Mt. Tecumseh via Mt. Tecumseh and Sosman Trails - 1/12/13

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NH Tramper

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
457
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Location
North Conway, NH Avatar: Cannon Mtn.
Date of Hike: Jan. 12, 2013

Trail Conditions: We had just done Mt. Moosilauke and planned to take this one down in the afternoon/evening so by the time we got there the Mt. Tecumseh Trail had been seriously tramped by many a bareboot and snowshoe alike, the rains had come and gone, the trees melted (almost completely until the ridge were some snow remains in a few branches), so the trails could have been in better shape by the time we saw them. There were many postholes, and especially bad was the east-side summit loop... that was all torn up. The Sosman side or west-side summit loop was in much better shape having been broken by snowshoes. There were four downed trees, two easy-overs down low and two easy-unders on each side of the summit loop. The most difficult one was on the west side but it was still an easy pass. The crossings, some bridged with weakening ice, others wide open, were all easy to cross.

Special Equipment Used: Based on the softness of the snow due to the warmth and the rain, we felt snowshoes were needed in order to best protect the tender track. We ran into some folks bare-booting and using just spikes, however, and they reported having no problems so it may just be personal choice. But there were a lot of postholes left behind. We ran into another VFTTer, Rolling Rock, and he was sharing our thought on the matter and wearing snowshoes. Hopefully people will still wear snowshoes over the next few days until the trail freezes hard. Trekking poles helped with balance on the snowshoes and during the crossings.

Comments: Hiked this one with Bill Robichaud (brobichaud here on the VFTT), as an afternoon plan following our morning Meetup hike. It sure was tiring -- two double hit and runs in three days (along with 11 peaks in ten days) -- but we did it and it was fun. This one went into the dark, as expected, but it was an effortless exit so we just took our time. Awesome hike.

Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
 
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