NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Shaw, Black Snoot, Big Ball Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Mt. Shaw Trail, Black Snout Trail, Banana Trail, Tate Mountain Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, December 28, 2013
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parking is limited at TH for Mt Shaw Trail, maybe 5-6 spaces, not much evidence of plowing, good thing the snow wasn't very deep 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Wet/Sticky 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Minor water crossings on Mt Shaw Trail 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: None to speak of 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: not much to say 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: I lost a pair of Hillsounds Trail Crampons, left carrying case unzipped and they fell out I know not where. 
 
Comments
Comments: I ascended via Mt Shaw Trail to Black Snout Trail then High Ridge Trail to summit of Mt Shaw. Then descended via Banana Trail and Tate Mt Trail back to trail head. I saw Fish & Game warden patrolling on a snow mobile on the High Ridge Trail. I met up with friendly group of 3 snow mobile riders at summit. This report on snow conditions will shortly become useless with new snow event starting this afternoon. Snow was generally 3-4 inches deep at all elevations heavy and wet. I was expecting icy base so I wore strap-on crampons which were overkill for conditions. Micros-pikes or Hillsound trail crampons or bare boots would have been fine this day.

Mt Shaw Trail is not blazed but was easy to follow. Banana Trail has blue blazes that didn't show up very well on this overcast day. The Tate trail had 2-tone blazes. Never saw 2-tone blazes before. Lot of extra work blazing and the blazes were plentiful. There was some icy patches descending off Black Snout, but easily negotiated or bypassed even with bare boots. GPS indicates this loop is 7.6 miles round trip. Elevation gain is 2500'+ good work out was had. Views were not bad in spite of overcast skies.
 
Name
Name: Jazzbo 
E-Mail
E-Mail: rdcaron@rcn.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2013-12-29 
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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