| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Carr Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Carr Mountain Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 20, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The trailhead parking lot is no more than a wide spot on Clifford Brook Road, but it is plowed. There's room for four or five cars if parallel parked. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Ice - Blue, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
They're all small and easily hopped. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
As noted in the previous Carr Mountain report (12/9/12), there are several blowdowns after the Waternomee Falls spur up to the 2,000-foot elevation level. I trimmed some to make passage easier, but they'll require more than a handsaw to fully remove. There's also an annoying crawl-under blowdown just below the summit at about 3,400 feet. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
This is a great hike for dogs, and both Josie and Polly had a great time today. There's very little running water right now, however. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Unbroken trail, an under-visited mountain, and not another soul to be seen -- what's not to like?
This was a recon hike to see if the trail had been broken out. It wasn't, so we decided to do the job. There was evidence of some barebooting and XC skiing before the last snow on the lower portion of the trail, but beginning at about 1,600 feet it appeared no one had been up the route in a while. We broke out the trail in somewhat heavy but not deep powder on a firmer crust, which was sometimes harder work than it might seem.
With today's mild temperatures, the snow below 2,000 feet was very sticky, and snowballing was an issue. (Interestingly, Polly, who often has trouble with iceballing in her paws, had no trouble at all while I was continually banging my snowshoes to knock off big clods of snow.) Above 2,000 feet, in cooler temperatures and less-wet snow, the problem largely disappeared.
'Twas wicked gusty on the summit, so we did not tarry. The portion of the Carr Mountain Trail leading up from the Three Ponds trailhead was also not broken out.
A great day out with Josie and Polly.
Photos at link below. |
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 | Name: |
The Feathered Hat |
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 | E-Mail: |
stevebjerklie at yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-01-20 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/99682097@N00/sets/72157632572576118/ |
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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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