| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jefferson, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Jewell Spur, Jewell Trail, snowfields, Gulfside, Jefferson Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 22, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
USFS Ammo lot closed for winter. Lower Cog lot plowed for hikers. Upper Cog lot is posted no parking. Jewell Spur trailhead has been moved uphill due to Irene related bridge remove - from Marshfield station, proceed over the first bridge adjacent the tracks, then wooden stakes head up the embankment on the left to the reroute.
Jefferson Notch Road and Mt. Clinton Road are now being snowmobiled, at least on the Cog Base Road side, so vehicular access to those is probably done for the season. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Bridged |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few stepover blowdowns on the Jewell, prior to the first viewpoint. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Jewell Spur trailhead has been moved uphill due to Irene related bridge remove - from Marshfield station, proceed over the first bridge adjacent the tracks, then wooden stakes head up the embankment on the left to the reroute.
Wore snowshoes (Tubbs Flex Alps - good traction) for the whole hike. For the route listed, Microspikes or tubular snowshoes would be inadequate due to some side slopes along a snowfield route prior to Sphinx Col.
Jewell Trail is very bony until about 1/2 mile below treeline - 2-5" in the lower elevations. Snow picks up as it drops behind the north side of the ridge on its way to the scrub - snowshoes were necessary for this and some areas above treeline due to drifting.
Probably around 5,100 feet, a track has been broken out, heading to one of the springs above Sphinx Col. The drifting and ice cover is such that very little vegetation is encountered. That said, there are a few hardpack/ice fields that are crossed, including one that's definitely a no fall zone. Went uphill to avoid it, then dropped back onto the tracks.
The Gulfside from that spring to prior to the lawn was generally packed powder with some drifting and a few bony areas. The cornice above Sphinx hasn't filled it, so it's fine to stay on the trail around the large rock formations there.
Quite a way before the Jefferson Loop proper, the tracks bee line directly to Jefferson, meeting the loop trail just before the large cairn. Considering the snow drought, it was actually somewhat smooth sailing on that route. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21 at franklinwebpublishing dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-01-22 |
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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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