NeoAkela
Active member
4/10/2014
Trail Conditions: Trail in good shape. Minor blowdowns to walk around or stoop under - most within first half mile. Water crossings still bridged, but it won't be long until they cave in. Water level not high enough to cause concern. Snow went from an inch or so at the base to over 3 feet deep near the summit. Monorail hasn't reared up yet, but it is painfully obvious if you step off of it.
Equipment needed: Wore light traction on the road walk and first mile of trail. Switched to snowshoes for rest of hike, including entire descent.
Beautiful, sunny day for a good snowshoe! Meant to start early, but had a few things come up so ended up parking the car at the "crack of noon". 1.2 miles to summer trailhead were well-packed, though a bit slushy. First half mile of trail proper were a mixture of bare ground and ice - minor traction was good to have here. Once the trail met the original logging road route, snow depth became deeper and deeper. Switched to snowshoes at the first stream crossing and stuck with them to the top. 50+ degree day was making the snow quite soft. At the junction of the Garfield Ridge trail, snow was 3 feet deep on either side of the trail. Last pitch to the top was crusty and no trouble with snowshoe crampons. Hit the bare summit rocks at 3PM... wind was whipping a bit, but the bright sunshine and cool lenticulars floating around the Presidential range made for a nice relaxing lunch in the sun behind the foundation. Layered up for the only time of the day... the rest of the ascent/decent was done in short sleeves. Left summit at 4PM, did small bushwhack on abandoned Garfield Pond loop trail to check out the views from the pond. Back to car by 6:30 - snowshoes stayed on until I reached the bridges.
NeoAkela
[email protected]
Trail Conditions: Trail in good shape. Minor blowdowns to walk around or stoop under - most within first half mile. Water crossings still bridged, but it won't be long until they cave in. Water level not high enough to cause concern. Snow went from an inch or so at the base to over 3 feet deep near the summit. Monorail hasn't reared up yet, but it is painfully obvious if you step off of it.
Equipment needed: Wore light traction on the road walk and first mile of trail. Switched to snowshoes for rest of hike, including entire descent.
Beautiful, sunny day for a good snowshoe! Meant to start early, but had a few things come up so ended up parking the car at the "crack of noon". 1.2 miles to summer trailhead were well-packed, though a bit slushy. First half mile of trail proper were a mixture of bare ground and ice - minor traction was good to have here. Once the trail met the original logging road route, snow depth became deeper and deeper. Switched to snowshoes at the first stream crossing and stuck with them to the top. 50+ degree day was making the snow quite soft. At the junction of the Garfield Ridge trail, snow was 3 feet deep on either side of the trail. Last pitch to the top was crusty and no trouble with snowshoe crampons. Hit the bare summit rocks at 3PM... wind was whipping a bit, but the bright sunshine and cool lenticulars floating around the Presidential range made for a nice relaxing lunch in the sun behind the foundation. Layered up for the only time of the day... the rest of the ascent/decent was done in short sleeves. Left summit at 4PM, did small bushwhack on abandoned Garfield Pond loop trail to check out the views from the pond. Back to car by 6:30 - snowshoes stayed on until I reached the bridges.
NeoAkela
[email protected]
