| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Madison, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Air Line, Air Line Cutoff, Osgood Trail, Valley Way |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 2, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Two other cars when I started, around a dozen when I got back. Not nearly as crowded as it could’ve been. Side note: All the RMC camps are closed and all access to them is prohibited. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All rock hoppable, even with the higher water conditions from the snowmelt. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A fair amount of debris and blowdowns along Air Line and Valley Way, particularly in the lower spots. Most likely though, it was all probably buried under the winter snow that melted. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
A few buzzing around the lower parts of Valley Way as the temps rose. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Mixed bag o’ conditions on Mt. Madison. Air Line and Valley Way were snow and ice-free (albeit wet and muddy in areas) for the first few tenths of a mile, then there were scattered patches of snow and ice to their rough halfway points. Air Line had a lot of ice until the junction with Scar Trail, then anywhere from 2-4+ feet to tree line, where the trail became icy again. Air Line Cutoff had some very deep snow as well. Osgood from the hut to the summit was a mix of deep spring snow, crusty ice, and frozen granular snow. Valley Way has the most snow of any trail I took, and the rapidly rising temps made for some tedious footing.
I wore light traction from around one mile up Air Line to the summit of Madison and back to the hut, then switched to snowshoes for a couple miles. Barebooted the last mile and a half.
It may feel like spring down low, but that doesn’t mean that’s the case above 5,000 feet. I’d still carry spikes and snowshoes for at least the next few weeks if doing any hiking up here. |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-05-02 |
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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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