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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Surprise, Mt. Moriah (attempt), NH
Trails
Trails: Carter-Moriah Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, January 8, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Bangor Rd is plowed, no issues 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: At least a dozen blowdowns that will require chainsaw crews. Between 0.75 and 0.5 mile from summit (as crow flies)--well above the ledges--we encountered a half-dozen downed trees over 6 inches diameter. We abandoned at that point, so no info for remainder of route 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Would have been very difficult for a dog 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Three of us started at 9 and encountered unbroken calf- to knee-deep snow at the trailhead. Snow was completely unconsolidated powder, although there was often a solid base. The higher we went the deeper the snow; some drifts were waist-deep. The ledges were a problem due to lack of traction but we made it up. We had the occasional route-finding issue but what really slowed us down was simply the slow plod through the snow. We could sometimes sense a crust deep down, but it was non weight-supporting.

We were joined by a couple who caught up to us near Mt Surprise, and helped out with the breaking for an hour or two before they disappeared back down the trail.

At 4 pm, after a steady 7 hours on the trail and after encountering a succession of blowdowns (see above) we pulled the plug, and came out under headlamps. It took only 3 hours to reach the trailhead.  
Name
Name: DocRoss 
E-Mail
E-Mail: davidross2243@comcast.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-01-09 
Link
Link: https:// 
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