Bombadil
Active member
12.27.14
Pine bend/oliverian routes
Snowshoes were needed right from the start on pine bend due to soft snow. Lots of blowdowns beginning 1/2 way up north peak. Somewhat fewer blowdowns between north and south peaks but still a modest number. One set of bareboot tracks went down the slide. No sign of activity on Kate sleeper and to be honest with how firm the snow is I doubt you'd be able to use my tracks as a guide except on the rare patch of soft snow. Had some routefinding challenges from south peak to west sleeper. Despite knowing this trail pretty well there was so much debris (branches, blowdowns) it made it a lot harder to pick out the at times subtle corridor. Much easier from east sleeper onwards due to the tighter corridor/300 sawed trees to mark the way.
Microspikes would have been fine between passaconaway and whiteface. Barebooters ravaged the trail on the oliverian brook route starting just beyond the summit to the east. It's in need of tlc from snowshoes especially at lower elevations where the wet soft snow hasn't been packed down. In summary, lots of blowdowns and tons of icy snow (lots of ice on the trail that fell from trees). A handful of duckunders, 3 crawlunders, and lots of branches and tops of trees along the way. Santa was in a giving spirit!
Pat
Pcushing21 at yahoo dot com
Pine bend/oliverian routes
Snowshoes were needed right from the start on pine bend due to soft snow. Lots of blowdowns beginning 1/2 way up north peak. Somewhat fewer blowdowns between north and south peaks but still a modest number. One set of bareboot tracks went down the slide. No sign of activity on Kate sleeper and to be honest with how firm the snow is I doubt you'd be able to use my tracks as a guide except on the rare patch of soft snow. Had some routefinding challenges from south peak to west sleeper. Despite knowing this trail pretty well there was so much debris (branches, blowdowns) it made it a lot harder to pick out the at times subtle corridor. Much easier from east sleeper onwards due to the tighter corridor/300 sawed trees to mark the way.
Microspikes would have been fine between passaconaway and whiteface. Barebooters ravaged the trail on the oliverian brook route starting just beyond the summit to the east. It's in need of tlc from snowshoes especially at lower elevations where the wet soft snow hasn't been packed down. In summary, lots of blowdowns and tons of icy snow (lots of ice on the trail that fell from trees). A handful of duckunders, 3 crawlunders, and lots of branches and tops of trees along the way. Santa was in a giving spirit!
Pat
Pcushing21 at yahoo dot com
