Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
East Osceola, Mt. Osceola, NH |
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| Trails: |
Greeley Ponds Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
plowed and open |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable) |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Traction |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
all but one have stable snow-bridge, and the other is near the trail head on Greeley Pond and not deep, just exposed rocks |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
there are a couple of blow-downs on the Greeley Trail as well as the Osceola trail, but only one significant one with a trail re-route (below East Osceola peak). |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
none |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
It was a close-to-perfect day, and the trail would have been perfect too if others would only wear snowshoes. I followed a party of six who came out bare-booted and claimed it was all fine, and it probably seems that way to them, but when they slip off the side of the trail and post-hole it the whole trail loses integrity and starts getting ugly. The steep sections of the climb on the Osceola trail aren't icy yet but require traction, my snowshoe cleats barely cut it, and the butt-slide down is getting harrowing. Greeley Ponds trail beyond the Osceola turn-off is softer and will be much better in snowshoes or skis (again, this will also preserve the trail for others!). If you're peak-bagging you should do the Osceolas now - I ran the whole thing in under 2h because the trail was so well-tracked. The look-out up top must be one of the best in the range, it was spectacular. |
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| Name: |
Brandon Newbould |
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| E-Mail: |
bnewbould@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-01-11 |
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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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