| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Carrigain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Sawyer River Road, Signal Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 4, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Hiker lot next to the Sawyer River Rd. gate was icy; drive slowly in the lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The one near the Carrigain Notch Trail junction was running a little high, but not so high that fully submerged feet are inevitable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blowdowns between the exposed part of Signal Ridge and the summit of Carrigain; all walked around. A few step-overs and duck-unders scattered along the rest of Signal Ridge. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Sawyer River Road was like a hardpacked sidewalk; barebooted the road walk in both directions. The lower parts of the Signal Ridge Trail had a consistent layer of snow that had hardened from the recent thaw and refreeze, but past the Carrigain Notch Trail junction, the snow became softer and fluffier as well as deeper. I switched to snowshoes about a 1/2 mile up Signal Ridge and kept them on until I got back to the road on the hike down.
The upper 2.5 miles or so of Signal Ridge had been postholed by multiple groups and was a mess. Fortunately, the trail was in much better shape on the descent after my snowshoe tracks and those of another ascending group smoothed things out a good bit.
Cold day out there for sure, with the summit tower and the exposed part of Signal Ridge being especially frigid. #40 on the Winter 48 is in the books, and after last weekend's mild temps and rain, it felt good to be up on Carrigain and have it actually look and feel like winter! |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-01-04 |
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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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