| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Big Ball Mountain, Black Snoot, Mt. Shaw, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Mt. Shaw Trail, Tate Mountain Trail, Banana Trail, Black Snout Trail, High Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 7, 2021 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Mine was the first vehicle in Mt. Shaw Trail parking area @ 7 AM. One other joined mine upon return late morning. There is a fair amount of ice in the lot. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None of significance on this route. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No major issues to report. One "toll gate" on Black Snout Trail (right before the sno-mo climb to Mt. Shaw) would have been an easy clean up had I remembered my pack saw. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn't see any. |
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 | Bugs: |
Didn't see any. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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|
 | Comments: |
This route is well tracked and packed however N of Big Ball Mountain and for the rest of this CCW loop it is a little chippy and soft on spots. Trails were softening as the morning wore on but still supportive. I wore spikes all the way giving my snowshoes a free ride - however I imagine in the coming days snowshoes may be very handy.
I had read on the Moultonboro Snowmobile Club's website that the sno-mo trails were closed so I thought it would be a good time to re-visit this area without having to deal with the machines buzzing by. Unfortunately as I was ascending Mt. Shaw two sno-mo's were coming down...nothing like a heapin' helpin' of exhaust fumes in the morning. As I was descending Mt. Shaw Trail I saw and heard two more over by Turtleback Mountain. I learned later the sno-mo corridor up to Mt. Shaw is managed by the state and is still open - so I guess if you want to avoid the machines it's not quite time yet.
Another observation: lots of sledding being done on upper half of Mt. Shaw Trail - so be mindful of that.
Beyond all that it was a gorgeous morning: lots of sun, near zero wind and excellent trail conditions. Great views from all of the usual viewpoints. I had all of the peaks to myself and did not see another hiker the entire route. I almost felt a little guilty hiking this fun loop in near complete solitude...almost :) |
|
 | Name: |
HMJ |
|
 | E-Mail: |
trailsntrees(at)gmail(dot)com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-03-07 |
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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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