| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Monroe, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 2, 2017 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Base Rd was generally dry and well sanded to the junction with Jefferson Notch Rd. From there to Cog the road was much less sanded and had some black ice, ice and snowy patches so take care in the curves. Hiker lot was cleared and packed snow. Full when I arrived at 11AM (maybe 20 cars). |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Small brooks between Cog lot and Gem Pool were open and flowing but very easy. Gem Pool was reasonably bridged and easy. Crossings of the falls were all easy but with some open water an ice. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
From Cog lot to Gem Pool there were two fairly easy duckunders which had been limbed (a bit awkward for taller people - I had to kneel to get under one) and a step "along". There were also several washed out areas of trail where it runs along river with some very short bypass trails forming. Not an issue now but may become a problem with Spring thaw and run off. From Gem Pool up to hut trail in great shape with no issue. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Conditions fine for dogs right now. Saw one today. |
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 | Bugs: |
none |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Found a skull/running hat draped on a branch about a mile in. Peeled off and left on welcome sign entering woods, where someone else had left a wool hat. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Pretty good conditions overall. From lot to Gem Pool was mostly packed snow with occasional soft ice and open gravel areas. Microspikes or barebooting fine. About 1/4 mile after leaving Gem Pool the snow starts getting deeper and more consolidated so spikes were providing poor footing. Switched to crampons at the waterfall crossing but wore all the way back to Gem Pool on descent. Lot of steeper and harder ice hidden under fluffy snow in many places. The trail splinters into several different paths at a ledgy/icy area around 4750'. The extreme right path is the trail - it climbs hard right and turns into scrub (almost looks like a bathroom break side path). Easy to miss if you're plodding along up the ledge (which I did). On the way down it is a non issue. Very clear. Above treeline the terrain is somewhat bony with occasional drifts. Crampons were over kill but I left them on and they were helpful in a few spots climbing summit cone. There was one pretty deep drifted area on the steep face just before reaching flat lawn near the summit of Monroe. Was very soft, waist deep in spots and awkward but only 20-25' long or so. I brought an ice axe based on 11/24 trip report recommendation but it really wasn't needed. A hybrid crampon like the Hillshound Pro's would have been ideal today. Lot of barebooters and people in spikes did a lot of intentional and unintentional butt sliding in the steeps descending. |
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 | Name: |
DayTrip |
|
 | E-Mail: |
bblanchette0709@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-12-03 |
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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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