| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Carrigain (attempt), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Sawyer River Road, Signal Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 5, 2017 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Was the first car in the lot at around 8:10am. Only one other couple hiked Carrigain. A few people hiked to Vose Spur. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable) |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Traction, Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Four water crossings. The first was required some rock hopping, which included using rocks that were submerged under water. No problem with waterproof boots. One crossing was bridged precariously with ice - it took some careful footing, but didn't prove a problem. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Several newer blow downs due to the severe winds we experienced Saturday and Sunday. All passable. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I didn't see any dogs, but I don't the trail would pose any problems. |
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 | Bugs: |
None :) |
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 | Lost and Found: |
:( I lost my Electric Brand Goggles on the way down from Carrigain - Most likely on Sawyer Ridge Road. I carelessly had them wrapped around my arm and they must have slipped off. If anyone finds them, please email me. |
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 | Comments: |
I arrived in the parking lot a little after 8 a.m. The winds were gusting pretty hard in the lot and I was worried that the trees might take my car out right there. Since I was solo and the winds were less than desirable, I was hoping that another hiker or two would show up. I waited until 8:30am at which point three cars pulled in - it was a group hiking to Vose Spur. I decided to go forward with the hike, knowing that I would turn around if things got too windy or cold. I arrived at the actual trailhead in around 40 minutes and took off. The first mile or so of Signal Ridge is flat and fast. The wind was honking and there were many widow-makers looming overhead - in a few instances, I waited for the gusts to subside in order to run past some of the scarier looking (dead) trees. The water crossings were slightly tricky, but the water levels had dropped and I was able to manage them just fine with careful footing. The trail itself was mostly granular snow and crust. There were a few points past the Signal Ridge junction on the trail that were a little confusing and looked as if the trail went off in multiple directions (possibly an old re-route)...so I picked my adventure and followed the section of trail that looked like it had been most recently used (tracks had been blown away by the wind). The winds would seem to die down and then pick up again...but alas, when I got to the exposed portion of Signal Ridge the winds proved too much of a challenge. I attempted to walk out onto the ridge three times - and each time I was pushed back into the trees (my backpack would catch a gust and push/pull me). I waited in the trees for a bit to see if the winds would subside, but they didn't. I took one last look at Carrigain's summit (only .5 miles away) and bid it adieu. I couldn't put myself at risk (or anyone else for that matter) - especially not knowing if anyone else was on the mountain - landing in a spruce trap up to my head on the side of Carrigain did not seem like an ideal scenario. On the way down (possibly 3/4th of a mile from the exposed ridge), I met a couple who was on their way up. They had followed my tracks and then lost them and then connected with them again at which point they noticed I had come from a different trail. I'm still not exactly sure where we took different paths...but I would recommend people keep an eye on their map or GPS if they feel confused. As I descended the winds seemed to die down a bit (go figure) so I'm hoping the other couple made it across. All in all, it was a great hike and I have no regrets about turning around. Due to a little detour I took by the river on the way down, I ended with 13.5 miles in about 6 hours 20 minutes. |
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 | Name: |
Leeanne |
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 | E-Mail: |
nagle_lm@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-03-07 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.instagram.com/leeanneruns/ |
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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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