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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Major, NH
Trails
Trails: Boulder Loop Trail, Bayview Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plowed perfectly to bare ground 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Unpacked Powder 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Bags of poop tied up and left on the side of trail like little decorations....why? 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Writing because of the awful, at times treacherous trail conditions right now. The general problem is that there is a lot of sheets of hard ice hiding under the 3-4 new inches of totally powdery snow that offers no grip and prevents micro spikes from gaining purchase. Snowshoes would be dangerous because you'd likely bust an ankle on all the rocks and roots sticking up/hiding plus the snow wasn't compressing. Same issue if you were to try crampons.

On ascent I started up the Boulder loop trail but then noticed the Bayview trail, an official, unblazed trail on the old Dave Roberts map, was broken out and the Boulder loop wasn't. I suspect the currently broken route leave the bay view trail as it wa quite scratchy in the upper part, also steep. Just a partial view over Alton bay on this trail. For descent I picked the Boulder loop and broke that out, the steep sections being awful, in spots I had to slow down to down climbing versus hiking mode, wiping my steps clean first to find the hidden sheets and there are few spots you could take a 20 plus foot fall off a arrow side slope into a rocky slope that would be a head injury waiting to happen.

I often hike Major in winter, usually at least once a month for years and these were the most vexing conditions I have encountered.

The views were good, but the whites were being obscured by snow showers. Gusty winds over 30 mph today.  
Name
Name: John in NH 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-01-13 
Link
Link: https:// 
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