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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Surprise, Mt. Moriah, NH
Trails
Trails: Carter-Moriah Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, November 10, 2012
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked on the turnaround at the end of Bangor Road opposite the houses. Couple more cars fit in after me, there is more parking 1/10 mile down road per White Mountain Guide. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Black, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Ice - Blue, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Small Patches, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Numerous blowdowns between Mount Surprise and the Moriah summit. Found my hand saw when I was at the summit so did what I could as I descended. Took out a couple smaller ones in the bog bridge stretch and partially limbed a pair of large uprooted blowdowns leaning over the trail in the upper stretches (trunks are about 5-6' above trail level, will become problematic come winter, for now they should be easy duck-unders). One large uprooted tree uprooted the trail with it, that one can be navigated around for now, not much I could do with it. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw 3, all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Lots of snow to eat! 
Bugs
Bugs: Nope. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: A light-winter hike today. No snow at the trailhead, 5-6" at the top. Temperatures were in the upper 30s at the trailhead come mid afternoon, low 20s on the summit around 11. Got an early start and made tracks all the way to the summit. No sign of life coming up from the other side, enjoyed the sunny, albeit chilly and windy, summit for a little while before heading down. Brought but did not use microspikes. The ledges around Surprise were tricky due to there being 2" of snow on top of them (no ice underneath), took care heading up them. The upper ledges near Moriah itself had some ice underneath and spikes probably wouldn't have been a bad idea here, but they were manageable. In fact I barebooted the whole trip.



Ran into many people during my descent, most on day hikes, but one group (4?) with a pair of dogs and a separate solo hiker in the Mount Surprise vicinity heading to Imp Shelter for the night. Nice day out, great views from the summit.  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2012-11-12 
Link
Link: https://mattshikes.blogspot.com/ 
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.

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