| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Watatic, Nutting Hill, MA |
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 | Trails: |
Midstate Trail, Wapack Trail, State Line Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 24, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
plowed but totally iced over - spikes needed to get out of your car. Lot was full but turning over readily. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Just saw one today. Too cold/windy? |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The bog bridges across a marshy spot at the start of the trail - an area which amazingly is not frozen over yet - are very icy but can be avoided by walking across the frozen marsh to the right.
Very icy on the initial 0.8 mi or so. Even with spikes there were a few tricky spots in the section with extensive tree roots. - From beyond the first viewpoint toward Wachusett the light snow pack made trekking easier.
Crystal clear skies and more manageable winds than expected but still blustery at the summit. I'm normally one for lingering at viewpoints but not today - saw the skyscrapers of Boston and kept marching down into the trees halfway to Nutting Hill before pouring hot Tang and grabbing a fast granola bar. Probably six or seven other parties out today, including a group of about six descending as we ascended, and one party with no traction attempting to climb State Line and then wisely decided to save it for another day.
This was Gear Test Day #2 and I was proud of my autistic sons for wearing balaclavas which isn't in their sensory domain. (the other gear test was lighting the JetBoil in the wind, inspired by "The Last Traverse" to get proficient in all conditions.) All in all we were plenty warm as long as you kept covered and kept moving. Next time I look forward to marching further into NH for some additional distance - the Wapack into NH reminded me of Robert Frost, lovely, deep, and sun-dappled leading somewhere worth contemplating. |
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 | Name: |
TwinMom+1 |
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 | E-Mail: |
mk@mkmarinac.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-24 |
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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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