Date: December 4th
Conditions: 10 - 20 inches of powder. (4 -6 inches of extremely light, fluffy stuff over light to moderate density powder.) The new snow did not bond well to the (abundant) ice underneath. I put on crampons at Gem Pool. Lots of scraping on rocks.
Crawford Path above the hut has not yet been wind-scoured and is covered by many unconsolidated drifts. After wallowing waist deep for about 10 feet, I put on snowshoes. Still sank up to my knees in many places. Drifts and snow diminish as trail attains the ridge. I turned around at Davis Path Junction.
Equipment: Most people would choose crampons for upper reaches of Ammonoosuc. A larger group to help bust through drifts would be good. Snowshoes optional but helpful for first half mile above hut. Large baskets for your poles if you use them. (I had on the small, 2 inch baskets and plunged the poles in up to the handles numerous times.)
Comment: This trail condition may be more ephemeral than most. There's a lot of snow up there waiting to blow around.
John
Conditions: 10 - 20 inches of powder. (4 -6 inches of extremely light, fluffy stuff over light to moderate density powder.) The new snow did not bond well to the (abundant) ice underneath. I put on crampons at Gem Pool. Lots of scraping on rocks.
Crawford Path above the hut has not yet been wind-scoured and is covered by many unconsolidated drifts. After wallowing waist deep for about 10 feet, I put on snowshoes. Still sank up to my knees in many places. Drifts and snow diminish as trail attains the ridge. I turned around at Davis Path Junction.
Equipment: Most people would choose crampons for upper reaches of Ammonoosuc. A larger group to help bust through drifts would be good. Snowshoes optional but helpful for first half mile above hut. Large baskets for your poles if you use them. (I had on the small, 2 inch baskets and plunged the poles in up to the handles numerous times.)
Comment: This trail condition may be more ephemeral than most. There's a lot of snow up there waiting to blow around.
John