| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Ascutney, VT |
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 | Trails: |
Futures Trail, Windsor Trail, Weathersfield Trail, Hang Glider Trail, Slot Trail, Castle Rock Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, December 16, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Roadside parking for several vehicles on Route 44A across from Mt. Ascutney State Park entrance. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Couple of minor stepovers. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few minor step-overs on the Futures Trail. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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|
 | Bugs: |
None |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
The lower half of one of my snowshoe poles snapped off on my way down the Futures Trail, somewhere between the Steam Donkey spur and the auto road crossing. Not sure exactly where this happened- feel free to pack out the useless pole fragment if you find it! |
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|
 | Comments: |
This was a challenging day of solo trail-breaking up the entirety of the Futures Trail, with a couple inches down low, and consistently 6"+ above 2,500' elevation. Snowshoes absolutely necessary, despite the annoyance of frequent rocks as tripping hazards on the way down. More snow cover would be great, but the Friday forecast doesn't look promising. The last 1/2 mile of the Windsor Trail to the summit was more consolidated, and spikes would probably suffice here. The Hang Glider Trail and Slot Trail (back toward Castle Rock Trail to rejoin the Windsor Trail and the Futures Trail for the trip down) were completely untouched, and now have one set of snowshoe tracks each. Great views from the fire tower, Brownsville Rock, and West Peak.
Ascutney offers formidable elevation gain due to its low starting point (from the state park), and the Futures Trail is deceptively difficult due to variable grades and a few descents on the way up. I will probably post more route details on Unnecessary Climb within the next few days. |
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 | Name: |
Jason |
|
 | E-Mail: |
kurlando7@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-12-16 |
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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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