| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Moosilauke, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ravine Lodge Road, Gorge Brook Trail, Snapper Trail, Carriage Road, Glencliff Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 15, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Glencliff Trailhead was easy to find and in good condition, and Ravine Lodge Road is open part of the way to the lodge. The road has lots of bumps and ruts but no snow (at least on the plowed part) and is perfectly drivable. Route 118 southwest of Ravine Lodge Road is riddled with big frost heaves requiring slow speeds and caution, and I heard from another hiker that Route 118 northeast of Ravine Lodge Road is in even worse shape. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction, Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All were bridged except for the minor ones on the lower Glencliff Trail, which were easy. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There should be a sign at the junction with the spur to the Great Bear Cabin half a mile up on Glencliff Trail. It's easy for descending hikers to think that the spur to the cabin is the actual trail. Nothing much to report besides that - all other signs are in place, though some are only a foot or two above the snow. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Hah! Not yet. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nada. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Tough and strenuous but fun hike. We microspiked from the Dartmouth Lodge all the way to treeline on the Carriage Road. Very little ice on lower Gorge Brook or Snapper. The Carriage Road got an icy crust as we went further up, but it was nothing my spikes couldn't handle. The summit and above-treeline areas are very icy, so I put on Hillsound Trail Crampons at the final treeline. They worked very well, both for the summit ice and the steep descent on Glencliff, and I highly recommend them. I brought snowshoes but never even considered putting them on - the trails were too hard-packed for them to be of much use.
The summit was cold but not too cold, and windy but not too windy. I never felt like I could get blown off the mountain. If you bring all the appropriate gear (face covering, ski goggles, heavy winter jacket and windbreaker, and warm gloves), you would've been fine. And, even better, there were no clouds at the summit at all. The views were spectacular in all directions.
The upper part of Glencliff is very steep, and my Hillsound Trail Crampons served me very well. Take it slowly and carefully, and you'll be fine. There were a few icy spots in the upper half of Glencliff, but they weren't difficult to traverse. The lower part of Glencliff, however, is very icy, and is literally a river of ice for substantial stretches. We didn't remove our spikes until the junction with Hurricane Trail 0.4 miles above the trailhead.
Thanks Scott and Nicsa for joining me! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-03-15 |
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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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