Almost Adams via Airline, Gulfside, and Valley Way - 3/26

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NH Tramper

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
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Location
North Conway, NH Avatar: Cannon Mtn.
Date of Hike: March 26, 2014

Trail Conditions: We were in luck, Airline was broken out for us, saving us some work (thanks). Until we got up there in elevation, it was packed down hard. After the Scar junction (untramped), though, the trail petered out some and got down to a single snowshoe track. We were thinking others must have turned around. The forecast winds were kicking up harder and earlier than expected making some in the party uneasy so we called off our hike as soon as we neared Gulfside. It, too, was pretty well packed out, where there was snow, so we followed it to the junction near the hut. From there, as planned, we descended via Valley Way. It, too, was packed out, but less so than Airline surprisingly, especially at the onset. It was pretty rough, in fact, until we got well below treeline then the pack track once again became uniform. There was a blowdown that was high enough to clear under easily so I left it. Since Valley Way's upper half is my responsibility, I took my handy Sven Saw and took care of the other blowdowns I encountered and did some brushing out. I think there are others under the snowshoe treadway but those will have to wait until it's spring up there (they didn't get the memo).

Special Equipment Used: We brought trekking poles, snowshoes, and crampons/light traction. Used it all (snowshoes the whole way except the above treeline portion).

Comments: Hiked this one as lead for AMC-NH with Larry Yetter as co-lead. We didn't summit but all participants had a great day nonetheless so the hike was a success.

Mike "Tramper" Cherim
North Conway NH
 
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