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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Roberts, NH
Trails
Trails: Mt. Roberts Trail, High Ridge Trail, Faraway Mountain Trail, Cold Spring Trail, Settlement Trail, Settlement Loop, Whitten Trail, Cold Spring Road, Pond Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 25, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The upper Castle in the Clouds lot was mostly plowed but not near full during my stay. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None here to be concerned with. The larger ones are bridged. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Trail in this area are always well blazed and signed. There are felled trees on the Settlement Trail and Whitten Trail (one each) which are step overs. There are branches of varying sizes down on the High Ridge, Faraway Mountain and Cold Spring Trails - but nowhere near the carnage I've seen up there in past years. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: I saw one on the way up to Mt. Roberts. It seemed a little too anxious and I told the owner that I would not be responsible if I happened to step on it with my snowshoes - mainly because the pooch was leashed but the other end of the leash wasn't attached to anyone or anything. 
Bugs
Bugs: None. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: My THIRD trailhead of the day in central NH led me to Old Faithful: the Castle in the Clouds property...and it didn't disappoint. I'd guess anywhere from 3-4" of new snow down low to maybe 6" at higher elevations fell here and the semi-sticky consistency made for excellent snowshoeing. The beginning of the Mt. Roberts Trail (in back of the horse field) was a barebooting, pot-marked minefield but gradually got better once ascending. From there some further barebooting evidence was present but for most of the way until the end of the Cold Spring Trail I was following 1 or 2 snowshoe tracks ahead of me. The Settlement Trail, Settlement Loop, Whitten Trail and Pond Trail had not seen any traffic until I got to them. However, there wasn't much underneath this new snow so I wouldn't expect these conditions to last much longer.

Four people were coming down as I was ascending Mt. Roberts (not sure they made it to the top) and I passed two other groups of two on the way up - one twosome apparently wanted their snowshoes in their packs instead of on their feet. Once past these folks from the upper third of the Mt. Roberts Trail to the end I didn't see another person all day. I didn't bother with the Faraway summit proper - but I guess today would have been a good day to visit as the clouds would have obstructed the view :) Today's overcast didn't allow for any distant views but comfy temps, great trail conditions and even a bit of snow mid-afternoon made this a fun trek.  
Name
Name: HMJ 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-03-25 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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