S
Some Scout Guy
Guest
Oliverian Brook Trail, Passaconaway Cutoff, Square Ledge Trail, Walden Trail to summit. Dicey's Mill, East Loop, Walden Trail, Square Ledge Trail to Square Ledge, Square Ledge Branch Trail, Oliverian Brook Trail.
Dusting of snow low from overnight. Partly cloudy and around 25 degrees at the trailhead. Oliverian Brook Trail to the Wilderness boundary in good shape. Combination of light snow and leaves led to lots of ice balling going up the Passaconaway Cutoff. Started to get some ice on the trail near the top of Passaconaway Cutoff.
Square Ledge Trail from junction with Passaconaway Cutoff had some large icy ledges on the descent, spikes went on at this point.
Not much ice until Walden Trail on the ascent from East Loop junction, then trail was completely iced over on the steepest section. Saw 2 parties descending Walden Trail while I was headed up. (1 solo w/2 dogs, and a group of 3 humans). Fairly breezy but clear in the summit area. Good views from the trails near the summit, even though I skipped the "outlook" branch. Summit itself was predictably disappointing.
Descent via Dicey's Mill and East Loop. Saw 1 solo hiker + dog headed up Dicey's Mill as I went down. Much larger ice sections on Dicey's Mill than Walden Trail.
Saw one hiker headed up Square Ledge Trail toward Passaconaway, apparently having come over Square Ledge from the Kanc.
Square Ledge Trail over Square Ledge to Square Ledge Branch is in good shape. View from various spots on this trail were great. Descent from Square Ledge to Square Ledge Branch Trail was steep and slippery due to leaves and forest litter, almost no snow or ice (melted away by this point in the afternoon). This stretch of trail would be best going up, not down. Based on the footprints, one other hiker did a Square Ledge Loop from the Kanc and back down the Passaconaway Cutofff.
Square Ledge Branch trail in good shape. Olverian Brook Trail very wet and muddy in spots, bog bridges are in rough shape. In one section, the bog bridges were nearly completely collapsed, with several blowdowns across them, in a large muddy area.
Great views for a day that the forecasters all said was going to be cloudy and snowy.
Traction required.
Some pictures here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2060172&id=1097030147&l=8a26601fb3
Dusting of snow low from overnight. Partly cloudy and around 25 degrees at the trailhead. Oliverian Brook Trail to the Wilderness boundary in good shape. Combination of light snow and leaves led to lots of ice balling going up the Passaconaway Cutoff. Started to get some ice on the trail near the top of Passaconaway Cutoff.
Square Ledge Trail from junction with Passaconaway Cutoff had some large icy ledges on the descent, spikes went on at this point.
Not much ice until Walden Trail on the ascent from East Loop junction, then trail was completely iced over on the steepest section. Saw 2 parties descending Walden Trail while I was headed up. (1 solo w/2 dogs, and a group of 3 humans). Fairly breezy but clear in the summit area. Good views from the trails near the summit, even though I skipped the "outlook" branch. Summit itself was predictably disappointing.
Descent via Dicey's Mill and East Loop. Saw 1 solo hiker + dog headed up Dicey's Mill as I went down. Much larger ice sections on Dicey's Mill than Walden Trail.
Saw one hiker headed up Square Ledge Trail toward Passaconaway, apparently having come over Square Ledge from the Kanc.
Square Ledge Trail over Square Ledge to Square Ledge Branch is in good shape. View from various spots on this trail were great. Descent from Square Ledge to Square Ledge Branch Trail was steep and slippery due to leaves and forest litter, almost no snow or ice (melted away by this point in the afternoon). This stretch of trail would be best going up, not down. Based on the footprints, one other hiker did a Square Ledge Loop from the Kanc and back down the Passaconaway Cutofff.
Square Ledge Branch trail in good shape. Olverian Brook Trail very wet and muddy in spots, bog bridges are in rough shape. In one section, the bog bridges were nearly completely collapsed, with several blowdowns across them, in a large muddy area.
Great views for a day that the forecasters all said was going to be cloudy and snowy.
Traction required.
Some pictures here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2060172&id=1097030147&l=8a26601fb3
