| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
East Osceola, , NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Greeley Ponds Trail, Mount Osceola Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 17, 2026 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Even on a very snowy morning, the lot was in good shape and empty at 7AM. It was completely full by the time I came back out at 11:30. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction, Ice Axe |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All low and almost completely frozen over |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of little blowdowns to duck under (and some not so little). Needs some cleaning up. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
|
|
 | Bugs: |
|
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
A great morning to have the Osceolas mostly to myself. I was the first one up the trail today and conditions were a pretty mixed bag. I bare-booted until getting into the vert and switched to snowshoes for the climb. Higher up there had been ~5 inches of new snow overnight, but the snow made the steep climb to East Osceola easier. The gully just below East was full of deep powder and there were some knee-deep drifts along the ridge.
I was planning on switching to crampons at the chute, but there was so much snow on the “winter detour” that I was able to climb it in snowshoes. I broke out all the way from the top of the gully to the Osceola summit.
I did switch to crampons for the descent of the winter detour and kept them on all the way to the parking lot. There were at least 30 people coming up late in the morning, so by late today the steeper parts will probably be back to being a luge-track. Bring crampons if you have them - microspikes really don't have enough bite! |
|
 | Name: |
ges |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2026-01-17 |
|
 | 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. |
|
