View Full Version : Wicked nice day
Slo-go'en
03-19-2017, 18:08
Wicked nice day in the Whites. Rafe talked me into meeting up with him at Crawford notch this morning and we bagged Mt Tom (4052'). along with at least 30 others! Couldn't ask for a better day, blue sky, 100 mile visibility, mid temps, no wind at summit. Lots of snow, nicely packed down from yesterday's hikers. Don't step off the monorail or your up to your waist. Won't be long before that trail turns into ice though. Even saw Herman the Ermine.
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fastfoxengineering
03-19-2017, 18:23
Snowshoes or microspikes?
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If its anything like Grafton Notch, snowshoes all the way. Snow was too fluffy for spikes.
Traffic Jam
03-19-2017, 19:11
Great pictures...especially love the one of Herman with snow on his nose.
peakbagger
03-19-2017, 19:13
I was out on North Kinsman yesterday. Perfect conditions for snowshoes with plenty of morons running microspikes without even carrying snowshoes. The Monorail is definitely hiding under fresh snow, step off to the side of the main track and it definitely a possible posthole.
LoneStranger
03-19-2017, 19:13
If its anything like Grafton Notch, snowshoes all the way. Snow was too fluffy for spikes.
You didn't happen to break out the Baldpates for me, did you? :)
Snowshoes pretty much all the way. Steve switched to microspikes for a while on the descent then switched back to snowshoes.
Off the monorail, the snow was anywhere from 1-3 ft. deep.
In addition to Herman, who was hanging out at the junction of the summit spur trail, there was a gray Jay working the summit. I think Steve got a pic of the Jay as well, but they're not all that rare.
You didn't happen to break out the Baldpates for me, did you? :)
nope, but we did see three people, with snow shoes, crossing over to that side of 26, so I'm fairly certain its packed out now. We thought about doing Tablerock after we came down Old Speck, but decided to tour downtown Berlin instead.
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imscotty
03-19-2017, 20:41
Wow, looks like a great day. Love the weasel photo. I have to ask, how long (nose to the tip of the tail) was that weasel?
LIhikers
03-19-2017, 20:46
Great photos, thanks.
Here are a couple more pics of the ermine.
Already changing over to Summer colors
Sarcasm the elf
03-19-2017, 21:51
Here's looking back at you from the observatory this morning!
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OK how did you get to the summit at 9am? Stay at Lakes hut?
We started uphill a bit before 10 AM. The blue sky was intense today.
Sarcasm the elf
03-19-2017, 22:02
OK how did you get to the summit at 9am? Stay at Lakes hut?
Stayed in the observatory with an IME group.
Will post more once I get settled back in.
Slo-go'en
03-19-2017, 23:05
Wow, looks like a great day. Love the weasel photo. I have to ask, how long (nose to the tip of the tail) was that weasel?
I'd guess 18" or there abouts. I guess he's a Pine martin. Cute little devil.
imscotty
03-20-2017, 07:40
I'd guess 18" or there abouts. I guess he's a Pine martin. Cute little devil.
That is why I asked Slo-go'en. I was trying to judge by the footprints and he looked a little large to be a short-tailed or long-tailed weasel. Looking it up at 18 inches that could be a long tailed weasel or a small Pine Marten. Perhaps someone with more knowledge could chime in.
A Pine Marten would be a great and rare sighting. Last time I saw a Pine Marten in New England was in Tuckerman's Ravine in the 1970's.
rocketsocks
03-20-2017, 08:54
I honestly don't know if it's a mink, marten, I don't think it's a weasel though, but one things for sure...he/she's as cute as a big ear, nice find and a beautiful beautiful picture!
rocketsocks
03-20-2017, 08:55
Bug's ear...ugh!
Here's looking back at you from the observatory this morning!
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Cool view of the same clouds I was seeing on my way to the trailhead, driving through Franconia notch and then up over to 302. It really looked like it was going to be a cold gray day. And then it cleared up perfectly, just after we started uphill. We hit Mt. Tom summit around 12:30. As usual the blue sky got more washed out as the day went on.
peakbagger
03-20-2017, 09:23
There is group of Pine Martens that hang out at the col between Mt Tom and Mt Field and scrounge off hikers. Many folks leave there packs at this spot rather than lugging them up the spur path. More than a few folks have come down to find a hole chewed in their pack or a marten popping out of it. Pinkham had a resident marten for quite awhile. They were reintroduced into the Nash Stream area north of the whites at one point and back in the era of the Spotted Owl out west they were candidate for being the "spotted owl of the east" until it was determined that they really didn't mind forestry operations. They had been trapped out of the region previously as they are quite curious and apparently are quite easy to catch if someone has the skills. Bushwhackers tend to run into them but given their preferred territory is spruce/fir blowdown infested ridges not a lot of hikers do expect for the habituated ones.
fastfoxengineering
03-20-2017, 12:06
Stayed in the observatory with an IME group.
Will post more once I get settled back in.
My senior year Engineering project we worked directly with the observatory. Took their pitot static tube back to school and tested the pressure measurement system they use to calculate velocity to see if we could find any deficiencies or inaccuracies. We had a real strong wind tunnel at school. Cool project. Got to take the snow cat up and down in January
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