Whites Warning: Don't Forget Your Crampons!

[Periwinkle]

Just a general FYI: Trail conditions in my area (near Waterville) are generally icy right now, hidden by a top layer of three inches of fluffy snow. It looks really pretty, but the snow does nothing but conceal the ice. Very sneaky stuff!!! Hopefully, the additional three inches forecast for the remainder of the week will help the situation.

Oh, and BTW, I did forget my crampons this morning! I had to turn around and go home for them just to do a little trail work .25 miles in. It's a good thing I'm living back up here now -- would have been a long ride back for them otherwise!

Happy trails!

 

[sli74]

Hey welcome back !!!! Didn't know you were back in the area already.

sli74

 

[sardog1]

I'd like to emphasize the "underlying" "point" of this thread (yes, the twin puns are intentional.)

The new snow sits utterly unattached to the ice underneath. There's enough snow to obscure the ice. There's also enough wet snow to cover your crampon points if you're without antibotts or duct tape.

But apart from the inconvenience of snow clumping on your crampons:

That loose snow on top of bulletproof ice is a prescription for some out-of-this-world sliding, as in: You might just slide right out of this one.

Self-arrest has its limits. This might be the week that someone is unfortunate enough to discover that firsthand. Choose your routes carefully, and think hard about what you're exposing yourself to in the event of a fall.

 

[MadRiver]

I would like to second that "Welcome Back". Hope to see you on trails in the not too distant future. Btw, there was a large tree cut down on the xc skiing side of the Smart's Brook Loop the last time I hiked. It looked like someone had intensionally cut the tree to hamper skiers. Any thoughts?

 

[Mad Townie]

Peri, great to have you back! That ocean stuff is overrated, anyway!

 

[Periwinkle]

Btw, there was a large tree cut down on the xc skiing side of the Smart's Brook Loop the last time I hiked. It looked like someone had intensionally cut the tree to hamper skiers. Any thoughts?

You mean that 40' sucker right down the middle of the trail? What a "drag" that was! If you look about 50' further up the trail, there is a stump with axe marks on the left side. My guess is, a group of bozos decided to get a Christmas tree, then decided they had not choosen well and dumped it right in the middle of the trail. Nice.

But, that tree is the reason I called in a re-registered as a volunteer. I just couldn't stand seeing it there. It just ticked me off. So, on my one day off a week, out came the trusty saw and axe and buh-bye 40' trail blocker!

And, it is good to be back! I missed "my" mountains. I even enjoy going out to do trail work -- I just love being back in my Whites! And, I miss you all, too!

 

[MadRiver]

I did see the stump and I was going to return with a saw or axe, yet time restraints prevented me from returning. We also had a rather heated discussion on this board concerning doing unauthorized trail maintenance while hiking. Given how my luck has been going lately, I would be removing the tree just as the Rangers decided to inspect the trail; thereby blaming me for the cutting of the tree.

 

[Periwinkle]

I did see the stump and I was going to return with a saw or axe, yet time restraints prevented me from returning. We also had a rather heated discussion on this board concerning doing unauthorized trail maintenance while hiking. Given how my luck has been going lately, I would be removing the tree just as the Rangers decided to inspect the trail; thereby blaming me for the cutting of the tree.

Ah, I missed that discussion. Funny. I had removed the branches on one side of the tree before I called the Pemi District office. Now, that wouldn't have been funny to have been called out on it!

And further on the crampon "point", I was thinking about what Sardog posted when a friend told me he turned back on Welch today because his snow shoe points weren't digging in well enough. Even a day later, it's still a little sloppy out there. Here's' to hoping that the snow will stick a bit more before the weekend.