Winter trail conditions Mt Monadnock

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buddy

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What are the winter trails like on Mt Monadnock. Do most hikers use snow shoes or is it mostly packed by bare booters?
 
Like any other trail on any other mountain it varies depending on the day and prior weather. I've done it maybe a dozen times in Winter conditions and never wore snow shoes. Generally spikes or crampons. The major trails from the official parking lot on the East side pack down pretty fast. Pumpelly is usually packed relatively quickly too. If you go a few days after a storm or take a popular route late morning I'd say the chances of the trail being well packed are pretty high.
 
Thanks for the info. Just recently got my 1st clear weather view from the summit. I'm looking foward to a dazzling high pressure dome view sometime this winter.
 
What are the winter trails like on Mt Monadnock. Do most hikers use snow shoes or is it mostly packed by bare booters?

I was on Monadnock today. White dot trail up from the state park
Micro spikes were fine. About 3-6 inches of snow, trails packed very firm and slightly icy in some spots
 
There are people who live near the mountain that start breaking trails before the snow stops. I don't think I've EVER had to use snowshoes on Monadnock. And that includes some really remote areas too.
 
I thought that might be the case considering the amount of use that area gets. I use 30" snow shoes most of the time on winter trails but sometimes they're just silly.
 
I'm up there a couple times a week. It is true that White Dot, White Arrow and White Cross will get packed out fairly quickly, but the other trails depend a lot on snow depth. Deeper the snow the longer it will take since most folks don't use snowshoes. I have broken trail on east side trails and those off Parker Trail several days after a storm and trails like Spellman don't seem to get broken out until my friends and I do it. Depending on what trails you plan on doing I'd plan accordingly. I always strap my snowshoes on my pack unless I am sure my intended route has been broken out.
 
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