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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Stairs Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Davis Path, Stairs Spur
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 4, 2013
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of room in the large lot just off route 302. A moose made an appearance just before I departed the lot. On return I saw a River Otter in the Saco River from the parking area. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow - Spring Snow 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The two crossings of the small brook near the beginning of the Davis Path are easy rock hops. There were other minor brook crossings with some under a weakening snow pack. Lots of water running on the Davis Path after Mt Crawford. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Nice rock steps on the steep sections of the Davis Path below Mt Crawford. Many tree falls across the Davis Path. Most of the large fallen trees are on the north slope of Stairs Mountain. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Plenty of water at this time of year. In the summer water is scarce on this ridge trail 
Bugs
Bugs: A few but none biting 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Trail up to Mt Crawford has small patches of snow in the upper section so it is easy in bare boots with no traction. Further north on the Davis Path there is more snow with running and standing water on the trail and dry open ledges at Crawford Dome. The section of the Davis Path passing around Mt Resolution involves side hill walking on slippery soft snow with a tendency of lateral movement to the downslope side of the trail. In this section the snow pack is weakening with some collapse in to the trail gully often with melt water running beneath the snow. Bare boot hikers postholing often. The upper section of the trail up Stairs Mountain has a lot of bare ground and rock. The spur trail to Stairs Mountain is mainly snow covered with bare ledge and ground at the top. Beyond Stairs Mountain on the Davis Path there had been no recent hiking activity. The tree falls are more prevalent and there are face slapping boughs just downhill from Stairs Mountain. The trail is not blazed. The trailway is indistinct in spots. Take care to find the trail when it turns left out of the Stairs-Davis col. Today the turn was across running water that can be traversed via rocks. I estimate that I made it to about the 6.5 mile mark on the Davis Path before it was time to turn back. Most of the trail north of Stairs Mountain was snow covered by a foot or two of snow. There is no monorail as there is very little foot traffic in this section. The going was slow due to the varying surface conditions during the transition season.
I saw no other hikers. Heard many birds. Saw one Red Trillium about to bloom.  
Name
Name: WAUMBEK 
E-Mail
E-Mail: WAUMBEK at Roadrunner dot com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2013-05-04 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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