| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Avalon, Mt. Field, Mt. Willey, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Avalon Trail, Willey Range Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 5, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I joined about a dozen cars along 302 at 8:15. I was the last car at 5:30. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
First stream crossing has good log bridge. 2nd stream crossing has shallow open water. Trail forks there, the bushwhack path upstream leads a short ways to a dry crossing. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I cut out three of the blowdowns. Still some left, if you feel the need to saw the hell out of something;) |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
There are some pretty steep inclines on Avalon and between Field and Willey. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Lots of snow up there, so there's no question of a good base. It's the top 4"-6" that was in play. The conditions now really depend on whether spikes or snowshoes went over it last, as spikes were tearing it up and snowshoes were fixing it. I might have been the last one on mountain from Field down thru Avalon, so hopefully I flattened them out one last time.
My Evos, without tails on, worked well on the Avalon and Field steeps. In places I really had to put weight on the poles and stomp down just a bit to consolidate the snow and get a good grip, but for the most part I could walk straight up. Coming down again required good pole plant, bent knees as though sitting in a chair, chest pushed out over knees to leverage weight. With that technique, could almost always walk straight down. (Often there is powder on the side you can wade into to slow down the descent.)
Trail gets a little tight between Field and Willey, expect a lot of snowy branches to push through after new snowfall.
Warm and no wind, the threat of afternoon showers gradually evaporated. Great views from all three peaks. Esp enjoyed the 4pm view off Avalon. As the sun was going down, and the mountains across the street darkened, Mt. Washington shone with the remaining sun, as if captured by a spotlight.
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 | Name: |
Steve Marion |
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 | E-Mail: |
swamp_fox@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-01-06 |
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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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