| 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: |
Saturday, February 22, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The Greeley Ponds trailhead is not plowed in the winter — there are two small lots just west of it on the Kancamagus, but they filled up quickly, so get there early. We were the last car to find a space. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction, Ice Axe |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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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: |
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 | Comments: |
This trail is steep! The Greeley Ponds trail was well-packed to the junction. Ascending East Osceola, the trail becomes extremely steep, and crampons would be ideal. I kept microspikes on, but I was very glad to have an ice axe, especially on a few of the steeper sections. It was a busy day on the mountains, and we had to chop steps for a couple groups who were struggling in just light traction. That said, crampons and an axe aren't mandatory — I could have done the whole trail with just microspikes or snowshoes, but I had a lot more fun with an axe and crampons.
From East Osceola, the trail is packed, but fairly postholed. I'd bring snowshoes for this section. It's passable without them, but given drifting along the ridge and the only partly-packed nature of the trail, snowshoes would be ideal. I chose to ascend the Chimney directly. The bypass trail is well-packed, and I descended it in just microspikes — the majority of hikers went that way. If you're looking for a brief ice climb, the Chimney was a fun and challenging route, though very much a technical ice pitch.
All in all, a great day on a beautiful trail. And if you're in for a real adventure, bring an ice axe and butt slide down East Osceola. Glissading without an axe would be absolutely terrifying on this trail, but with an axe it was the best slide of this winter. |
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 | Name: |
Matt |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-02-24 |
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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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