Pre-Weekend Conditions Check: 11/20/09

[--M.]

Humbly looking for any recent info on...

==Sawyer River Road: Still open, right? (Yes, I've checked the usfs site, thanks, http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/conditions/roads_status.php)

==River crossings on:

==Carrigain, and

==Hancocks:

Both currently manageable?
Yes, thanks, I've seen the groundwater-levels site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nh/nwis/uv/?site_no=01074520&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060); looks okay, I guess.
I'm looking for actual trail conditions on local water crossings, and see only the Gale River tale (thanks, Raymond, quite a story!). Any eye-witness reports?​

Weather: There's no snow on the ground yet, is there? Looking to bring light traction only, not expecting snowshoes or crampons yet. Would you agree? Also, looking for rain tonight/tomorrow and then colder/clearer for Saturday. http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/summit_forecast.php

Thanks,

--Mike

 

[Mike P.]

Unsure if it will rain at higher elevations & how much. I've not paid that much attention to it but it's not going to be a big storm so no snowshoes should still be true. Don't think you'd need crampons but some traction as you mentioned would be a prudent thing to carry. Doubt this rain will change crossings a whole bit either.

(Note: I've left snowshoes in car before & reached higher elevations wishing I had them & have crossed streams I shouldn't - but never ran with sciccors )

 

[--M.]

Thanks, doing Hancocks in the pour. That's some MWO weather report! Let you know how it went....

 

[sardog1]

Sawyer River Road was open on November 11 (last Wednesday). I would expect it to remain open through the first week of December, unless we get a dump before then . . . . which I see no hope of at this point.

 

[peakbagger]

Heads up, the rain up in Gorham seems to be a lot higher volume and duration than some of the forecasts had forecasted. Its supposed to clear by this afternoon but the streams could be running high on Saturday.

 

[--M.]

Hancocks were in "Le Deluge," mostof the day. Streams were high, but we lucked out (mostly) on crossings and bushwacks. Summit approaches were steep, gravelly, and had streams running down them.

East Branch has whitecaps; expect same for Carrigain crossings. We'll see!

Thanks for the help,

--M.

 

[--M.]

Carrigan crossings were passable and it became a gorgeous day. Met "Cinder's Mom" and "Old Man Winter" after an apparently successful hike. 'Nother great day in the hills.

Big plug for "Parker's Motel," thanks to tip from Steve Smith: $60 for two big beds in a clean, warm room (from which my crackberry works).

--M.