| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Alander Mountain , MA |
|
 | Trails: |
Alander Mountain Trail, South Taconic Trail, Alander Loop Trail, unknown trail, Ashley Hill Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, February 24, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at the Mount Washington State Forest Headquarters. The roads in can be steep and hilly but are wide, paved, and were mostly dry/free of snow and ice. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easy, trivial, or bridged. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Alander Mountain Trail and Ashley Hill Trail are both blazed in blue. South Taconic Trail in white. I'm not sure if they were blazed frequently but they didn't seem hard to follow. Alander Loop Trail has been closed and visible blazes are sparse but it is also blazed in blue. Large widowmaker above the trail on Ashley Hill Trail, obviously tons of stuff on now closed Alander Loop Trail, but beyond that, I don't recall any blowdowns. I know there were at least some trail signs at junctions but I think some may have been unsigned as well such as those not along the ridge. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dogs are allowed but must be leashed. Good trails for dogs. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Snowfleas. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
None |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
A nice long redline with some actual elevation gain; the first time in a good long while! My route: Alander Mountain Trail --> OAB on side path to primitive tentsite at 1.5mi --> Alander Mountain Trail --> OAB north on South Taconic Trail to State Rt 344 --> Alander Loop Trail (abandoned) --> South Taconic Trail south to --> blue-blazed connecting path (Laurel Trail) to --> Ashley Hill Trail north to --> Alander Mountain Trail to car. Temps were above freezing this day so unlike my last couple of hikes where spikes were very useful, while I still used them today, you probably could get away without them. Note that Alander Loop Trail has been closed and I have to imagine it was closed right after the guidebook was published as it has become quite overgrown. It took a LOOONG time to get through it as it was not dissimilar from bushwhacking and it would have taken longer still had someone not already broken it out. A few spots along the ridge where snowshoes might have been preferable given depth but given how it was already chopped up, the snow wasn't at all powdery and conducive to snowshoeing, etc. I was happy with my decision to leave them in the car. The snow wasn't deep enough to have any scary postholes but it was very choppy and rototilled, primarily along the ridge where there was some remnants of minor drifting, and there was some minor postholes. Some great views along the ridgeline on this warm and windy day. I was surprised to sea almost no one else out! Gaia stats not accurate as it turned itself off for about 1mi along the ridge, but adding that section back in, it should've been about 16.75mi, 3100ft of gain, 9hr22min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-03-07 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
