| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Lafayette, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Skookumchuck Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, December 29, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at 8 a.m. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction, Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Few crossings are starting to bridge or are still rock hoppable |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Counted at least 4 blowdowns about 3 miles up. All easy to climb over of navigate around. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
We had a lab with us. Would say dog friendly until the ridge where the ice gets thick, hard and the grade steepens. The windchill can also be too much for small pets. |
|
 | Bugs: |
n/a |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Someone saw a key that was left at the trailhead bulletin board. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Started off bare booting but put on microspikes about a mile and a half in due to patches of ice. The streams are still running strong so there is water on parts of the trail near water crossings. Stone stairways are covered in patches of hard ice--possible to avoid but can move faster with traction. Snowier trails towards the top of Skookumchuck trail are packed down well. Passed a handful of 12-18" deep postholes. Probably can do most of the ridgeline with microspikes but there is a steep pitch between North peak and Mount Lafayette that is solid blue ice and could be better climbed with crampons. We put crampons on at treeline to avoid having to make the change in the potentially 20-30mph wind gusts. Wind was intermittent, not too bad. Saw a handful of other hikers at the summit. I appreciated having my ski goggles and balaclava with me to better brace from the biting wind gusts. |
|
 | Name: |
Annaliza |
|
 | E-Mail: |
annaliza.hikes@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2019-12-30 |
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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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