| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Old Jackson Road, Nelson Crag Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Still some room at 8 AM at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center on a sunny Tuesday morning. No issues there. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Everything was easy. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No blowdowns on Old Jackson Road, and only a couple on the lower Nelson Crag. Nelson Crag Trail below treeline was also wet in places, with slippery roots and ledges. All signs are in place. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I wouldn't take them on Nelson Crag Trail - it has steep, wet slabs below treeline and lots of sharp, jagged rock above treeline. I saw only one dog, on the upper part of Nelson Crag (going over Ball Crag) - it wasn't clear if they had taken Nelson Crag the whole way or done something else. |
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 | Bugs: |
Surprisingly, they were not an issue below treeline even though I didn't put on bug spray. Above treeline, the wind kept them away. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Having not hiked the previous weekend due to the rain, I wanted to get in a hike since the weather was clear today. And what better way to take advantage of the clear day than to hike a trail that's tough even by Mt. Washington standards - the Nelson Crag Trail.
Old Jackson Road was a bit damp in places, with some slippery rocks, but was still straightforward. Nelson Crag Trail starts to climb pretty quickly, and basically just doesn't let up for a long time. Below treeline, the trail had many rock scrambles, including some where the rocks were wet so extra caution was required. Upon breaking treeline, there are a few more difficult rock scrambles (most of which had dry rock, but one scramble had wet rock) before briefly leveling in an open area with excellent views. The trail then climbs moderately up to Cragway Spring, passing through two small patches of scrub along the way. I took a snack break there, and waved to the many vehicles driving in both directions on the Auto Road.
Having already climbed a steep 2,200 vertical feet on Nelson Crag to get to that point, I was not looking forward to the big steep climb to the top of the ridge. It was very strenuous, with some more difficult rock scrambles. The toughest scramble was probably the first one after leaving Cragway Spring - a steep rock ledge with a step up to another steep rock ledge, hemmed in on both sides by boulders (so the scramble can't be bypassed). My boots had enough grip to get up the ledges, but if those ledges were wet or icy that scramble would be extremely difficult. At the top of this scramble was a flat-topped rock, where today a young woman was watching the Auto Road drivers stopped at the Cragway Spring area to see where they were going off trail. The rest of the climb up to the top of the ridge had several more scrambles, some of which were difficult but none quite as bad as the first one. As I crested the ridge, I became continuously exposed to the wind for the rest of the hike to the summit - winds were blowing at at least 30 mph (the Mt. Washington Observatory gives an average wind speed of the low 30s for the time when I was walking the ridge toward the summit). The rest of the climb was more moderate, but between the very rough footing and the constant wind, it was still tiring. The trail alternates between talus fields and sections of rocky normal trail. The climb over Ball Crag was luckily only moderate, and then the trail briefly eases as it crosses the Auto Road and Cog Railway and finally climbs to the summit.
Knowing that this would be a very strenuous hike, my plan was always to take the Auto Road's hiker shuttle back down the mountain. And that's exactly what I did.
And one final bonus: I was driving down Route 16 toward Jackson after the hike, and as I was approaching the Rocky Branch trailhead I noticed something coming out of the woods toward the road. It was a moose! And quite a big one at that. I slowed down to allow the moose to cross the road. This continues my streak of only ever seeing moose when I'm in a car, never when I'm on foot. |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-06-25 |
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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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