| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Carrigain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Sawyer River Road, Signal Ridge Trail, herd paths |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 17, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Sawyer River Road closed in winter (snowmobile corridor). Winter lot is plowed, but icy. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Using the current route (incorporates abandoned trail), all three are open, but at a low enough level that you can keep your snowshoes on and not get your boots wet. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some blowdowns and a lot of brush. A few folks were trimming back brush today. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Decent weather for the last weekend day of the winter.
Sawyer River Road was well tracked out by snowmobiles (didn't encounter any at 8AM) with lots of base.
Snowpack had finally set up after the thaw. With temperatures below freezing, the footbed was firm enough that folks could Microspike without postholing. There was a lot of carnage from barebooting parasitic postholers prior to the freeze, including some extremely deep holes (many up to the handles of my poles). The snowpack is really deep in places, so not bringing snowshoes can be seen as negligent...if the snowpack softens in the sun, or if you lose the trail from drifting, you're in deep trouble without flotation, miles from the nearest road and out of cell reception.
I wore snowshoes from car to car and had no issues. Others wore them for the ascent to take advantage of the heel lifts. All but one hiker today at least carried snowshoes (about half wore them). Off trail, if wearing snowshoes, you can go anywhere without sinking; ideal bushwhacking conditions right now.
Lower elevations are frozen granular and loose granular, while the upper elevations had an inch or so of overnight powder. The current tracked out route takes the old route from the old Carrigain Notch junction. There are also two tracked out routes in lower rerouted switchbacks along the brook, and there are two routes just prior to the summit (neither on the actual trail).
Some wind early, but nothing too bad on the ridge or from the tower. Chilly when standing still up high, but relatively mild down low. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-03-17 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos |
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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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