| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Avalon, Mt. Field, Mt. Tom, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Avalon Trail, Willey Range Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, January 17, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked alongside route 302. There is a wide plowed margin off the road. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Drifts |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The two crossings of Crawford Brook on the Avalon Trail are bridged by snow/ice. Easy to cross. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The only difficult tree fall is on the A-Z Trail. An evergreen is across the trail at about 3 feet above the current surface (about 10" diameter). I took off my pack and went under. There are footprints going off trail to get around this obstacle.
There were other trees bent over some of the trails that required a bit of a duck or walk around. These were easy to get by. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Fine for dogs. Saw none today. |
|
 | Bugs: |
|
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
The Avalon Trail up to the junction with the Mt Avalon side spur is mainly a hard snow surface. Microspikes worked, although they were at their limit on the steep stretch above the Avalon and A-Z junction. There was some drifting in spots on the Avalon Trail above this junction. Some drifting was only an inch or two, but it was up to several areas in places especially on approach to the Willey Range Trail. The spur trail up Mt Avalon is a bit tricky in one short spot at the steep ledge especially on descent.
I should have worn the snowshoes above the Mt Avalon spur junction rather than waiting until I was on Mt Field. The going was easy down the Willey Range Trail to the A-Z Trail as well as the round trip to Mt Tom. The snowshoes worked great on the snow surface on descent. The loose snow above the hard sub-surface base acted as a brake on descent.
The Willey Trail was broken out heading of Mt Field toward Mt Willey. The A-Z Trail heading to Zealand Notch has not been broken out. The short loop to the falls off the Avalon Trail has not been broken out.
Nice to talk with Julie & Dan from Minot ME and two guys from Portland ME. Also, met a woman from Bartlett NH. Saw no other hikers.
The snow on the trees made for a fine wintry scene. The best views were from Mt Avalon although Mt Washington was hidden in the clouds. I broke out the short side trail to the outlook near the Mt Tom summit. The snow pack is not high enough to enable good views from Mt Tom. The snowshoe trail splits near the Mt Tom summit. The left fork heads to the summit with the cairn mostly buried in snow. The right fork leads to the outlook to Mt Field. |
|
 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
|
 | E-Mail: |
waumbek@roadrunner.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-01-17 |
|
 | 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. |
|
