| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Square Ledge, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Oliverian Brook Trail, Lawrence Trail, Square Ledge Trail, Square Ledge Branch Trail, Passaconaway Cutoff |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lot is plowed only at the mouth for 5-6 cars |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Many bundles of joy, 3 wades, 3 hops on Oliverian brook trail, 2 hops on Square ledge trail, and the wade at the bottom of pass cutoff. All wades were high ankle/low shin deep |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Cleaned up a lotta blowdown branches from the recent storm. There is a medium sized duck under by the 1/4mi fpa sign on Oliverian brook trail that needs to get sawed up |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
N/A |
|
 | Bugs: |
N/A |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
N/A |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
First big day since I finished the pacific crest trail in late November, 2600 miles from Canada to Mexico. I broke out the first couple miles of Oliverian brook trail on Friday and called it at the first big stream crossing 2 1/4mi in. Feeling better and having remembered my poles and gaiters I was able to send it and many other crossings today. I put my spikes on in the parking lot and they stayed on until postholio turned around 3/4mi in by the bog. Here I put on my snowshoes and they stayed on from here back to the car, partly outta laziness at times and due to the fact that spikes woulda gotten sucked off my feet many times. Oliverian brook trail is packed granular becoming loose where I turned around on Friday, and is a combo of granular and bare ground/leaves/mudpits/bony roots & rocks, but mostly granular and swamp up to Paugus Pass and most of Square ledge trail to the start of the climb up over the ledge. The branch trail was by far the best consistent snowpack of the day. Once climbing up/over the ledge, it became an awful mixed bag of hot trash with the additional challenge of navigating in the dark, I was wicked happy when I finally saw the Pass cutoff jct sign. Pass cutoff is mostly granular but has some obnoxious rocky stream in trail spots. The last 1/2mi after the stupid wade of a stream crossing is its normally joyous swampy self. Lotta moose tracks seen all day. Now for that crossing at the bottom of pass cutoff u may be wondering why is there no bridge here? Prob cuz its not a hut trail |
|
 | Name: |
Heat Lightning |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ecs@mountainlogworks.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2023-12-12 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
