Maine snow pack

[Slo-go'en]

Saw on the news from Maine last night the snow pack in the mountains is 3 to 5 feet deep, equaling 8 to 12" of water stored in it. Thier hopeing for a really slow melt to avoid flooding. So far, so good. It's been melting, but not very fast. Of course, the mountains are going to get some more sleet or snow this weekend, mostly at the north end of the AT. We might just get rain and sleet in northen NH.

There was a massive avalanch on Mt Washington last weekend, biggest ever. Just missed several people. They figure the snow is 45 feet deep at the bottom of the slide!

[Turk6177]

I feel for all of the south bounders with all that moisture. The mosquitoes are going to be thickah than goose grease, yessah. (That was my best Bert and I impersonation--Mainers will get it).

[Old Hillwalker]

We are looking for a lower tick year up here in May-un this coming season. The reason "heard" is that since the ticks tend to drop off their hosts in March and April to raise their young in leaf litter, that our existing abnormally high snowpack will not allow the ticks to get down to the duff and they will die off. Don't know if this is true, but I'm hoping so.

[T.S.Kobzol]

Yeah. The Maine mountains are still in winter mode. Heck we still have snow in Portland, Maine which is right by the ocean.

[HikerMom58]

Saw on the news from Maine last night the snow pack in the mountains is 3 to 5 feet deep, equaling 8 to 12" of water stored in it. Thier hopeing for a really slow melt to avoid flooding. So far, so good. It's been melting, but not very fast. Of course, the mountains are going to get some more sleet or snow this weekend, mostly at the north end of the AT. We might just get rain and sleet in northen NH.

There was a massive avalanch on Mt Washington last weekend, biggest ever. Just missed several people. They figure the snow is 45 feet deep at the bottom of the slide!

Woah!! Thanks for the info Slo!

I feel for all of the south bounders with all that moisture. The mosquitoes are going to be thickah than goose grease, yessah. (That was my best Bert and I impersonation--Mainers will get it).

I get it... you done good!

I hope you "heard" right about the ticks, Old Hillwalker.

[sureaboutthis]

Saw on the news from Maine last night the snow pack in the mountains is 3 to 5 feet deep, equaling 8 to 12" of water stored in it. Thier hopeing for a really slow melt to avoid flooding. So far, so good. It's been melting, but not very fast. Of course, the mountains are going to get some more sleet or snow this weekend, mostly at the north end of the AT. We might just get rain and sleet in northen NH.

There was a massive avalanch on Mt Washington last weekend, biggest ever. Just missed several people. They figure the snow is 45 feet deep at the bottom of the slide!

Thanks for the info...but you're scaring me a little.

[rafe]

Snow pack in eastern MA and southern NH (Manchester) is mostly gone, except in deep drifts. I may be snowshoeing in the Whites this weekend, not sure what conditions to expect.

[Old Grouse]

We are looking for a lower tick year up here in May-un this coming season. The reason "heard" is that since the ticks tend to drop off their hosts in March and April to raise their young in leaf litter, that our existing abnormally high snowpack will not allow the ticks to get down to the duff and they will die off. Don't know if this is true, but I'm hoping so.

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast."

[Almost There]

And this is why I don't get the rush to start earlier and earlier SOBO...I started from Katahdin around June 10, 2008...there was still pockets of snow in some places, and others where the trail was a creek/river from the snow melt...didn't help that the entire second half of June it rained almost all night and day...Nothing wrong with waiting till July to start your hike...I was doing a long section, and had to go when I did, but it you're going through I say wait, let the snow melt, and melt water clear out a bit...and for some of the bugs to die down (the best part of rain in Maine is no bugs while it is raining.)

[MDSection12]

A friend of mine is snowshoeing up Katahdin and snowboarding back down next weekend. I'm very jealous.

[Slo-go'en]

Snow pack in eastern MA and southern NH (Manchester) is mostly gone, except in deep drifts. I may be snowshoeing in the Whites this weekend, not sure what conditions to expect.

Expect it to be really nasty. Rain/sleet storm coming in Friday night in to Saturday. The snow is getting soft, so even with the shoes it will tough going as the snow will be sticky. Try to stick to well packed trails and don't go off the tread way. I still have a foot of snow in my yard, I'm at 1600 feet. It just gets deeper as you get higher.

[forrest!]

My July 12 start SOBO is starting to look like a good decision - wish I could take credit for it, but things just worked out that way.

[peakbagger]

Plenty of snow up in the whites, its finally warming up but we are about 3 to 4 weeks behind prior years. Snowshoes are definitely something to carry for the next month at least. Many folks get tricked in the morning. The snow gets solid overnight so you can bareboot and then the sun comes out and the snow gets soft to the point that you are up on a summit and need snowshoes to get down. Some folks hiker real early and risk it but for most it means snowshoes in the afternoon or postholing crotch deep

[Prime Time]

Im going downhill skiing Sunday. Incredible conditions right now and once it warms up we'll be in corn "up to our ears". Woo-hoo!