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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Hight, Carter Dome, NH
Trails
Trails: Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Carter Moriah Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, February 10, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Nineteen Mile Brook trailhead lot was plowed with lots of room -- creative parking allowed a lot of cars, and even a small bus. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Needed to hop over some running water on a few smaller streams on the Carter Dome Trail as some ahead of us broke through the ice bridges. Larger streams were still bridged. All good on the19 mile brook trail. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A few climb-overs and crawl under on the Carter Dome Trail, all very managable. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Thank you to Climber46 and Rick for doing a great job breaking out the trial on Friday. The 19 mile brook trail was in great shape, though the snow started getting a bit wet and sticky by late afternoon.

Carter Dome Trail up to Zika pass was a bit loose and had a few post holes from some bare boosters ahead of us, but very manageable. A bit of caution is needed crossing the streams -- someone broke through in a few spots and yesterdays warm temps made the bridges a bit unstable.

From Zita Pass over until about half a mile after Carter Notch the trail got much harder - very loose, drifts, and some people without snowshoes really tore it up. Very slow going. We went up to Mt. Height as the trail looked to have only been used by people in snow shoes. Glad we did - the climb up was steep with some of the 2 steps forward and slide 1 step back, but very manageable (just really steep). The summit was wild - bare rock, ice, snow drifts, and 40+MPH winds. We did not stay long, but it was what makes winter hiking so much fun!

Once the trail from Mt. Height rejoined the AT, the post holing was even worse, the snow was looser, and the drifts were higher. Really challenging and slow. The last part down to the hut involved some butt sliding - intentional and not intentional.

Wonderful hospitality from the caretaker at the Carter Notch hut. It was grate to warm up and dry out a bit. Flew down the 19 mile brook trail - it is a bit loose in spots, but generally very well packed down and getting a lot of traffic from the 40 people who were staying at the hut last night.  
Name
Name: Taz 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-02-11 
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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