| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Starr King, Mt. Waumbek, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Starr King Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The summer lot is not plowed. I elected to not chance getting stuck and tried to park in the traditional winter lot, a large dirt lot for snowmobiles to use as well, just across the road from Starr King rd. But this lot has now been repurposed to hold large piles of rocks. There was a small sign in the lot that said, “Use 115A lot.” As I’d hiked the Cohos, I knew 115A was just parallel to US route 2. So, I went to 115A and did, indeed, find a large lot that looked prepped for snowmobile parking. It was not plowed but my SUV did fine. I then had to walk 200 feet down 115A to meet up with a road called “Waumbeck Road” on my Gaia app. This was the only road that did not have a “no trespassing” sign. I walked up this road, past a new house being built, in order to access US 2. I walked 50 feet down US 2 to access Starr King Rd. I walked up Starr King Rd to the trailhead.
There were 3 cars that risked it and parked in the summer lot. Beware- as the snow berm builds from plowing, I do not know about the viability of making it to the summer lot as plowing stops at the last residence. Parking has always been a nuisance for this trail. Winter parking may require walking from the new snowmobile lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dog did fine. No hazards. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Route:
Out and back on Starr King Trail.
Starr King Trail: well blazed in yellow. Amazing maintenance. I was the first on trail. As such, I donned snowshoes and kept them on for the entirety. Snow levels were no where near what I thought they’d be. 2 inches of fresh, delicious, powder in lower elevations increasing to a max of 4 inches (on the trail itself) in upper elevations. Shallow drifts from the summit of Mt Waumbeck to the viewpoint just past the summit. Off trail, however, is just over a foot of snow above 3000 feet.
A trench had been started by a snowshoer either just prior to the storm or during it. That’s the only way I can account for such little new snow from that storm.
Of the 4 other people I encountered today, one other was wearing snowshoes. This was a bit confusing as the trench has not been consolidated and the snow was deep enough that the spike users must have felt like they were walking in sand. For me, and the hours I walked (0900 to 1300), snowshoes were the best footwear based on snow depth and ambient temps. |
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-12-05 |
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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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