| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
East Osceola, Mt. Osceola, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Greeley Ponds Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail, Tripoli Road |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, April 22, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked at the Greeley Pond Trailhead off the Kanc. It is not plowed in winter but is mostly melted out. When I returned to my car there were 7 cars parked in the lot, no problem. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The Greeley water crossing was an uncomplicated rock hop this morning. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There are some step overs starting below BreadTray Ridge. All but one will be amenable to a saw (and the one that is not is nearly visible from the Tripoli Road parking lot - very convenient!!). One (just below BreadTray Ridge) is an incredibly awkward waist-high step over with a lot of pokey limbs. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None today. |
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 | Bugs: |
None that were biting. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing today. |
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 | Comments: |
I ended up hiking a somewhat unplanned traverse. I don’t love scrambly vertical climbs, LOL. I had full crampons with me, wore them for the East Osceola ascsnt, but, even with them, wasn’t willing to go back down the way that I came. So I texted a friend, who knew someone near Waterville that could help me out; therefore I hiked the traverse and got a ride from the Livermore parking lot back to the Greeley Pond parking lot (yay for great friends who can help a girl out!)
Because I traversed it I can compare the two approaches in these somewhat challenging spring conditions. Greeley Pond is unstable monorail with mud, which is slow going. The ascent from Mad River Notch up to East Osceola is also unstable monorail with blue ice. There are intermittent steps kicked into the steepest of the steep sections but the snow is not firm, sigh. It’s all very slow and tedious and completely expected, in April, LOL.
The trail between the two summits is also unstable monorail and there are a whole lot of 3’+ deep postholes (there is still a whole lot of snow at 4000’!). The bypass, and the bypass to tbe bypass, are both snow-free and both are easy alternatives. The chimney still has that really weird huge ice shelf that was reported recently.
There has been a good amount of foot traffic between Osceola and the Tripoli Rd trailhead. The monorail was just as squishy on this side BUT the snow petered out just below BreadTray Ridge and I took off my light traction with about a mile left of the trail prior to the roadwalk. What a treat!! Therefore, I can definitely tell you that the spring conditions are much less tedious when hiked from the Tripoli Road side because the ascent is more gradual and the snow goes away much more quickly. I have hiked from the Tripoli Road side, in winter, before but given today’s experience, I will ONLY hike from that side (in winter conditions) going forward!!
The road walk from the Tripoli Road trailhead to the Livermore Trailhead is approximately 2.5 miles, mostly downhill as you are finishing your day. The road is a groomed xc ski trail in winter and you MUST wear snowshoes and walk on the side. At this point there is just a bit of ice on the road, no skiers, and so the roadwalk is lightning fast! |
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 | Name: |
Bikecamphikegirl |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-04-22 |
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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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