| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
East Osceola, Mt. Osceola, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Greeley Ponds Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 7, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Hard time parking based on the number of people, but to be expected. Not a big trailhead at Greeley |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Traction, Ice Axe |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Some bridges are still in place, but there is definitely some rock hopping to be done. The water isn't high enough to be an issue |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Somebody threw a bracelet on a branch, I brought it to the trailhead on the way back |
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 | Comments: |
The trail up wasn't bad, and traction is definitely needed. Mostly a sidewalk with very little post holing. I was wearing spikes the whole day, and carried snowshoes but never needed them. I saw some tracks where people had worn them, but you basically need any kind of traction on the way up, and the on the flats it certainly doesn't hurt.
That was a few hours before the sun had a chance to make an impact. Everyone else I saw was nervous about coming down the trail and I was in the same boat. I fell coming down the chimney. There are two bypasses since the chimney is not possible (it's basically a waterfall of frozen ice). After falling I took the second and easier bypass down, but the typical summer bypass on the way up.
The way down without FULL crampons is a nightmare. I saw one guy on my way up with an ice ax and I'd recommend that as well. Glissading down is a test in how much you care about your legs/life. I fell on more than one occasion and slid trying to hold onto to trees to stop from sliding. In the end I would slide into a tree at the base of the trail and hope I didn't break something. The trail is as steep as the Hancocks, but it seemed like it took longer to descend, and the cliffs presented additional terror.
The spring snow caused balling on my spikes, which led to me slipping/falling, and sliding uncontrollably with almost no way to stop. Be careful out there. |
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 | Name: |
Peter |
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 | E-Mail: |
peter521081@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-04-08 |
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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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