Snowflea
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- Sep 5, 2003
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Mts. Webster, Jackson, and Pierce
Route: Webster Cliff Trail/Appalachian Trail up/over, Crawford Path out
Date: Monday, 1/13/14
Equipment: Full crampons. An ice axe would've come on handy in some spots. Snowshoes stayed on the pack.
Trail conditions: Ice. Packed snow. More ice.
Comments: Beautiful morning and warm temps today. Parked at the AT crossing of Rt. 302 in Crawford Notch and headed up the Webster Cliff Trail, barebooting for the first 3/4 mile or so until the ice became too much to maneuver sans traction. When getting my stuff together last night, I decided to not even dink around with the Microspikes or Hillsound Pros and go straight for the full crampons. That was definitely the right choice for today - I would not have done Rt. 302 to Mt. Webster in anything less than full crampons. There was ice, a lot of ice, and a lot of kind of steepish ice. Used the frontpoints a dozen or so different times, sometimes when going up, sometimes down. Stayed on the trail except for one very steep section about 1/2 mile from Webster's summit that was mixed ice and exposed rock - there I whacked through the trees on the north side of the trail. This was all much fun, but I decided not to descend this trail.
Making my way over to Jackson, there was more packed snow than ice but still some impressive ice bulges and flows, likewise to Mizpah Hut, onto Pierce and down the Crawford Path. Maybe okay with just mini-crampons on these sections. Trails were packed out very firmly; did not posthole. The gray jays were out on Jackson as were the snowfleas. Snowfleas in January?!
My stars were aligned today. Ken and Darlene, who were just finishing their hike of Mt. Willard, kindly gave me a ride back to my car, thus saving me a yucky 4-mile roadwalk. Was nice to do this route in winter again.
Route: Webster Cliff Trail/Appalachian Trail up/over, Crawford Path out
Date: Monday, 1/13/14
Equipment: Full crampons. An ice axe would've come on handy in some spots. Snowshoes stayed on the pack.
Trail conditions: Ice. Packed snow. More ice.
Comments: Beautiful morning and warm temps today. Parked at the AT crossing of Rt. 302 in Crawford Notch and headed up the Webster Cliff Trail, barebooting for the first 3/4 mile or so until the ice became too much to maneuver sans traction. When getting my stuff together last night, I decided to not even dink around with the Microspikes or Hillsound Pros and go straight for the full crampons. That was definitely the right choice for today - I would not have done Rt. 302 to Mt. Webster in anything less than full crampons. There was ice, a lot of ice, and a lot of kind of steepish ice. Used the frontpoints a dozen or so different times, sometimes when going up, sometimes down. Stayed on the trail except for one very steep section about 1/2 mile from Webster's summit that was mixed ice and exposed rock - there I whacked through the trees on the north side of the trail. This was all much fun, but I decided not to descend this trail.
Making my way over to Jackson, there was more packed snow than ice but still some impressive ice bulges and flows, likewise to Mizpah Hut, onto Pierce and down the Crawford Path. Maybe okay with just mini-crampons on these sections. Trails were packed out very firmly; did not posthole. The gray jays were out on Jackson as were the snowfleas. Snowfleas in January?!
My stars were aligned today. Ken and Darlene, who were just finishing their hike of Mt. Willard, kindly gave me a ride back to my car, thus saving me a yucky 4-mile roadwalk. Was nice to do this route in winter again.
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