| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Martha, Owlshead, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Cherry Mountain Trail, Marthas Mile Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, March 8, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking area on Route 115 is not plowed (for what it's worth, we can't recall it being plowed for years, if ever?) -- plenty of parking on the cleared shoulder near the trailhead. (Just take care not to be there on snow event days.) |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Not an issue. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Cherry Mountain Trail has a few walk-around, small blowdowns down low. Up top, where the trail intersects the snowmobile route, there are a couple of large walk-under softwoods that have been there since the last storm (a number of reports have documented these). They're easy to walk under -- the only item of note is that the snow depth there is such that some of the blowdowns' branches might just about hit the helmets of any riders. Marthas Mile Trail has a few walk-around blowdowns; nothing of too much concern. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
It appears that most folks heading up to Mt. Martha stop there and don't go any further -- Cherry Mountain Trail is well tracked from the side of Route 115 up to the intersection with the snowmobile route, near the summit.
When we went up late afternoon, snowshoes were a must on the softening snow, especially given the southwestern exposure of that trail.
Snowmobile trail up to the summit is pretty well packed.
Beyond the summit, only one other person had been to Owlshead since the most recent significant snow event -- trail was more or less broken; snowshoes are a must -- there's quite a bit of snow up there.
The broken route more or less followed the actual Marthas Mile Trail, so we just stuck with that.
The steep pitch up to the summit ledges is showing some blue ice and bare rock; it's always interesting in snowshoes but it's not worth removing them for the 50 feet required. There's enough snow (a few feet?) on other end of the pitch to use for a controlled descent.
The Owlshead Trail looked tracked out for a bit past the summit, heading down to the other side of Route 115. We may try that approach next time.
Very nice sunset view of the Presidential Range from Owlshead -- a winter classic.
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 | Name: |
Pancks and Tesco Heaney |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-03-10 |
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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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