Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
West Field, Mt. Tom, Mt. Field, Mt. Wiley, Mt. Avalon, NH |
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| Trails: |
Avalon Trail, A-Z Trail, bushwhack, Mt. Tom Spur, Willey Range Trail, Avalon Spur |
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| Date of Hike: |
Friday, March 4, 2016 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossings on trail were well ice bridged. I punched through on the bushwhack, but nothing too bad. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some duck under blowdown on the Wiley Range tr. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Avalon trail was hard packed to the A-Z junction. The A-Z to the col was soft and rough, so I went to snowshoes, which stayed on until the top of Avalon at the end of the hike. I continued on A-Z past the Wiley range tr. and descended until I had a view of West Field. I began a bushwhack to West Field, initially downhill and crossing some streams. The first bit was a little thick and the boughs were snow-loaded, but then things opened right up. There was new powder and I was sinking about 6" on each step. Very nice snowshoeing in open woods on the gentle north slope of West Field. Just before the top, I hit a short-lived thick section, then open woods to the recognized highpoint. I followed my tracks out. Following my tracks would provide very easy access to this peak right now.
Having made good time, I went for Tom, Field, Wiley, and Avalon. It seems that people are not carrying snowshoes, a decision that turned one couple around short of Wiley, due to deep drifts. Someone ahead of me went to a lot of extra effort due to no snowshoes. I feel that my tracks did a lot to smooth things out. There were some good views on route as clouds came in and out.
I have not been doing much 4k hiking these days, but I do keep track and Wiley marked my 300th grid peak...a ways to go, with lots of other objectives taking priority. |
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| Name: |
zporterColdRiverCampCook |
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| E-Mail: |
zap88@tds.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-03-04 |
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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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