Trail. Pretty much a game of ducking around branches the whole way across. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn't see any today. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Today was one of those days of lots of different types of conditions. After yesterday's warm-up and rain, the ski trails are classic northeast hardpack--crusty snow surface, hard underneath. I hiked up the ski trail in snowshoes, but spikes would also be reasonable. Once up on the ridge, the trail was broken out but less consistently consolidated. I continued on in snowshoes, but again--spikes would be reasonable. Wildcat Ridge has a LOT of blowdowns and branches sticking out everywhere; the high winds today probably didn't help. Even in the trees, the wind was howling this morning. The worst section of trail conditions-wise was the steep(ish) part from Wildcat A to Carter Notch. This section is a bit of a crusty, posthole mess interspersed with icy patches from butt sledders. I stayed in snowshoes, but it's sufficiently steep and iffy conditions-wise that spikes or even crampons wouldn't be a terrible call. Nineteen Mile Brook, on the other hand, is in great shape--solidly packed down, not many blowdowns or trail issues. From the hut down Nineteen Mile Brook, I stayed in snowshoes on the upper half (I tend to switch to snowshoes earlier than most), but everyone else I saw had spikes on. Halfway down, I too switched to spikes. Step off the trail, and you'll post hole! Some signs of mud/spring are definitely emerging on the bottom half of Nineteen Mile Brook--exposed rocks on the typically muddy patches. |
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 | Name: |
IanB |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-04-02 |
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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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