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somers515
05-14-2019, 10:43
I'm planning on starting a backpacking trip in the Whites next week (weather permitting). I understand from reading reports at newenglandtrailconditions.com that the black flies aren't here yet but will likely be here soon and I think I'm as prepared as I can be for that. My question is more about snowshoes/microspikes/waterproof socks with trail runners? The general consensus is that currently you can bare boot up to about 3,000 feet then you are putting on micro spikes to deal with the monorail and then above tree line you can bare boot again. I haven't read too many reports recently where people found snow shoes helpful. But what about sections of trail that aren't visited by people peak bagging a 4000 footer? For example the Kinsman Ridge Trail/AT between Moosilauke and Kinsmans? Would a monorail even develop there? If there is no monorail would it be correct to assume that there would be a lot more just rotten snow to deal with? Would snow shoes be necessary or just plan on some real slow going in that section? Anyone willing to hazard a guess on what the conditions might be like next week? All tips and advice welcome so I can be prepared as possible. Thanks in advance white blaze!

T.S.Kobzol
05-14-2019, 11:09
Monorail will soften with warm weather and postholing commences.

The black flies were out in Buxton Maine last Saturday.


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LoneStranger
05-14-2019, 11:22
You're in luck as this guy was nice enough to show you what the Moosilauke descent looked like on Monday


https://youtu.be/WF_VI0-RqoQ?t=511

Starts going down around 8 minutes in if the link doesn't take you to that point.

SPOILER WARNING: They made it down Moosilauke just fine on the monorail, but had to turn back before Kinsman. Deep postholing once they hit the low traffic areas so they headed back to fetch snowshoes to try again. Hopefully they took a zero to stay out of the weather today.

I'm with Peakbagger on this one, too early!

peakbagger
05-14-2019, 13:17
Plenty of indications that anything above 3000 feet is definitely going to be rotten snow and nasty going. With the warm weather this weekend I expect the snow pack is going to be posthole city. There were multiple wind events this winter so plenty of blowdown. North facing softwood slopes are going to hold onto the snow longer than south facing slopes. There are lots of puds along that stretch.

Bring plenty of food and have a backup plan. Hike real early in the AM and plan on half the mileage. Snowshoes can help but it beats them up in mixed conditions. Lot to be said for doing a section south of the whites. I expect the Garfield to Twin stretch is going to be deep and nasty.

C4web88
05-14-2019, 16:06
You're in luck as this guy was nice enough to show you what the Moosilauke descent looked like on Monday


https://youtu.be/WF_VI0-RqoQ?t=511

Starts going down around 8 minutes in if the link doesn't take you to that point.

SPOILER WARNING: They made it down Moosilauke just fine on the monorail, but had to turn back before Kinsman. Deep postholing once they hit the low traffic areas so they headed back to fetch snowshoes to try again. Hopefully they took a zero to stay out of the weather today.

I'm with Peakbagger on this one, too early!

Holy crap that guy is burning rubber, 77 days and hes in the whites? That's impressive!

LoneStranger
05-14-2019, 16:35
Holy crap that guy is burning rubber, 77 days and hes in the whites? That's impressive!

Yup, he's gonna yoyo though if he doesn't slow down he may have to wait for Katahdin to open. He is traveling very light while his partner seems to be carrying more. They have been staying indoors frequently with lots of restaurant meals. Hammering out big miles since VA or thereabouts, but snow is going to slow them down now.

Thrifty Endurance
05-14-2019, 17:18
That is Craig Mains, AKA "Hawk." He is traveling with T-Rex who is an experienced mountaineer who helped rescue those Russian skiers in the Alps. They are well equipped and have the strength and stamina to traverse the snowy/frozen tundra. He usually drops a vid either late at night or really early in the am, if anyone is interested in following. The issue with Mt. Katahdin is not the summit, The whole area is impassable, according to Baxter State Park...probably won't open until the first week in June. We are all waiting for the deep thaw and the SOBOs are going to be starting next month. Good luck SOBOs!

Deadeye
05-14-2019, 19:59
That is Craig Mains, AKA "Hawk." He is traveling with T-Rex who is an experienced mountaineer who helped rescue those Russian skiers in the Alps. They are well equipped and have the strength and stamina to traverse the snowy/frozen tundra. He usually drops a vid either late at night or really early in the am, if anyone is interested in following. The issue with Mt. Katahdin is not the summit, The whole area is impassable, according to Baxter State Park...probably won't open until the first week in June. We are all waiting for the deep thaw and the SOBOs are going to be starting next month. Good luck SOBOs!

He may be well equipped and experienced, but he's not very considerate. Hiking in Northern New England before Memorial day (or even later this year) can be very damaging to the trail, hence strongly discouraged by those that maintain it.

Thrifty Endurance
05-14-2019, 22:16
He may be well equipped and experienced, but he's not very considerate. Hiking in Northern New England before Memorial day (or even later this year) can be very damaging to the trail, hence strongly discouraged by those that maintain it.

I respectfully disagree with your comment about Hawk. Have you followed him at all on any of his AT adventures? He is the most considerate of hikers and follows ALL trail etiquette. He stays on trail, even when it is muddy and wet for miles. He never skirts around. He even educates people on the reasons why you need to stay on trail. Post-holing does more damage not only to the person doing it but the trail. The ATC is fine about snow shoes and EVERY legit hiking blog sites agree on wearing snow shoes and micro-spikes or crampons when needed, so I do not understand your objection. I don't know what they do in Vermont, but in New Hampshire, winter sport is an active pass time, especially in the Whites. The Appalachian Mountain Clubs also conduct several winter hikes with snow shoes on trail.

Scrum
05-15-2019, 06:53
He may be well equipped and experienced, but he's not very considerate. Hiking in Northern New England before Memorial day (or even later this year) can be very damaging to the trail, hence strongly discouraged by those that maintain it.
Thrifty Endurance, I will let Deadeye speak for him/herself, but I think the point is about hiking in mud season, not about snowshoeing and postholing in the snow.

Here is what the AMC's Manager of Trail Volunteers and and Leave No Trace Programs has to say about hiking in the issue: "Some maintainers would like to see most trails closed in mud season, but we prefer to ask people to hike responsibly in all seasons." https://www.outdoors.org/articles/amc-outdoors/mud-season-hiking-dos-and-donts The article goes on to explain proper etiquette for hiking in mud season. To call hiking in mud season inconsiderate seems a bit much.

My daughter and I are looking to do the Moosilauki - Kinsmans section again this spring, but it is probably not going to happen until early July. We are going to wait for the snow to be gone, and next have to wait for the end of black fly season. Good luck to those who try it earlier.

C4web88
05-15-2019, 11:55
That is Craig Mains, AKA "Hawk." He is traveling with T-Rex who is an experienced mountaineer who helped rescue those Russian skiers in the Alps. They are well equipped and have the strength and stamina to traverse the snowy/frozen tundra. He usually drops a vid either late at night or really early in the am, if anyone is interested in following. The issue with Mt. Katahdin is not the summit, The whole area is impassable, according to Baxter State Park...probably won't open until the first week in June. We are all waiting for the deep thaw and the SOBOs are going to be starting next month. Good luck SOBOs!

Well shoot I'll be following him, I like his attitude too. Hope my start date doesnt get burned cause of the weather, I'll be at KSG starting June 1st. Plan on trying to summit the 2nd!

rubyvermonter
05-15-2019, 12:49
Deadeye is referring to the policy of the Green Mountain Club that the Long Trail not be hiked between April 15 and Memorial Day. Even if the snow cover is gone below 3000 feet, the trail will be muddy and hiking further erodes it.

peakbagger
05-15-2019, 13:40
IMHO, the LT has far fewer hands maintaining it than the AT through the whites. The approach in the Whites has been there is no choice but to harden the trail by effectively paving it with stones. Its a lot more difficult to deal with the lowlands along the LT (especially in south VT near Stratton Pond). Those who head north into the Mahoosucs and Maine quickly learn that the hardening approach pretty well stops at the end of Centennial trail. From there north there are some impressive sections of hardening but they are a minority.

Scrum
05-15-2019, 16:13
Deadeye is referring to the policy of the Green Mountain Club that the Long Trail not be hiked between April 15 and Memorial Day. Even if the snow cover is gone below 3000 feet, the trail will be muddy and hiking further erodes it.
Good point. I had not noticed the Deadeye is located in VT. The different perspectives on the mud season in the White and the LT are interesting.

somers515
05-16-2019, 07:23
Thank you everyone! The Craig Mains aka "Hawk" videos in particular have given me a real clear picture of the conditions. He attempted the section with snow shoes yesterday and was STILL post-holing even with snow shoes on and he turned back. He declared the section "impassable" and sounds like that is currently the case.

Anyone willing to take a guess in how many days/weeks before the trail in this section is in a more reasonable state?

peakbagger
05-16-2019, 08:46
Its highly dependent on the weather pattern. We need sunny days and warm nights and they have been in short supply of late. Putting on my "guessing hat", two to three weeks, June 1st . You may still find some snow but it will be a nuisance. I was out last Wednesday and the hardwoods were fine up to 3000 feet on the south and north slopes but once I got on the ridgecrest with a band of dense softwoods it was 2 feet deep of packed rotten snow. I had my small climbing snowshoes and they really didn't help much. I expect if I had my high flotation shoes they would have been better but high flotation shoes are dangerous for climbing steep stuff and impractical to carry.

You are actually lucky, this stretch of trail is not heavily used in the winter, thus the monorail is not as compressed as it would be on popular routes (like Falling Waters or Wildcat ridge down into Carter Notch). What the video shows is just rotten snow, if the temps and sun angle is good it breaks down quicker. On a popular winter trail with softwood cover the monorail is basically wet ice and it can last longer. If the snow is just rotten, hordes of unequipped hikers can actual help a bit as their postholes actually speed the breakup of the rotten snow, a very rare occasion when anything good can be said of postholers. Note the other trap in spring is that if it was cold night the snow may hold you up in the AM and then break down in the afternoon. I have been caught that way in the spring, bareboot to the summit way out in the woods and then end up postholing with snowshoes in the afternoon and taking a couple of hours to do the last mile.

I expect more than a few hiking folks are going to get a big surprise on Victoria Day (for the Canadians that flock south) on the 20th and Memorial day the week after. The spring ravine skiers on the other hand love it. I expect a few bikini ski runs from Tuckerman's will pop up on social media ;)

Thrifty Endurance
05-16-2019, 09:27
Deadeye is referring to the policy of the Green Mountain Club that the Long Trail not be hiked between April 15 and Memorial Day. Even if the snow cover is gone below 3000 feet, the trail will be muddy and hiking further erodes it.

The AT/Long Trail is shared 100+ miles up to Maine Junction, so it is not possible to avoid this section for AT thru-hikers. I think we need to use clarifying language on this forum. If you are talking about the Vermont Long Trail after the Maine Junction, where it veers left, then most of those thru-hikers don't start until later, like end of August/September. ATStrong

Thrifty Endurance
05-16-2019, 09:39
Thrifty Endurance, I will let Deadeye speak for him/herself, but I think the point is about hiking in mud season, not about snowshoeing and postholing in the snow.

Here is what the AMC's Manager of Trail Volunteers and and Leave No Trace Programs has to say about hiking in the issue: "Some maintainers would like to see most trails closed in mud season, but we prefer to ask people to hike responsibly in all seasons." https://www.outdoors.org/articles/amc-outdoors/mud-season-hiking-dos-and-donts The article goes on to explain proper etiquette for hiking in mud season. To call hiking in mud season inconsiderate seems a bit much.

My daughter and I are looking to do the Moosilauki - Kinsmans section again this spring, but it is probably not going to happen until early July. We are going to wait for the snow to be gone, and next have to wait for the end of black fly season. Good luck to those who try it earlier.

Thanks, I totally get the concern about "mud season," but as I noted on another comment here today, we need to use clarifying language on this forum. The AT/Long Trail shares 100+ miles from Williamstown/North Adams MA to the Maine Junction where the Vermont Long Trail veers left and the AT continues north. It is NOT POSSIBLE to put a "Do not hike" in April to Memorial Day for AT thru-hikers. Some start as early as January. IF you are talking about the VERMONT Long Trail after the Maine Junction, then those thru-hikers normally don't start until after Memorial Day. Honestly, I don't know of anyone who would even attempt a Vermont Long Trail hike BEFORE Memorial Day. ATStrong

LoneStranger
05-16-2019, 10:24
Thank you everyone! The Craig Mains aka "Hawk" videos in particular have given me a real clear picture of the conditions. He attempted the section with snow shoes yesterday and was STILL post-holing even with snow shoes on and he turned back. He declared the section "impassable" and sounds like that is currently the case.

Anyone willing to take a guess in how many days/weeks before the trail in this section is in a more reasonable state?

I thought seeing that might be helpful :)

North facing slopes will likely have snow well into June. As Pb mentioned, we need warm nights or some warm rain to break it down any sooner. Snow was really deep this year. Anything above 3k you were pushing through tree limbs that are usually well over head. Great fun then, but it is making for a really long rotten snow season before we can even get started on the mud. I'm headed up to check on my Cohos section this weekend and not sure if I should bring the clippers or my snowshoes.

Thrifty Endurance
05-16-2019, 10:47
Thank you everyone! The Craig Mains aka "Hawk" videos in particular have given me a real clear picture of the conditions. He attempted the section with snow shoes yesterday and was STILL post-holing even with snow shoes on and he turned back. He declared the section "impassable" and sounds like that is currently the case.

Anyone willing to take a guess in how many days/weeks before the trail in this section is in a more reasonable state?

Hawk is planning a Yo-Yo within his SOBO Yo-Yo. He is a "purist" so he will make the 16 miles he missed that was impassable. I did three treks of the Whites in winter. The problem with snow shoes is it can't support your weight if the snow is "soft." You will still be post-holing in snow shoes...which frankly, sucks! ATStrong

Puddlefish
05-16-2019, 11:02
I last hit a trail in the NH Upper Valley two weeks ago. It's mud season here. The last time I was out, I wore micro-spikes and stayed on the ice monorail, but even that was sporadic. I met quite a few people out enjoying the trail on a warmish spring day. Unfortunately, they had no spikes, so they just widened the trail, leaving two to six inch mud holes along the edge of the trail. My local trails are all privately owned, I can't help but think the landowners who allowed a 30" trail might be a bit dismayed when they see multiple trails through sections of their land. The sad thing is, the new trails will be just as muddy as the original trail with just a bit more use, so there will just be double the erosion because of a few impatient/thoughtless hikers.

Moosilauke-Kinsman are further north, with higher elevations, they'll be seeing the same muddy conditions soon. I'm told the trails in southern NH are already drying out, but it's been annoying weather with light rain every other day for the past few weeks.

The leaves are coming in, try a nice road walk, and it won't be horrible.

peakbagger
05-16-2019, 15:18
Plenty of nice dry thawed out trails in the whites, just stay below 3 K and out of deep dark areas. I expect the Belknaps, Cardigan and the Ossipees are in good shape. The Shelburne Trail Club has a nice system of trails with great views and the RMC trails on the south face of the Crescent Range also are a nice option. Unfortunately most folks want the 4K hikes and ridgelines between them.

peakbagger
05-19-2019, 06:51
I see on Craig Mains (Hawk) video, that they made it to Galehead and decide to bail after rotten conditions once they dropped down off treeline north of Lafayette.

The interesting strategy is he and his partner are heading north on the Long Trail as an alternative. This is interesting choice as the LT probably has the same snow conditions.

T.S.Kobzol
05-19-2019, 13:27
I really think by getting longer (with extensions) msr snowshoes they will stay on top of the rotten snow. For the money they spend in Vermont they could be advancing on the AT


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LoneStranger
05-19-2019, 19:12
I see on Craig Mains (Hawk) video, that they made it to Galehead and decide to bail after rotten conditions once they dropped down off treeline north of Lafayette.

The interesting strategy is he and his partner are heading north on the Long Trail as an alternative. This is interesting choice as the LT probably has the same snow conditions.

Less snow due to less high peaks, but the downside is the mud when there is no snow. Mud season hiking is ugly anywhere in New England, but the Whites and S Maine would at least be rockier.

rubyvermonter
05-24-2019, 12:58
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Are you ready for hiking season? Mud season (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=jbi8ycRYTqJ7WXRd2tcx9w) is over! Or is it? While the Friday of Memorial Day weekend typically begins Vermont's hiking season, we have had quite a lot of snow (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=9j0NbKrIH1byz6t0wRVDAQ) this winter that has prolonged mud season. We are almost done with May, but the snow continues to melt and it just keeps raining.
Yes, there is still snow in the mountains right now. And plenty of it! In the first week of May, the snow stake on Mount Mansfield was showing 69" of snow (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=2UmjIaLYAiyicSDgoyLj4w), which is typical for the first week of March! There was still 42" of snow (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=b5k9gfMHe4I7UtfpysPZKQ) there three days ago. Killington Resort will be open for skiing this weekend (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=u9juElqQeqM9jZMXhsjFsQ) and a couple of skiers still connected the snow patches at Mad River Glen (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=mwxlRawUettVmjMzYs4Vhg) this week. Over in the Adirondacks, ADK is asking folks to stay below 2500' until mid-June (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=74fMtavi9CwJ3iMZHQMiaQ), and there are similar conditions in the Green Mountains.
In addition to the snow, there are tons of blowdowns from fall and winter storms that have not yet been cleared. Our trail adopters (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=4NlBvxHtMmhkShXG549y7Q) and section volunteers (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=AlyqdAeVvJnJmsrLI4g8Wg) were delayed in getting out to clean up their trails (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=QLGIstmv582nT-PFtyJBmQ) this spring due to the late snow and mud. Some of them have said the blowdowns they're seeing are worse than the damage from Hurricane Irene in 2011! Recent reports from trail volunteers show that:


Mount Mansfield: There is deep snow starting halfway up the Haselton Trail, enough that snowshoes were needed (May 17). A third of the Hellbrook Trail is still covered by snow (May 22). In fact, there is so much snow on Mansfield, Stowe is pushing back opening the auto toll road until June 1st.
Camel's Hump: On the east side of Camel’s Hump, snow on the Monroe Trail starts at the Alpine Junction. On the west side, it’s patchy on the Burrows Trail. 3' of snow is still underfoot on the Long Trail above the Hut Clearing (May 17).
Mounts Abraham and Ellen: The Long Trail between Abe and Lincoln Peak still has a fair amount of snow and big mud holes, and still snow up to Ellen (May 21).
Bolton area trails: Still lots of snow throughout (May 18).
Mount Tabor area trails: Lots of blowdowns on the Green Mountain Trail (May 18).
North of Smugglers' Notch: Lots of snow on the Long Trail from Route 108 to Sterling Pond, and snow on the Sterling Pond Trail (May 15).
Southern Long Trail: Snow appears to be gone from the Glastenbury and Stratton areas.
Northeast Kingdom: Still snow on Middle Mountain and Bald Mountain, particularly on the Mad Brook Trail. Pisgah, Hor, Bluff, Moose, and Wheeler Mountains are snow-free but muddy (May 18).
Lower elevations: Still wet.

What does this mean for hiking? Higher elevations currently still have snow so hikers should consider staying below 3500’ for another week or two. Lower elevations may still have muddy conditions, so if you can't turn around, please be prepared to walk through puddles and mud (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=fBQNa6P5LAV96qlRnBe3cQ) to avoid damaging the surrounding vegetation and widening the trail.
We share updates on our Trail Updates page (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=Q8VHfa4vJ51ShE6nhxyPsA) and in our Facebook Group (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=vGxiV5NkSDjq4SH8aFYKeQ) so you can always check those before heading out on the trail.
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Or give us a visit/call/email at the GMC Visitor Center (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=LGTCXFloI52GY-Cl8dDYjQ) and we can help you choose an appropriate hike for the conditions and your skill level. We are open 7 days a week from 9:00am to 5:00pm to answer any questions you may have about hiking on the Long Trail and its side trails, the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, and trails in the Northeast Kingdom.
Hiking Safety Tips Here are a few tips for early season hikers:


Plan ahead and let someone know where you will be hiking and when you are expected to return.
Carry a map (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=zsiAjzlcVRDWEfZp2JgUBg) and know which trailhead you need to return to.
Bring a warm extra layer as mountain tops are chilly year-round and Vermont’s weather can quickly change. Be prepared for winter conditions if you are hiking above 3500’ in the near future.
Water levels in streams and rivers may be higher than normal this time of year so use caution when crossing.
Stay hydrated and bring food for long hikes.
Bring rain gear; even an emergency poncho or garbage bag will help in a pinch.
Carry out what you carry in (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=Y6xLc0lrI6KP_WD6i2CITw) and help protect Vermont’s special places.

Other ways to prepare yourself for this hiking season are to take a GMC workshop (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=TbqB_CEopUG2FyIo0pNKaw). We have upcoming offerings including Backpacking 201, Wilderness First Aid, and Women's Intro to Backpacking. You can also join our 14 regional Sections (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=DydQUOLSariC8adHHbzVLQ) for a group outing (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=4E7An2zaJ1weTrxK3IpnQQ) to try a new trail and meet like-minded hikers.
We can't wait to see you out on the trail this year! Keep an eye out for GMC's backcountry caretakers and Long Trail Patrol (http://gmc.convio.net/site/R?i=suqja8c8WyhoOcf1RKMmDg) as they educate hikers in high-use areas and work on improving the trail. And don't worry, soon it will be summer and the trail will look like this:
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somers515
05-24-2019, 19:16
Thank you rubyvermonter! I read this as I'm a GMC member and I'm reading everything I can to get an idea on conditions in New England for next week. I've seen similar advisories from White Mountains hiker meetup groups too. I'm hoping the warmer weather this weekend improves conditions a little. If anyone is out in the Whites this Memorial Day weekend in general or on the stretch between Moosilauke and the Kinsman in particular - I would love to hear about trail conditions. Thank you very much white blaze!

peakbagger
05-25-2019, 06:13
I was in the Mahoosucs yesterday from Dream Lake to Gentian Pond. Lots of blowdown, patches of snow in some spots and running water everywhere on the trail. Definitely wet boots after a few hours. This stretch is around 2500 feet elevation on the south side of the ridge but in softwoods.

somers515
05-25-2019, 08:18
I was in the Mahoosucs yesterday from Dream Lake to Gentian Pond. Lots of blowdown, patches of snow in some spots and running water everywhere on the trail. Definitely wet boots after a few hours. This stretch is around 2500 feet elevation on the south side of the ridge but in softwoods.

Thanks peakbagger! Wow still patches of snow at 2500 feet and on the south side of the ridge . . thinking I might give those waterproof socks a try next week.

Thrifty Endurance
05-25-2019, 10:02
Hi Rubyvermonter, looks like Camel's Hump is looking good for a trek, albeit some snow patches. Several hikers already made the successful summit. Hikers post holing at Mount Mansfield last week...but next week might be different. :p

Astro
05-25-2019, 15:31
Here is to hoping another 3 weeks will help melt any remaining snow and dry up the mud. :)

somers515
05-27-2019, 08:24
With all this "warm" weather will I even need microspikes? Looks like a rainy warm week coming up.

Slo-go'en
05-27-2019, 11:39
With all this "warm" weather will I even need microspikes? Looks like a rainy warm week coming up.

Hard to say. Unlike the more direct routes to the summits of 4K's, the AT doesn't get much winter use so the snow isn't as packed down as much as it is on the peak bagger routes. With the warmer temps and rain, what snow is left will likely be soft, leading to a lot of post holing. By now there has likely been some traffic on that section of trail, so it could be pretty choppy.

The main issue will be with Black Flies. A lot of water is running down the steep parts of the trail, which is where the Black Flies are breeding. The next couple of weeks will be prime time for those little buggers. The non-steep sections of trail will be very muddy.

Also, the streams are still running high so any stream crossings will be tricky. If your going down Moosilauke on the Beaver brook trail, that could be very interesting.

somers515
06-03-2019, 05:42
Just did a 3 day, 2 night hike over Moosilauke, the Kinsmans and Cannon. There was some sections of ice but with care I was able to get by and didn’t hassle with microspikes. There was a decent amount of mud and some blow downs so expect a slower pace then normal. I suppose I got lucky with decent weather and no bugs. A great trip so far!

Slo-go'en
06-03-2019, 09:58
I'm planning to do that section too, but SOBO from Franconia.

I think I'll wait a couple more weeks. Hopefully the trail will dry up some more by then.

The Black Flies are definitely getting annoying around here.

Astro
06-03-2019, 13:31
I'm planning to do that section too, but SOBO from Franconia.

I think I'll wait a couple more weeks. Hopefully the trail will dry up some more by then.

The Black Flies are definitely getting annoying around here.

Look forward to hearing what conditions you find.
Starting NoBo from Garfield on the 19th myself.

peakbagger
06-03-2019, 15:19
Reading the various trail reports from the weekend the snow on the softwood ridgelines has gotten tot he annoyance factor. I am surprised as there are still many snow fields way down the sides of the mountain in the ravines (far more typical of April) I expect Mahoosuc ravine is nasty right now as its the last spot in area to melt out. It erodes from bottom up so crevasses occur some years.

Then again I was down at or below 3 K on Friday in the far SE corner of the whites (Red Rock mtn) and saw several snow patches on the south side of the ridgeline.

LoneStranger
06-03-2019, 16:53
Starting Cohos SOBO on Friday, but I walk slow this time of year. That snow has a couple of weeks, but then it has to go, sorry.

Spent the weekend doing an out and back from Coleman with the family. Squishy, but not as much as a few weeks ago. Just a few patches of snow on the ridge above Panorama Shelter. There were a few of those flies about. I ate three on the walk out before putting my net on.

rubyvermonter
06-03-2019, 18:15
Hi Rubyvermonter, looks like Camel's Hump is looking good for a trek, albeit some snow patches. Several hikers already made the successful summit. Hikers post holing at Mount Mansfield last week...but next week might be different. :p

Thanks for the update. I haven't gotten a recent update on conditions.

Slo-go'en
06-03-2019, 19:00
Well, the summit of Washington and the surrounding peaks will get snow showers tonight and tomorrow, leading to icy trails.

It hasn't warmed up that much and we've had some cold nights, so not surprising there is still snow lingering.