| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Monroe, Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop, Trinity Heights Connector, Gulfside, Jewell Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 23, 2020 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty at the Ammo lot on Base Road @ 7 AM. Looks like it filled up pretty good upon return mid-afternoon. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No problem on the Ammo crossing. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No issues to report. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Must have seen 4 or 5 today. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Lost: my patience descending Jewell Trail. More on that below. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Unbelievable day for this loop: abundant sun, no clouds, decent temps and minimal wind. Lots of people out on these trails today. When I got back to the hut after climbing Monroe it felt like a block party - same atop Washington.
I wore SNOWSHOES from the start ascending Ammo Trail. Trail was broken out well but still a soft in the morning. Heel lifts on my SNOWSHOES were well worth it, although for a portion I was following some bare booters, packing their prints down until I passed them. On the climb to Monroe I opted for crampons thinking it might be a little more solid but they ended up being a toss-up with SNOWSHOES. Back at the hut I put the crampons back in my pack and donned SHOWSHOES for the rest of the hike. Going up Crawford Path to Washington SNOWSHOES were perfect as the trail was a bit soft. Descending Gulfside was more ice than snow: crampons would be a good choice but SNOWSHOES were fine also. The upper part of Jewell was boney with many rocks sticking out but SNOWSHOES worked as well as anything. Once below treeline SNOWSHOES were the only reasonable option as the trail was very soft in the early afternoon. But of course on the way down I encountered a virus: postholus gigantus, some over a foot in depth. The trail was a mess because people refuse to wear the proper equipment - i.e. SNOWSHOES - and make it a back breaking, ankle twisting experience. A few kittens needlessly lost their lives on this trail and despite myself and two others doing the best we could to pack it down with SNOWSHOES I suspect some people coming down later in the day will add to the death toll.
Take SNOWSHOES. Wear SNOWSHOES. Thank you. |
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 | Name: |
HMJ |
|
 | E-Mail: |
trailsntrees(at)gmail(dot)com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-02-23 |
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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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