| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Cog Rail Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, May 26, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the Cog hiker lot, plenty of room |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Drifts, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
n/a |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
n/a |
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 | Bugs: |
A few snow fleas seen approaching the summit, and swarms of (currently non-biting) black flies upon returning to car |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing lost, nothing found |
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 | Comments: |
Bradygirl1 and I parked at the Cog and went up along the tracks for May Grid (she finished her May Grid, I hope to finish my last 6 for May NEXT year (slacker, I know)). Pretty uneventful since we started late after the wind wound down. We were down to single layers due to low winds, temperatures in the 50s, and Spring Sun (the sun, THE SUN!!!). Above Jacob's Ladder (+/- 4200 feet or so) the situation changed significantly. The dry. clear trail gave way to patchy snow, and shortly after, a "kick and step" snowy layer about 8" deep that got deeper the higher we got. As we got closer to the summit it became a post-holey mess (more for me, as my goo-belly no longer permits me to glide across the snow surface as easily as my wife). As the towers and summit buildings became visible, so did some convective clouds, which dumped stinging hail and graupel in our faces for about 10 minutes. We followed the tracks all the way to the summit, as the snow was drifty in spots, and still about a foot deep with a crunchy ice layer up top. We didn't wanted to cross the tracks and adventure across the as yet explored short cut to the summit on account of the snow. We stopped at Sherman Adams for longer than planned, as more hail, sleet and light but prolonged snow took over the summit for about 30 minutes. Heading down was largely a (slightly) windier version of the way up, but with many more "hard heel" steps to keep from slipping. This later turned into a "hole in your favorite Gore-Tex boots that you DO need to finally replace"-seeking running wet trail around Jacob's Ladder. As the weather warms, this is likely to remain a watery mess, as there was a lot of snow above 4200 feet, that will probably stick around for a while, despite the great forecasts for Tuesday and Wednesday. After 30 minutes of diminishing slip and slide we got to Waumbek Station, and it was a dry and easy out from there. We were swarmed by social clouds of black flies at the car, but for now, no bites. Oh, Sunscreen. Bring it. I actually checked my calendar in the hopes of not having a Dermatologist visit any time soon. We're both red-faced. |
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 | Name: |
Bogboy |
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 | E-Mail: |
onequack@duck.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-05-26 |
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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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