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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Castle Mountain - West Peak, Castle Mountain, Sugarloaf, NH
Trails
Trails: Road walk, bushwhacks, Sugarloaf Mountain Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, February 19, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: I drove a passenger car on Meridian Hill road to Brown road, parking 2.3 mi from rt. 3. At that point it was way too icy, but clear of snow. Tire tracks did continue.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Ice bridges are good if you use care 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: I began walking Brown road on blue ice. Following a great view of West Castle, I took a bearing and started bushwhacking sooner than necessary (as I crossed roads higher up). The woods were very open all the way to the highpoint. Down low, there are lots of bare spots and thin cover. However up on these peaks there was some soft snow, which posed a small trailbreaking challenge. There is a very nice view near the highpoint. I was glad to see the antler, which I carried quite a ways to that summit a few years back.

From WC I headed for the main peak of Castle. From there, I stayed high on the ridge, enjoying more open woods. The woods stayed open going up Sugarloaf too. I hit the trail about 1/10 of a mi. from the summit and followed it to the top. Amazing views to the Whites, the North Country, and well into the ME mountains. I followed my tracks out over the Castles. It was tempting to do Gore, but I chose to save it for when I go for Blue. Eventually my tracks were not determinable due to the bare sections.  
Name
Name: zporterColdRiverCampCook 
E-Mail
E-Mail: zap88@tds.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-02-19 
Link
Link: https:// 
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