| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Crawford Path, Trinity Heights Connector, Gulfside Trail, Jewell Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, October 17, 2017 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lots of room at the Base Rd. lot, about a mile from the Cog base station. Only a few cars in the lot when I arrived around 10:30 AM, and only one when I got back at 4:30 PM. $5/day parking fee. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All crossings were either bridged (Jewell Trail) or rock hopped (Ammo. Ravine Trail) |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No issues on any trail. Ammo and Jewell are both in excellent shape with good footing for the most part. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn't see a single dog today, and for good reason- it was quite cold, snowy, and icy for mid-October! This would be a good hike for them in mild conditions, as finding water isn't much of an issue. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
It was fall below treeline, but winter above treeline! Below the trees, the trails were a mix of dry/wet ground and wet rock with some minor mud. Near treeline on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, there was rime ice on the trees, as well as some black/breakable crust ice on and around the trail ledges. Tricky walking at times, but no microspikes were needed (although I did bring them). Above treeline, almost everything was coated in thick rime ice, and the wind chill dropped rapidly. On the summit, the wind chill was around 10-20 degrees with light/moderate wind, and many of the summit structures were covered in rime ice and snow (there was snow on the observation deck above the summit building).
This was one of my favorite hikes I've done this year! Clear skies, views to die for, a taste of winter, some fall foliage down low, fun conversation with hikers and auto road/cog railway passengers, and a black bear encounter- all in a 9.6 mile loop hike. There were a fair amount of people on the summit, but the actual trails were quiet- I only saw seven hikers on the ascent and one on the descent- so I got a bit of solitude as well.
Bring on actual winter! |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-10-17 |
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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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