Which Trails Get Broken Out The Fastest In The Whites

I'm curious to know which trails in the Whites get broken out the fastest after a snow storm. I drive up from CT for my hikes so having an idea of where most foot traffic goes after a big storm is helpful to my planning. I'm not at the stage yet where I can break trail on any kind of significant hike and still get the summits I planned, especially with 7-8 hours of driving and possible shoveling to park. I monitor NETC but the reports often lag a bit and many people don't post reports (and many reports have little useful information other than knowing humans were there). I have some ideas on which trails they would be based on summer hiking but winter I suppose can be different with weather, effort, etc.

1) If you had to rank the top 3 to 5 trails likely to have tracks laid down soon after a storm what would they be?
2) Which 3 to 5 lots tend to get plowed the fastest?

Any "local knowledge" on these topics would be appreciated. Thanks.

Generally the Trails around the Highland Center are broken out the fastest. Generally the loop up to Tom and over to Field and down Avalon get a lot of use. Crawford Path and Webster Jackson up to Jackson gets broke out quick. The trail from Webster to Jackson takes awhile longer.

Old Bridal Path gets a lot of use fairly quickly after a storm

Lowes Path up to Gray Knob is broken out early due to Gray Knob.

!9 mile Brook trail to the hut get a lot of use but the hike up to Carter Dome takes longer.

With regards to lots, Appalachia, Webster Jackson parking and Lafayette place get plowed out by state crews, USFS lots take longer. Highland center keeps their lots open for guests. The main lot is posted for guests only but many folks with bad manners park there anyhow to do Pierce

In general main trails to 4Ks are broken out reliably about 2 days after a snow storm during the week and one day on weekends. There is heavy use starting around presidents day week and this carries forward until April. Trails accessing Isolation, the Owl and Bonds could take a bit longer.

A good rule of thumb is to plan your hikes on Sunday and let others break them out on Saturday.

Next are those based out of Lafayette Place

Look at the map of trail conditions on trailsnh.com and see which peaks have the most pins.

Tim

I do some alpine touring near East Osceola and always find the parking open and Greeley pond trail broken

I imagine you could add Tecumseh, Moosilauke from the Ravine Lodge Road, and Cannon to the list. Kinsmen from the westside, especially on a Sunday as noted by peakbagger. Nice thing about these, for you and me, is that they're the closest to CT.

I'd bet Waumbek, too, since it's noted as among the easiest winter 4Ks.

peakbagger said:

A good rule of thumb is to plan your hikes on Sunday and let others break them out on Saturday.

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If there is any way you can get off to hike on Monday that's even better.

North Kearsarge in North Conway gets broke out fast.

Pierce as well.

Tip: Bring a headlamp and sleep in on a Saturday if it snowed earlier that week. Arrive at the trailhead at 9 or 10am and let the others break trail ahead of you =)

Agree on the Highland Center notes, however, the trails connecting some of the peaks may lag behind. You may not be able to do Jackson and Pierce but trails to both (and back) should be fine. Tom and Field along will be broke out but the Willey Range trail may not be well broken out, same with Willey. Tecumseh should be okay, the lot is well plowed of course. Trails to the huts should get broken out and the peaks near by. Wildcat is okay now but the slide can be tough when things are icy.

Thinking Ammo from Base Station Tucks & Winter Lion's head of course but Washington & Monroe attempts are different of course than a Tecumseh trip.

I would like to point out that while it's great to wait for others to break a trail, I think that everyone should share the burden and take the initiative to break a trail at the expense of not making the summit. Just my two cents...

RollingRock said:

I would like to point out that while it's great to wait for others to break a trail, I think that everyone should share the burden and take the initiative to break a trail at the expense of not making the summit. Just my two cents...

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I get that. I drive up from CT for all my hikes and also hike solo so I'm not "sharing the fun" with a group like many of you do. My opportunities to hike are limited (especially in winter) and as such my conditioning level is nowhere near many of the people on this site at this time of year. So when the stars all align and the weather looks reasonable, I'm actually off of work and the ride up is doable I try to get up there and actually enjoy the day, not torture and frustrate myself until I curse my fitness level and throw in the towel. If the hike I chose is unbroken so be it. I take it like a man and slog through it. But if it is already broken out I am very thankful. I try to get as many factors working in my favor on a hike whenever I go, especially in winter where I only have a few years of experience right now.

And I have broken trail several times before, most recently on Jackson in 15" of powder many weeks back for about 1.5 miles before stopping for rest (official pack off, food and water rest that is - I stopped MANY times). There was many a zealous thank you sent my way as some larger groups overtook me and continued on (which allowed me to summit too). I appreciate the hard work others do ahead of me and I'm happy to take a crack at it as well when my number is up.

Ed'n Lauky said:

If there is any way you can get off to hike on Monday that's even better.

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Unless it snows Sunday night.

Join one or more Meetup groups. Watch the schedule. Hike the day after they do.

(just kidding....)

(maybe)

(Actually, I sometimes watch the big Meetup groups to make sure I don't share a trailhead time. Guilty as charged)

JCarter said:

Join one or more Meetup groups. Watch the schedule. Hike the day after they do.

(just kidding....)

(maybe)

(Actually, I sometimes watch the big Meetup groups to make sure I don't share a trailhead time. Guilty as charged)

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What would be considered the big "meetup groups"? Had no idea there was such a thing. Is that within VFTT here or another forum of some sort?

Meetup.com. Sign up, enter your zip, enter a location and expand the search radius as far out as it will go, and search for 'Hiking'. You'll find many groups such as Random hikers, New England hiking group, 4 Seasons group, etc. They all do hikes just about every weekend so you can get a sense of where other people are going. Some people use it so they know what trails will be broken out, some use it so they know which trails to avoid. Oh and I guess you can join hikes too.

RollingRock said:

I would like to point out that while it's great to wait for others to break a trail, I think that everyone should share the burden and take the initiative to break a trail at the expense of not making the summit. Just my two cents...

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You'll be pleased to know that I did the Liberty Springs Trail and Franconia Ridge Trail to Liberty today and broke trail in 4"-12" of fresh powder (with several knee deep drifts) until just short of the Franconia Ridge Trail before I was overtaken by another solo hiker. And his timing couldn't have been better because the FRT had some big time drifts. More snow than I was expecting. Appeared it had been a few days since anyone had been out that way. So much for the "first lots cleared, first trails hiked" theory.

Had to skip Flume because of how long it took me to get to Liberty but I was able to help my fellow comrades today.....

It is downright amazing how the mindset for all of us winter hikers -- I'm not trying to single you out, DayTrip, because I see this in myself too -- has changed from "I'm very lucky if the trail is already broken" to "I'm very unlucky if I have to break out 12 inches of snow on a packed tread." The default assumption is that we can almost always make the summit.

I understand the reasons: more people, less snow. I don't begrudge anyone their packed trails, but I do miss the challenge and uncertainty.

cushetunk said:

It is downright amazing how the mindset for all of us winter hikers -- I'm not trying to single you out, DayTrip, because I see this in myself too -- has changed from "I'm very lucky if the trail is already broken" to "I'm very unlucky if I have to break out 12 inches of snow on a packed tread."

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I have no issue with a challenge and I don't know if I'd say I am "unlucky" when the trail is not broken. I just know at my current conditioning and experience level I'm in for a major challenge. I was actually a little disappointed that the other solo hiker passed me on FRT. After the effort put in I was kind of looking forward to summiting my first peak breaking trail alone, a winter milestone if you will, for a newbie like myself. Then again, those drifts on FRT were difficult enough even after one set of footprints went through. I was sinking in up to my knees even in his track. And I got a lot of great practice snow shoe skiing down (or glissading or whatever it is you call it). So overall the day was great for me: good trail breaking experience, some winter navigation experience and some technique practice. Never thought of it as "unlucky" at any point even though it kicked my butt for a lot of the way and tested my will power and resolve.

I wouldn't frame the mindset as "lucky" or "unlucky". We don't always bring our "A game" with us so that 12" of fresh powder looks like a challenge one day that we eagerly take on and a bad break on another day as we struggle to achieve our goal (which for me is the awesome views above treeline on bare peaks and ridges). Nothing amazing about that. Just human nature to assume we will achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.

I consider all you fit, early-risers/trailbreakers sherpas, going ahead to set the ropes and to clear the lines for me. I appreciate your support (assuming of course you are breaking the trail to my liking.... ).

I intentionally go break trail on occasion up Pine Mountain which is walking distance from my house, it sure makes a normally insignificant bump into a major feat with 2 to 3 feet of snow when solo.

cushetunk said:

It is downright amazing how the mindset for all of us winter hikers -- I'm not trying to single you out, DayTrip, because I see this in myself too -- has changed from "I'm very lucky if the trail is already broken" to "I'm very unlucky if I have to break out 12 inches of snow on a packed tread." The default assumption is that we can almost always make the summit.

I understand the reasons: more people, less snow. I don't begrudge anyone their packed trails, but I do miss the challenge and uncertainty.

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The Internet has forever changed winter hiking, removing the challenge and uncertainty. When I finished the winter 4000 footers, (nearly two decades ago), I seldom encountered winter travelers, let alone a broken trail. A summit reached after a full day (or more) of breaking trail on 30" snowshoes was an achievement to be savored and one that makes me severely nostalgic.