| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Major, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Boulder Loop Trail, Brook Trail, Mt. Major Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, December 10, 2023 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of room at the Mt. Major Trailhead off Route 11 in Alton. No more than a dozen vehicles there; the lot could fit several times that number. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Slush |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Two crossings on Brook Trail were easy rock hops. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No blowdowns, and all signs are in place. A few sections of Boulder Loop Trail are not the clearest to follow - there are boulders on and all around the trail, blazes are not obvious or are under snow or ice, and there are sometimes herd paths around more rocky areas that may be more obvious than the actual trail. The upper, more gradual section of Boulder Loop Trail also has some diverging herd paths. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a couple. A dog acclimated to cold, wet, wintry conditions wouldn't have much trouble. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
None. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Nice quick hike to beat the afternoon rain. Thin cover of slushy snow/ice began on Boulder Loop Trail almost from the trailhead, so I put my spikes on right at the beginning. IMO this was the best option - there were several rocky or ledgy areas where I had to walk on bare rock, but more of the trail was covered in ice or snow that I felt my spikes helped more than they hurt. Boulder Loop Trail could maybe be bare-booted with significant caution on the icy sections, but I wanted to make good time in order to beat the rain forecast for the afternoon. Either way, don't bring new spikes for these conditions - beater spikes are more than sufficient. Snow cover even in the woods was no more than a few inches, so snowshoes were definitely unnecessary.
Unsurprisingly, there were no views at the summit. I didn't expect there to be views, so I was not bothered by this. There's no sign for Brook Trail (which coincides here with Belknap Range Trail) leaving the summit of Mt. Major, but a couple of blue-and-yellow blazes on the rocks pointed the right way, and after leaving the immediate summit area the river of soft, melting ice that marked the trail was clearly evident. From there to the split where Brook Trail peels off from Belknap Range Trail, it was mostly covered in snow/ice but some of the ledges, as well as some of the steeper pitches, were bare. Descending Brook Trail on the north side of the mountain, snow cover was complete, and spikes gave excellent grip in the packed snow so I could sail down that section. Snow cover remained mostly complete until the lower junction with Mt. Major Trail, and below that point the snow cover was intermittent and trended toward bare ground. Of course, all these snow conditions are probably already obsolete with the rain this afternoon, but that's how it was in the morning.
I didn't see a single other person on the climb up Boulder Loop Trail (how often does that happen on Mt. Major?), and saw maybe 10 people while descending Brook Trail. I hope they all made it down before the rain came. Despite the lack of views, I still had a great time. |
|
 | Name: |
GN |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2023-12-10 |
|
 | 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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