Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Surprise, Mt. Moriah (attempt), NH |
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| Trails: |
Carter-Moriah Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Monday, January 8, 2018 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Bangor Rd is plowed, no issues |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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| 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 |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
Would have been very difficult for a dog |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| 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. |
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| Name: |
DocRoss |
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| E-Mail: |
davidross2243@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-01-09 |
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| Link: |
https:// |
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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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