| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Mansfield (The Chin), VT |
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 | Trails: |
Long Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 3, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The lot at the plowed end of Rt 108 was empty when I arrived at 7:15. When I returned at 11:30, the lot was full, I'd estimate with 40 cars. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Drifts |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Goggles, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None were a problem today. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail was in great condition. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Snowed lightly all day. The trip to Taft was quick, as the trail had seen traffic the day before, though the middle section was a little confusing with all the ski trails criss-crossing the trail. After Taft, most of the previous days evidence was gone and I searched around to find the right way, first following a blue blazed trail before eventually picking up the right route. On the ridge, I climbed the first steep ledge in snowshoes but the second one required crampons (I'm glad I didn't have views here as this section had some real exposure). The summit was windy with near whiteout conditions and I backtracked quickly to my snowshoes. Below there, it was difficult to find my up route in the flat light and wind and I wound up following the ridge too far toward Lake of the Clouds. Much wallowing in waist deep spruce traps for half an hour, hadn't gotten me much closer either. What's worse my GPS was giving me some weird readings adding to my woes. With no views to get oriented, finally I pulled out the compass and was able to work my way back up to the saddle and the trail. From there, it was a quick trip down, passing more skiers along the way. |
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 | Name: |
MikeL |
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 | E-Mail: |
larossm@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-03-03 |
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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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