| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Martha, Owlshead, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Cherry Mountain Trail, Martha's Mile, Owl's Head Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, November 22, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking in both lots off Route 115. Drive carefully up the steep hill to the Cherry Mountain Trail parking area -- big, car-unfriendly bumps. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One step-over blowdown on Owl's Head Trail, one or two tenths of a mile north of the Owl's Head summit. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
For dogs, I would not recommend the last couple tenths of a mile on Owl's Head Trail -- at least, not right now. The steep ledges just south of the Owl's Head summit are covered with thick ice. One specific section is a no-fall zone -- tilted, iced-over slab with a drop-off. Way too easy to lose your canine, even if he/she is leashed. We humans made it across with extreme care using our opposable thumbs (gripping what vegetation and bare rock we could) along with our other primate-specific physical advantages. I'm very glad we left our pet at home today. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Dusting of snow up Cherry Mountain Trail and Martha's Mile to Mt. Martha. No traction needed for this section. Martha's Mile was an enjoyable walk between peaks...and then we hit the steep ledges just near the end of Martha's Mile and at the beginning (from the south) of Owl's Head Trail. We carried microspikes, but couldn't use them. Most of the time, we could sidestep the ice. In the spots where we had to step on the ice, the microspikes didn't cut it -- for those specific spots, crampons or Hillsound Pros would have been helpful.
In one spot, I used my height to my advantage, swung myself up a little rock scramble, anchored myself, then pulled up most of my hiking companions one by one.
There is one no-fall zone that was "interesting" with the snow and ice, and a few little icy ledge scrambles that took us multiple attempts to successfully manage.
In sum, getting to Mt. Martha was a breeze today. Making it up Owl's Head from the south (Martha's Mile) was tricky and required teamwork in places.
Thanks to Kelly and her two energetic kid-hikers, Isidora and Elmore, for the great company. And, as always, thanks to Alex and Sage for their smiles and laughter. |
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 | Name: |
TrishAlexSage |
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 | E-Mail: |
patriciaellisherr@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-11-22 |
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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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