Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Mansfield (The Nose), VT |
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| Trails: |
Ski trails, Toll Road |
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| Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, April 26, 2017 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the Toll House area off Vt Rt 108. Ample parking lot. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
None. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
None. |
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| Bugs: |
None seen except a caterpillar and lots of waterlogged small earthworms on snow. |
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| Lost and Found: |
None. |
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| Comments: |
Began hiking from the base of the Toll Road, which was tarmac and then gravel. Less than a mile in we put our microspikes on for the snow. Very misty/foggy (had been raining on our drive to the mountain base) and so quiet (no bird sounds). Passed The Mountain Chapel (1.9 miles in) and then went up Sunrise ski trail (moderate) all the way to the Octagon. Fog got heavier so very little visibility. Saw one person who had skinned up. Back on the Toll Road, continued past the Visitor's Center onto the the WCAX access road and hiked up the snow-less, gravelly hill to the TV towers, and to the closed area where the Long Trail used to be on the "Nose." We hiked the 4.5 or so miles down the Toll Road back to the mountain base. On the way we heard a massive snow-grooming vehicle coming up and we had to run into a ditch on the side of the road. The fog lifted the lower down we got and the sun came out, and we saw two different mountain wildflowers in bloom (early yellow violets and what looked like coltsfoot) and lots of the mottled trout-lilly leaves on the roadside.
Road and ski trails were mostly snow-covered and hard-packed from grooming. Spikes were sufficient for traction, though it was a slog hiking in the thicker, churned up snow. There was just over 4 feet of snow at the stake. |
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| Name: |
Flo and Joe |
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| E-Mail: |
aloe@myfairpoint.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-04-26 |
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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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