| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Mansfield (The Chin), VT |
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 | Trails: |
Long Trail, Profanity Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, March 5, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Route 108 is closed immediately past Stowe ski area, but it's an easy walk (perhaps .3 miles) from there to the trailhead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
minor open water, easily stepped over |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
trail is in good shape, though hard to follow in places due to the criss-crossing ski traffic |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Wonderful conditions today. Snow cover perhaps 2-4" at the base, rapidly increasing to 12-18" and then near the ridgeline to 36-40" depth. Snow surface was soft and powdery from base to summit, though some sections below Taft Lodge have heavy ski & snowboard traffic (lift skiers who exit the groomed trails to ski the glades around the Long Trail) and in some places they have scraped the snow down to the older ice layer underneath. From the col where the LT reaches the ridge between Chin and Adam's Apple, the snow is windblown in spots, icy in spots, and can be tricky to navigate. Microspikes or crampons are essential on the ridge, and strongly recommended above Taft Lodge. We came down via Profanity, looping back to Taft Lodge. That trail is steep but less exposed and better for descent. Lots of ski traffic crossing the trail here, and we lost it briefly. |
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 | Name: |
David Kotz |
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 | E-Mail: |
dfkotz@mac.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-03-05 |
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 | Link: |
 https://davidkotz.org/2016/03/05/mount-mansfield/ |
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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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