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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Webster, Mt. Jackson, Mt. Pierce, Mt. Eisenhower, NH
Trails
Trails: Webster Cliff Trail, Crawford Path, Eisenhower Loop, Edmands Path
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, December 4, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Mt Clinton Road was open and had 1-2" of fresh snow on it, careful driving and it was fine. In the afternoon it was packed down firmly, but I suspect with more snow coming and hunting season over that the road will be gated sooner than later. We parked the other car at the end of the road up to the Ethan Pond Trail, there was plenty of room for cars here while still leaving the road passable. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: A couple low on Edmand's Path, which have bridges though one log appeared to be broken on one such bridge (2 remained). 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: The ascent to Webster was clear. We took out a blowdown, I think it was between Jackson and Mizpah Hut. A couple others scattered here and there, mostly easy stepovers, with one or two larger stepovers that need a bigger saw than I carry (I think one was between Jackson and the hut, and another on the upper Edmands Path). 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: We saw one canine at Mizpah Hut at seemed to be enjoying the snow. The ascent up Webster Cliff Trail to Webster would be tough in the current conditions (lots of ledges with loose snow cover), and the powder is getting deep in places all throughout this route. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Found a hat and united it with its owner on the Webster Cliff Trail. 
 
Comments
Comments: A rather adventurous route for the current conditions. The Webster Cliff Trail had a set of boot tracks all the way up to Webster, where we ran into the 2 fellows that set those tracks, they were doing an out-and-back. The lower section of the trail was easy going, but with steadily deepening loose snow (~6" higher up), the upper ledges were quite tricky at times to ascend. We made the first tracks between Webster and Jackson, then enjoyed mostly broken out tracks for the remainder of the day except for where wind drifted away footprints above treeline. The ladders ascending Pierce from the hut are filling in. Edmands Path was a well-broken highway all the way down, it looked like lots of folks did the out-and-back on this trail this day. Overall snow depths ranged from a couple inches down low to an average of 8" or so along the ridge, with both knee-deep drifts and nearly bare pathces above treeline near Eisenhower. We did not use light traction until the ledge approaching Jackson (ice underneath), and then we just left them on for the rest of the day, but they weren't particularly helpful for most of the route. The snow depth is such that snowshoes would be usable, and even quite helpful at times, along most of the ridge and the upper Edmand's Path, though not yet necessary. Too bad the sun never came out as forecast, we had a brief peek of blue sky overhead during the ascent of Eisenhower, and a few peeks into the valleys, but overall visibility was rarely more than a few hundred yards. Many thanks to Julia for coming along and helping me finish my 4-Season "grid".  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-12-05 
Link
Link: https:// 
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