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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Breadloaf Mountain, Mt. Wilson, VT
Trails
Trails: Road walk, Skylight Pond Trail, Long Trail, Breadloaf Summit Spur
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, February 18, 2024
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: A small lot is plowed out by the owner whom lives down the road. Do not use your GPS to this TH or it will take you down a closed snomo corridor. Parking is on Natural Turnpike and the junction of FR 54 (S. A brief road walk to Steam Mill Road (FR59) will get you to where you need to be. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: While the two lower crossings where not solidly bridged, with care, safe crossing was found with relative ease 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: I know its hard times and all, but more than ten blazes (most over 30 years old) through the 2.5 miles of Skylight Pond Trail would be beneficial. Hopefully the next time its painted it wont have to be such harshly rationed.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: If you have a land dolphin they will love the current conditions 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: A FINE day in the Greens! We love to suffer and the mountain gods blessed us and delivered with a totally unbroken trail. Last date in the register was 2/5. Snowshoes are absolutely necessary for this, car to car. This powder is SO unconsolidated that a wind event, a few inches of snow, or a warmup, will likely obscure our line in many places. Thankfully, the base through the entire trip was solid with about 6-8" of dry, weightless pow. Drifts on the ridge line at the extreme where 2 feet in the fir areas. We where able to stay on the corridor for maybe the first mile, mile and a half. It was taking more time to attempt to stay on the corridor in the switchbacks then it was to just use the magic shoes for their intended utilization. We often cut switchbacks to try to find trail, or just cut them in general because we where breaking trail. No sense expending energy or adding distance when you can go straight for it. That being said, we come in at the LT/SKP junction, probably about 1/10 north of the actual junction. Our track along the ridge is best guess and an interpretative dance of what the LT is supposed to go. Blazes at Emily Proctor shelter where at my knee (I am 5'3 but srsly pow pow!). Several places from here to Wilson required army man crawling through dense fir. A great day was had by all. On the way out, we whacked and cut to LT by about 1/4 each way at the pinch point near Breadloaf, no need to add extra miles for no reason. Another pair for NE100W!  
Name
Name: The Teal Goat, just_Steve, E 
E-Mail
E-Mail: sea2thebiscuit@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2024-02-19 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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