Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Washington, NH |
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| Trails: |
Tuckerman Ravine Trail, Lion's Head Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Saturday, November 19, 2022 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of room when I rolled in around 7 AM. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No issues of note on either Tuck's or Lion's Head. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Tuck's was a hardpacked highway all the way to the Lion's Head junction; I wore light traction for that stretch. The Lion's Head Trail had significantly less foot traffic and noticeably deeper snow; I put my snowshoes on a short distance past the junction and kept them on all the way to the summit of Washington and back down to the Hermit Lake ranger cabin.
There was full, continuous snow coverage from bottom to top, with snow depths raging from 2-4 inches down low to as much as 1-2 feet on the upper 1/2 mile of Lion's Head, with some drifts even deeper than that. That upper 1/2 mile also was not broken out, so I had to do the honors. I was also solo, so the going was quite slow. Going back down it was a breeze, though!
It was cold all day, with the wind chill hitting 8 below zero when I was on the summit. Fortunately, the wind wasn't bad at all, so I never felt like I needed to duck and cover behind a cairn or building, and the views which are stunning normally were a real spectacle with the fresh snow and sunlight beaming down. Strenuous day for sure, but worth it. |
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| Name: |
Spencer |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-11-19 |
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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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