| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Clay, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Jewell Trail, Gulfside, Jefferson Loop, Clay Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, April 26, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
USFS "summer" lot open, but we used the hiker "winter" lot. We were the only car there. Jefferson Notch Road still gated. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Rock hop |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I took out one waist high and one head banger blowdown. Some mud and water on the short section of Jewell from the cog tracks to meeting with theUSFS section. Some waterbars in the lower section of Jewell going up from the first bridge are full and not functioning. The krumholtz on Jewell has significantly encroached into the trail. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Easy day for Pepper and he loves the views. Early on the sun was warm on his black fur so he would eat some snow every so often. I may try to find him a white shirt. I carried water for him on this generally dry trail but there was meltwater at all levels. The brooks near the end made for great sip n dips. Just a reminder the boulders on this section have rough crystals and a dog without hardened pads could rough them up. |
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 | Bugs: |
None! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Bareboots all day, although spikes could have sped things up going down on Jewell for a stretch below treeline to 4200' or so of old icy monorail. Just a few bits of monorail above that. There are still considerable snowfields on the Great Gulf side of the Clay Loop trail which were soft by the time we got there and easy walking. There was some new snow/sleet starting above 3200' on the way up that made things a bit slippery, but most of it had melted by the hike down.
It was a mostly sunny day until the end, with almost no wind in the am and an invigorating breeze after noon. It was a splendid hike to Jefferson but the Clay Loop was the best with its views and snowfields. We saw no one until meeting two nice Joes (literally & figuratively) on Clay who are volunteering at the Observatory. While chatting a large turbo prop plane roared up from below and shoot over the low point between Clay and Washington at very low altitude. After enjoying the Clay Loop I managed to space out and on Gulfside go well past the Jewell intersection on the hike down and had to use a boulder field to get to it but that worked well. This was a spur of the moment substitute for tomorrow's planned hike and it was great decision. What a wonderful day on scenic trails with a super bud. Thanks Pepper. |
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
windriversjohn at gmail dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-04-26 |
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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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