| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Slide Peak, Mt. Isolation, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Glen Boulder Trail, Davis Path, Isolation Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, April 30, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Gate closed with plenty or space to park on the side of the driveway in front of it. A handful of cars when I arrived at 7:45 and maybe 8? when I left. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Not an issue |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There are two blow downs on Glen Boulder as you are heading up right before the ski trail junction. One is an easy leg-over for a tall person while the other is rather large and laying across the trail - some have gone into the woods to get around it. On Davis Path, there is a crawl under just past the Isolation Trail (East) junction if you are headed south...however, by the time the snowpack melts it may be a walkunder |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
One cute pup |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Lost the container for my earbuds (not sure where) - will check the kiosk tomorrow in case someone found them and left them. |
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 | Comments: |
Rode the struggle bus today, but Glen Boulder and Davis Path are broken out. Start of Glen Boulder is dry and free of any signs of winter or spring. Just after jct with ski trails you get more steady snow. Spikes on at the steeper section just below treeline, then off at the scramble. Scramble at the Glen Boulder treeline is free of snow/ice. Carwash branches in the wooded section just beneath Slide Peak - would strongly recommend snowshoes in that section as every step was a post hole, even if you were on the trail. There was clear evidence that others had been on this section of trail since the recent snowfall. Some post holes were thigh or hip deep, depending how tall you are. Route finding a little interesting with all of the drifting above treeline in a couple places, but nothing that can't be figured out with decent visibility as cairns are free of snow. I would also highly recommend snowshoes below treeline on Davis Path. The snow appeared untouched with no signs anyone had been through this section (thanks to the recent snowfall) until I reached the isolation trail (west) junction and saw traffic from that direction from the previous day. I lost the trail a couple times on Davis due to drifting, but was able to quickly find it again by looking for signs of sawed off limbs and other trail work - there is one area where you'll see a fork - go left. The carwash on Davis was much worse than the wooded section below Slide Peak, IMHO, and branches were covered in heavy, wet snow. Eye protection was very helpful. At times I felt as though I were throwing myself into the branches so I could get through. The branches here were very sturdy and difficult to move. The drifts were somewhat solid under snowshoes - mostly sank down around 3-6 inches in snowshoes, but the base on Davis is deep and you will post hole with every step without snowshoes, even if you are on the trail. You don't want to post hole here, though some did - a couple looked chest deep and one appeared to be a spruce trap. On the return trip, I ran into one snowshoer with a dog and 4 others who were giving their most herculean efforts by toughing it out in microspikes (hats off to you, gentlemen). I'm so grateful they knocked all the remaining snow from the branches for my return trip so I didn't have to deal with snow down the back of my neck - thank you! Hiked out the same way I hiked in and now I never have to hike this peak in April again! |
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 | Name: |
BubblesTheHiker |
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 | E-Mail: |
kdoer @ yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-04-30 |
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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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