| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Surprise, Mt. Moriah, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Carter-Moriah Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, February 8, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the power line area. It was partially plowed & I had no problems driving through. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
|
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Up until the ledges about Mt. Surprise the trail is great. From the ledges up to Moriah summit there are a number of blowdowns left over from the last big storm that kind of turns the trail into an obstacle course. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw one pup who seemed to be having the time of its life. |
|
 | Bugs: |
|
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
As mentioned above, the trail is awesome up until the ledges above Mt. Surprise - after that it gets interesting. Still awesome, but the obstacle course makes you really work for the summit. Lots of duck-unders & walk-arounds, deep snow drifts (3-4’ plus), and disappearing sections of trail swept clean by the wind. It was a real winter wonderland above 3000’!
I’d definitely recommend snowshoes start to finish, the trail’s just not ready for spikes just yet - it needs more snowshoe love. There’s only 6” of snow or less down low, then it gradually increases to about a foot around Mt. Surprise, then continues to get deeper up to the summit. At one point I lost my balance because my pole sunk all the way down to the grip without hitting anything solid. Not sure how deep it was or if it was just a deep drift. |
|
 | Name: |
Dad Out There |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-02-08 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
