| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt Monroe and Mt Washington, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop, Gulfside trail, Cog Rail Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, November 12, 2026 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We were the first 3 cars in the lot this morning. There were 3 others there when we finished. The lot is quite large and will hold quite a few cars. $5 to park in the WMNF lot and $10 to park in the cog lot. Bathrooms were open and stocked at the WMNF lot. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
They were rock hoppable this morning and none of the rocks were glazed with ice. We did not trust any logs to not be slippery and chose our routes carefully. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nothing of note. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Current conditions will be tough for dogs. Experienced trail puppers should be okay. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Back in Hell |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing lost and nothing found |
|
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|
 | Comments: |
I had been watching the weather all week and knew that this was going to be the best day for these 2 peaks. No, it wasn't a perfect day but it was doable. HUGE thanks to Devon and Celeste for joining me. This was one of those days where 3 sets of eyes and brains were needed. Ammonoosuc Ravine trail was wet and muddy but ice free. The roots and rocks were slick since it was already snowing when we started. Above Gem Pool things were wet with some trace amounts of snow but we were okay initially in bare boots. About .3 in, we needed traction. Ice was obvious. Where there was snow, the traction was better. I used exospikes at this point and Celeste and Devon used rock spikes. The ledges were tricky. We all found footing with care. As we got higher up the snow depth increased to about 4 to 5 inches. There are still areas of open water as well. Visibility decreased markedly as we got to the hut. We could not even see Monroe. We ate, drank and swapped out layers. I switched to rock spikes at this point. The drifts were deeper in places heading up to Monroe. We swung right too late on the shoulder and whacked our way up to the trail. Sorry about that. WE corrected this mistake on our way down. The summit was totally socked in and cold so we didn't stay long. Rock spikes did fine still on this stretch. Back at the hut we refueled again and began navigating Crawford Path to Washington. Cairns were covered with snow and visibility was not great. We all know the trail well, so that combined with gps got us going. The snow depth increased anywhere from 4 to 5 inches to over a foot. Snowshoes would not have been overkill at all. It was slow going given the lack of visibility and the snow depths. The reward for this was the most incredible rime ice formations on the summit. It's like art up there. WE took a few pictures and headed down. Again, along the top of the cog you could totally use snowshoes and it would be dreamy. Lower down, the snow depth decreased the snow got sticky due to the temps being in the upper 30's. We had an amazing day up there and this was a good test of our abilities. Teamwork really does make the dreamwork and we all worked so well together today. I suspect we will be talking about this day for many days to come. The best days are the ones with friends. |
|
 | Name: |
Uki |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ukisukinaminanu@yahoo.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2026-11-12 |
|
 | 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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