Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Jackson, Mt. Pierce, NH |
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| Trails: |
Webster-Jackson Trail, Saco Lake Trail, Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, December 20, 2022 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at the Crawford Connector trailhead. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
Minimal water crossings on these trails; all were easy step-overs. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails well-maintained and easy to follow (at least below treeline). |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a few; these trails would be fine. |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Intended to hike the Webster-Jackson Trail to Jackson, Pierce, and possibly Eisenhower. However, when I reached the summit of Mt. Jackson, I realized that wasn't going to happen. Couldn't confidently locate the northbound Webster Cliff Trail after a couple of attempts- the summit was in the clouds, and windblown snow obscured cairns and other landmarks. Hence, I went back down, and conquered Mt. Pierce the hard way (by regaining all of the elevation on the Crawford Path). Even following the Webster Cliff Trail for the last tenth of a mile to the summit of Mt. Pierce was a bit tricky. I knew the general way to go, and found the summit, but the cairns and trail markings were indistinct at best due to wind-driven snow and rime ice. I didn't even try heading over toward Eisenhower- the route looked broken out, but would probably be difficult to follow in the exposed areas. It was not a day for distant views, but it was a beautiful winter wonderland near and below treeline. Snowshoes strongly recommended, with the Crawford Path more consolidated compared to the Webster-Jackson Trail, but both well broken-out. The Saco Lake Trail has seen only a couple of snowshoe tracks through deep snow. |
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| Name: |
Jason |
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| E-Mail: |
kurlando7@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-12-20 |
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| Link: |
https://unnecessaryclimb.wordpress.com |
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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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