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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Whiteface, Mt. Passaconaway, NH
Trails
Trails: Blueberry Ledge Trail, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail, East Loop
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, February 23, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Arrived at 8 and there were already a few cars. Like everyone says nose in perpendicular. Left around 3:30 and cars were parked way out beyond allowed parking.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable) 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Other than stream step overs , Just the bigger one on Dicey Mill that descending and with snowshoes is kinda awkward to turn around and step backward onto rocks in stream. Would have been easier to take snowshoes off and walk on rocks.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Lots of crouched walking on Rollins. The packed trail seemed briefly bushwacked. But blue blazes May have been obscured by lots of snow.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: One dog on leash.  
Bugs
Bugs: Snow flees on dicey Mill.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Same snowshoe at trail map board 
 
Comments
Comments: When navigating via gps to Ferncroft parking. Just use the initial option it offers or the route 109 and 113 route through sandwich by squam lake. I tried going on 25 all the way to Moultonborough and then the short crossing over from Tamworth. Well I quickly ended up on single width snowy roads and “ not maintained in winter “ signs. It deadended at a not maintained sign and I popped back out on Pease road back to paved dry road.
Ascended up blueberry ledge. It was packed and frozen allowing barefoot for 2.5 miles. Then snowshoes for grip and avoiding any trail disturbance. (Whoever has three round tread pattern on boot while using snowshoes I followed your tracks all morning). All other trails passed were not packed since previous light snow. Aggressive crampon type snowshoes nearing top of Whiteface were a must . Few handy handholds for extra fall protection were great. Top of Whiteface was beautiful and an amazing clear day (pics in Strava post).
Rollins trail same amazing packed and fairly flat going comparatively. ALOT of duck unders and plain crouched walking. Goggles or a keen eye for pokey sticks is worth the effort. Few parts of Rollins seemed Bushwacked but could be just a lack of blue blazes. Impressive how steep hill is off to the right. Few packed split offs but quickly realize they terminate where someone stopped to pee and everyone else followed trail packing it more. Stopped to check map when Rollins trail seemed to be going too far right when Passaconaway was to the left, but it was correct.
Ascended Dicey Mill on again beautiful packed trail, (7 miles in at this point) . Crossed paths with 2 pair of hikers descending just before summit, Joe and Bruce trusting those MSR’s grip. Top of Passaconaway view point was amazing. Actual summit is sad.
Descending east loop to Dicey Mill was fast and easy. Though I wasn’t thinking I had 4 miles to go. Met up with a mix of snowshoes and a fair amount of microspikes hikers. One pair though (about a mile from summit) had a hiker with Dr. Marten slip on boots and jeans. A few other hikers had already asked there turn around time a it was getting later and they had zero gear or light.
Overall a great day to hike the loop for the firs time and get two 4K mountains in one amazing weather day.  
Name
Name: Joshua Brooks 
E-Mail
E-Mail: Jbrookspt@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-02-24 
Link
Link: https://strava.app.link/Kwk4DSUkzU 
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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