| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Washington, Mt. Monroe, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Base Station Road, cog rail, Gulfside Trail, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop Trail, Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, April 4, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
No issues |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All are open. Currently easy to cross. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No issues |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw 2. Both happy. |
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 | Bugs: |
None yet |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
All sorts of conditions out there. I parked at Ammo and walked up the road to the cog. I bare booted to the bottom of Jacob’s Ladder. Spikes would have been reasonable once above Waumbek station as the snow is consistent from there. I wore crampons past Jacob’s Ladder. While it would have been doable with spikes, it was a bit icy, and I felt more secure with crampons on the short no fall section. At the top of Jacob’s Ladder, the snow and ice all but disappear, and I bare booted to the summit of Washington and then down to Lakes. Spikes on for the rest of the hike from there. There’s still a good bit of snow on the north facing slope of Monroe, but it’s soft enough that spikes work instead of crampons.
Ammo Ravine is a mess. The upper portion is postholed to s**t, but it’s also too bumpy and too rocky to use snowshoes on. It’s mostly supportive if you stay on the straight and narrow but won’t be for long. The steep portion above Gem Pool is getting pretty icy. I was OK in spikes here but think crampons will make sense this week as it cools. Below Gem Pool, it’s an increasingly receding monorail, always stable though. You probably want to bring all the traction things on Ammo for the next few days until the warm up gets going.
Great day on Washy. Felt more like June in the Cascades than April in the Whites. |
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 | Name: |
IanB |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-04-04 |
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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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