Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Ethan Allen, Burnt Rock Mountain, Molly Stark's Balcony, Molly Stark Mountain, Baby Stark Mountain, VT |
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| Trails: |
Forest City Connector, Forest City Trail, Long Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 15, 2020 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Camel's Hump Road is bumpy this time of year... and muddy when the sun comes out. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of branches flicked off the trail. A few blowdowns here & there. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
There is an aluminum ladder in Ladder Ravine which most dogs would need to find a way around. |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Long Trail Southbound from Montclair Glen to Appalachian Gap
Hiked back up yesterday's descent trail, Forest City, and headed south. Faint, old tracks were helpful for the first mile of the LT, to Mt. Ethan Allen. From this point to Birch Glen Camp, about 8 miles, route finding required constant vigilance and frequent GPS and map referencing in order to stay on trail.
The section between Ethan Allen and Burnt Rock Mountain is difficult, with many little steep & potentially sketchy ups & downs, challenging route finding, and "3 miles that hike like 6." There is a long sidehill from hell going around Mt. Ira Allen that I won't soon forget. (Thankfully I was not snowshoeing this day.) In spots an ice axe would not have been overkill.
Ladder Ravine was somewhat anticlimactic because the lower half of the aluminum ladder was completely buried in snow such that only the top 7 (icy!) rungs needed climbing. At the top of the ladder, there is a leaning tree that must be crawled under, an awkward move to say the least.
Actually met 3 hikers on spectacular Burnt Rock Mountain, they having ascended Hedgehog Brook Trail (one of my potential bailout routes - haha), and for 1/2 mile I didn't have to look for the trail. Many beautiful exposed, dry ledges here!
Despite my whining about route finding, this entire LT section is absolutely gorgeous in winter - much open hardwoods, downright gentle terrain between Hedgehog Brook Trail and Birch Glen, and with almost boilerplate conditions, I was able to microspike the entire day! I still recommend & carried snowshoes, however, because there is a lot of snow that could get reeeal soft this time of year.
After Birch Glen Camp was a 1000 foot climb of Molly Stark; then a smaller climb of Baby Stark followed, unfortunately, by deep, frozen, awkward postholes in the last mile to App Gap.
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| Name: |
Snowflea |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-03-16 |
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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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