| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Vose Spur, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Sawyer River Road, Signal Ridge Trail, Carrigain Notch Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 3, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Winter lot has melted out to dirt |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No issues for us |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nothing of note |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Might not be the best to take one at this time on Vose |
|
 | Bugs: |
Saw my first skeeter |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
A FINE day in forest was had. We had gone into this knowing with yesterdays weather today would absolutely be a leg day. No issues on the road in the morning, and able to spike it to the junction of the old trail thats the defacto winter route. After this the fun ran out. Someone appears to have made a large fire right on the trail just after this, towards C Notch/Signal Ridge signed junction and camped there. They also left two large deposits again, directly in the trail bed. Like you couldn't step off even one step? We broke trail, as anticipated, the entire way. Snow was more supportive then anticipated, but no means a breeze. We thought about doing a version of HikerSinger's route that utilized Cobb Stairs to start, but neither of us where wholly sure of it other than "that looks like it might be it!" Having been in that area and remembering some thick softwood, we opted to use the tried and true method of the kidney stone on C Notch as the launch point. Love this menacing 1600 vert in 0.7. We followed the drainage up for a bit, loosely on the summer herd path. Woods are delightful in here so aside from a couple spots, it was fine. I never changed into a shell and wore a tank top the entire hike, with no epidermis donations. So yeah, super open. I went right when I should have gone left just before the ridgecrest, but it added spice to the hike. Matt and his 30" destroyers made great work of the up. Great views on the talus, and then the real work began. Don't worry, it gets steeper before it gets steeper. We went straight at it, which was serious pucker factor coming down. The lawn chair and spatula is no longer there (I may be dating myself now). Found a better line on the way out. If you vulture it, at your lone decision point, stay left. Major warmup and the snow was giving it all it had to stay consolidated, but it wont last long with these temps this week. Like every other trail, this wasn't snowshoe broke all winter so its a thin deteriorating balance beam in the middle. Not a bad day but a heck of a work out. The parts we thought would be bad weren't, the parts we weren't worried about where a tire fire. Life is all about balance I suppose. Another 100W... Where's winter? |
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 | Name: |
The Teal Goat, MattJim |
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 | E-Mail: |
sea2thebiscuit@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-03-03 |
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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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