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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Clay, Mt. Washington, NH
Trails
Trails: Jewell Trail, Boundary Line Trail, Jefferson Notch Road, Caps Ridge Trail, Jefferson Loop, Gulfside, Clay Loop, Trinity Heights Connector, Crawford Path, Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 18, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes:  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All Rock Hops. A few on Ammo need to be taken with care 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Big blowdown on the Jewell a few hundred yards out of the Ammo lot. Another large tree across trail just out of Jefferson Notch Parking area. A small bridge in one of the swampy areas on the Boundary Line Trail washed downstream about 10 or 15 yards--stream/swampy area is hoppable.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Ran across about a 20 foot stretch of rotten snow just below treeline on Caps Ridge but were otherwise cruising nicely on only wet trail all the way up Jefferson and up until we crested Clay.

A few decent stretches of snow fields on the ridge of Clay but the trail runs along the west edge of them so can probably be avoided if temps were low and there were slippage worries (temps high enough for us to dig in and walk them easily).

Slush and running water up Gulfside on Washington and same on walk down Crawford Path. Snowfield just above the hut could be slippery if temps low enough.

Ammo trail was a complete mess. Rotten snow top to bottom. Was hiking with wife and she went waist deep a few times as did I. Especially squirrely when on the snow above where the water is running around treeline and just under. Tough to tell what was good and what wasn't especially when near the ledgy areas with the flowing water underneath. Wish we went down Jewell -- word of mouth from a few of the hikers we passed said it was in relatively good conditions with little snow cover (FWIW).

Side note: On the literal top of Jefferson in the little notch under the highest high point and the big big cairn (anytime I see another hiker up there I'm told the big big cairn is the actual 'summit'--don't know if this is true but I snap pics of both :)) my wife was sitting snacking and a marten came out of the rocks and stared at her, walked around the rock into a hole and then came back out and repeated. Was no further from her than arms length. Was a translation loss between the wind and me wanting to get a move on until we were done with the hike and I saw the picture......anyhow--keep a lookout for it if anyone up there in the near future and wondering how it got so far above treeline. Pic included in link.

Fun day out--looks like spring is just about here. Counting days till full on snow season already!  
Name
Name: EAKenRea 
E-Mail
E-Mail: benewfang@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-05-19 
Link
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxnz7J4gb7N/ 
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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