NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Killington Peak, Pico Peak, VT
Trails
Trails: Sherburne Pass Trail, Long Trail, Killington Spur, Pico Link, ski trails
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, February 13, 2012
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: parking at sherburne pass was in good shape. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Ice - Blue, Snow - Drifts, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: any water crossings were minor and generally frozen. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: the pico camp was in good shape, but the cooper lodge has been treated pretty poorly and it no longer provides very good shelter given that all of its windows are gone. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: sherburne pass trail hardpacked with a trace of new powder on top to pico camp then a bit less so to the l.t. juction. some patchy ice and areas with very little snow coverage along the way.


the long trail/a.t. had some sections with very thin coverage, but mostly a roughly broken hard track that was pretty drifted in with powder snow. spotty sections of ice.


the killington spur was mostly blown in with powder snow until the steeps where it was hard crusty snow with ice mixed in.


decided to explore the ski trails to try to come out back at the cooper lodge so headed down the trail that leaves just beyond the summit and crossed over on a walkway to where an out of bounds trail cuts back over to the shelter. ski trail was very hard crust with some ice and a bit steep for snowshoeing. the pico link had a layer of new powder over a hard packed track with some ice. decided to head down the ski trails and pick up the sherburne pass trail where it briefly coincides with a ski trail a short ways down (49er to summit glades i believe it was, basically stay all the way to your right heading downhill). good traction for snowshoes and most of the way the trails were closed. a bit steep in a couple places, but a nice short cut.



i wore snowshoes the whole hike rather than carry them, but light traction would have been adequate for the most part. some of the drifted areas near killington peak were nicer with them. shoulder season type snowshoeing today for sure.
great to get back to vermont to do some hiking. it had been a number of years. very windy up on killington peak late morning and surprisingly so along most of the long trail where it slabs along the west side of the ridge despite the trees. clouds blew off nicely and by the time i got back over to pico views were open to the other high peaks of vermont, the western whites and the adirondacks. great to be out.  
Name
Name: bryan 
E-Mail
E-Mail: bryancuddihee@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2012-02-13 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved