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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Adams, Mt. Madison, NH
Trails
Trails: Air Line, Gulfside, Osgood Trail, Valley Way, snowfields
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 1, 2010
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes:  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Mud, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Small Patches, Slush, Snow - Spring Snow 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Rock hoppable on both Air Line and Valley Way 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Upper Valley Way a mess. Cut up one particularly annoying blowdown. At least one axe/chainsaw blowdown on Air Line. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Ascended Air Line - should have descended that way as well. No snow for the first mile or so, then increasing newish (wet, sticky) snow. By the time we caught up to the group breaking things out, it was 1-2 feet deep. We broke from there, taking off our snowshoes about halfway up the exposed ridge, due to extended bare spots. Drifts up to 5 feet deep and not at all consolidated. Upon reaching Gulfside, I was able to snowshoe across the snowfields to just about the summit of Adams, west of Air Line. I was also able to snowshoe a decent amount of the way down to the hut via the side of Gulfside. From the hut to Madison, bareboots were fine today - mostly exposed rock with some smaller drifts. Once on Valley Way, things were terrible - folks were dropping into the brookbed. We opted to stay on trail and were generally able to follow it, however it was tough going with some nasty sideslope action and wet, sloppy snow. Things are better by the Upper Bruin junction. Snowshoes stayed on until just past the ledgy water crossing. Due to the conditions, I would avoid Valley Way until it's mostly melted out - much easier on the Air Line right now.  
Name
Name: rocket21 
E-Mail
E-Mail: rocket21 at franklinwebpublishing dot com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2010-05-01 
Link
Link: https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos/NewHampshire/mtadams-2010-0501.php 
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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