| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jefferson, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Jewell Spur, Jewell Trail, Gulfside, Jefferson Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 15, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
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 |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The one manmade bridge was fine. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I don't remember any blowdowns at all. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
My dog had a blast. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Beautiful day. The first half was insanely windy and the trail was hard to spot in a few places due to the drifts. By the return, it was no trouble to spot at all. The wind had stopped and no doubt Jewell saw additional traffic from people coming down Washington. Snowshoes were definitely the right tool for the day. Below treeline the snow was loose powder that was very well broken out. After treeline Jewell became a postholed mess. The tracks were laid off the official trail unfortunately, and at one point it appeared an elementary school field trip fell into every spruce trap on the mountain. It looked like a crime scene of mass spruce massacre and there might still be some kids buried in there somewhere. Careful footing is needed if you end up in that spot. It was beyond my skill to fix but hopefully people can choose the lesser obvious correct path. Gulfside to Jefferson was a little drifted in a few spots but mostly very easy to follow. Snowshoes seem to still be the better choice in that leg, though some people were choosing spikes and it wasn't as bad as upper Jewell. |
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 | Name: |
MJo |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-02-16 |
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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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