New Hampshire AT in late April/Early May? Conditions now?

[joshuasdad]

I would like to finish Hanover to Franconia Notch during that time period, and possibly even part or all of the traverse north of Franconia Notch. I would likely be hiking Southbound from car to car (hiking south to go north...), so bailouts would be pretty easy if needed. I have hiked a lot of my 1800ish miles in winter conditions, but the Kinsmans and the Franconia traverse seem to be quite a step up from the Killington area, Southern MA/Northern CT, NJ/NY, TN/NC (including the high Smokies), and Virginia. I have experienced an ascent of Mt. Washington, and have completed Northern NH/Southern Maine, so I know that the terrain is difficult even without snow/ice/slush/monorail, etc. OK, here are my questions:

1) Is most of the section generally clear of snow now? I don't mind a few inches of snow/ice. and will be bringing microspikes and trekking poles, at least. I expect that Moosilauke to the north WILL have significant snow/ice now, but this may mostly melt in the next couple weeks.

2) What terrain can be hiked in early May with microspikes, as opposed to snowshoes, ice axe and crampons? I'd be willing to snowshoe, but would not really want to learn how to use an ice axe on the fly...

3) Is this just a really really bad idea? Keep in mind that I only have 70 mlles left to do south of New Hampshire, I have a lot of time available to hike until mid-June, and would like to finish the trail by then. Northern Maine would need to be hiked in early June, but I could pick off a few particularly difficult sections of the Whites then as well. I have hiked about 200 miles in the past four weeks, so I am somewhat conditioned, but definitely could be in better shape...

Brutally honest answers from locals are appreciated!

Thanks!

[bamboo bob]

Going north down Moosilaukee would be scary in icy conditions. South up that steep Beaver Brook falls? i forget the name would be a real ice climb. Awash with melt. Sounds like a fun time.

[joshuasdad]

Going north down Moosilaukee would be scary in icy conditions. South up that steep Beaver Brook falls? i forget the name would be a real ice climb. Awash with melt. Sounds like a fun time.

That climb is why I picked SOBO for New Hampshire... The worst "ice climb" I have done is Bear Mountain SOBO in Connecticut. Beaver Brook Falls looks like a whole new level, I would consider learning to use an ice axe for that climb.

[Slo-go'en]

The snow is melting quickly - but not that quick. There is still a lot of snow to melt in the mountains, especially in Maine. This is a very, very, very bad time of year to hike in NH or Maine. Please, please stay away! We are just at the start of mud season when hiking around here is not advised. This will last well into May, maybe into June depending on how much rain we get.

In fact, we could see several inches of new snow tonight, primarly above 3500 feet and there will be even more up in Maine. Winter is not over yet! And every so often we get treated to a really big slush storm late April and this year is prime for one.

[rafe]

Southbound descent off South Kinsman in winter? Shudder.

I did a short hike in and back from Rte. 2 to Rattle River Shelter (near Gorham) last weekend. A very mellow, well-graded stretch. Still plenty of snow, about a foot and a half at the shelter, and more so the higher you go. I was wearing MSR Evo Ascent snowshoes and even so, was breaking through the crust frequently. Without the snowshoes on that stretch of trail, I would have been postholing with every step.

This is really a tricky time to be hiking the Whites, but I'm a newb at winter hiking. The Whites are still very white. The better-traveled trails (eg., Falling Waters, Bridle Path, et. al.) may be packed and passable with micro-spikes or crampons. Streams below the shelter were running high, but a wider stream uphill of the shelter was still covered in ice and snow.

[joshuasdad]

I'm likely saving south of Rt. 2 for early/mid June, but the snow depth is quite helpful, thanks! Just saw a couple of reports on Moosilauke, looks like ice + few inches of snow now, and can be traversed with microspikes and poles. See http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthrea...a-Beaver-Brook

I am likely hiking car to car, so I can deal with some discomfort, and can pick the best times to hike, for example, timing a hike when it is warm for comfort, or frozen to avoid soft mud. Given a choice, I would definitely do this section in July/August...I really don't have that choice this year. Some mud season hiking will be necessary, and the "live free or die" state looks like the easiest of what I have left. It was either ford dangerous flooded streams in northern Maine, or deal with muddy/icy trails in New Hampshire.

Thanks for the comments!

[peakbagger]

The problem with snow depth maps are they don't reflect shading very well and northerly exposures. Snow is melting down low but up on the wooded ridges it is deep and remain deep for several weeks. Generally the stretch from Kinsman Notch to South Kinsman has some sections that hold snow late into the spring.

If you time your days and start really early in the AM, you can usually get 4 or 5 hours of barebooting before the snow starts to turn soft in the afternoon. Just try to set up the hikes so that you go up the sunny side in the AM and go down shady side in the PM. An example would be, go up Glencliff trail to the Moosilaukee summit in the AM and Beaver Brook down.

[Migrating Bird]

Hey Joshuasdad, I cannot speak for the Whites, but I can say that it is 24 here this morning in western MA with 2" of fresh snow. Nothing compared to the intense winter weather the Whites must have had yesterday. I can speak to the comparison between of Bear Mt. as I frequently hike that area. There is no comparison, while the hike up Bear (SOBO) is steep it is very short. Please reconsider your timing. Also, does anyone know if the bridge has been replaced just a couple of miles south of Franconia Notch? If not than a detour is in order as that brook will be impassable with the snow melt as it was last memorial day weekend.

[imscotty]

Here are the conditions now...

http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/

[joshuasdad]

Peakbagger, thanks for the suggestion, that was my thought as well, but I am planning for SOBO for logistics. So it sounds like bareboot/microspikes on the climb of northern faces, and snowshoes on the descents if the hikes go into midday. While I usually do 15-20 mile days, I am perfectly fine with 8-10 mile days south of the whites, and less than that on the Franconia traverse, if I do that (I would probably use a couple self-service huts). I am not going to get near the 6000+ altitude of Mt. Washington, which makes its own weather.

I have ascended Madison the hard way as part of a 16 mile day, so I understand how steep Beaver Brook is. Just climb slow and steady and you get there. I've climbed the 3000 foot elevation gain Priest in the snow (and descended down the falls)--I just mentioned Bear Mountain as an example of a climb where a fall would be pretty painful...

I have also seen a couple youtube videos of Beaver Brook, it looks like a grind, but nothing too dangerous except for the cascade area, and I would use microspikes on that.

My biggest concern is the Kinsmans, and I would skip them or short section those using side trails if conditions were really bad. I am basing out of Lincoln, so short sectioning would be an easy option. I'm giving myself 9 days for Hanover to Franconia (or possibly Crawford), so I have some space for zeros or neros.

Thanks again!

[Jeff]

Chet West in Lincoln is already hosting section hikers. Stay with him...he is a wealth of NH hiking information too.

[joshuasdad]

Thanks Jeff! Great information, since the word was last year that Chet may be moving to Vermont soon. I have a cheap off-season condo reserved for a week, but his place may work well for the extra couple days I need to deal with.

[Slo-go'en]

Looks like a good couple of inches of new snow in my yard this morning. Damn, it was almost finally gone too. I imagine higher elevations got more. Plus it's not really going to warm up much for a bit. No more summer like 75 degree days like last Monday for a while.

With the lingering snow, ice, mud, high water in streams and the quickly changing weather going back and forth between summer and winter, late April and early May is a very poor and potentually dangerous time of year to hike in the Whites. That is why I go to Georgia this time of year to hike, but this year I have to wait it out up here.

[jeffmeh]

The Beaver Brook Trail has wooden steps affixed to the smooth granite faces, that when clear make it much easier than it used to be. That said, there is no way I would want to hike it if ice covered without real crampons, ice axe, and maybe even ropes and harness. I have no idea what the conditions are there now, but by all means take care.

[peakbagger]

The stretch from South Kinsman to Kinsmans notch is potentially miserable full of puds. I have done it as summer day hike starting on the west side going up Mt Kinsman trail and then heading south to a bicycle stashed at Kinsman's notch. It was long day. In winter I would probably break it up in to pieces using Reel Brook Trail

[joshuasdad]

OK, here's a tentative plan, hiking SOBO to go north with two cars:

Day 1: Lyme-Dorchester (LD) Road to Trescott Road Spur -- 15-17 miles, depending on crossing of LD used
Day 2: NH 25A to LD Road, 14-16 miles
Day 3: Glencliff to NH 25A -- 10-12 miles (12 if parking available at High Street)

--Rent snowshoes, buy/borrow ice axe if needed--

Day 4: Kinsman Notch to Glencliff -- 8-10 miles
Day 5: Reel Brook to Kinsman Notch -- 6.5 AT miles + 3 mile Reel Brook Trail
Day 6: US 3 to Reel Brook -- 9 AT miles + 3 mile Reel Brook Trail

If Zealand Trail road open and weather good:
Day 7 (optional): Zealand Trail to Galehead Hut -- 8 AT miles + 2ish mile Zealand Trail
Day 8 (optional) Galehead Hut to Greenleaf Hut (7 miles) or Franconia Notch (13 miles)

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

[joshuasdad]

Looking good to restart on this itinerary next week, will likely do Franconia Traverse with hut stays, and have a very (very) small chance of adding hiking down Mt. Washington SOBO (taking cog up), depending on conditions and my conditioning. Conditions in far Southern NH were great, snow line is at about 2000 ft, expect some "Appalachian River" conditions, but all in all, seemed to be better than Long Trail on an average summer day. I saw about 25 people day hiking on Moose Mountain and Holts Ledge areas on Sunday. Just bring a couple extra pairs of socks, and you will have decently happy feet. I hiked in trail runners, but will likely hike in my winter boots or a new (shudder) pair of midrise boots for the 4000+ peaks next week. Weather looks promising, cold temperatures in morning to consolidate snow for relatively easy climbing, rising to 40s-60s for relative comfort on the summits.

Thanks again for all of your help!

[peakbagger]

I think you timing is off a bit on doing a hut stay during a Franconia Traverse next week. Greenleaf is not open on caretaker basis until May 2nd. Lonesome lake is current open.

[joshuasdad]

I think you timing is off a bit on doing a hut stay during a Franconia Traverse next week. Greenleaf is not open on caretaker basis until May 2nd. Lonesome lake is current open.

I'm hiking south to go north using 2 cars, so I won't be in the Franconia/Presidential traverse areas until Sunday, May 4. Possible to go Mizpah, Zealand, Galehead, Greenleaf then. More likely than not I would hike to Mizpah from the notch, but if weather is absolutely perfect on Mt. Washington, I would consider doing the hike from the cog. If weather looks bad, I would just head home...don't think I need to reserve huts too far advance midweek in May...

Currently researching what is included in AMC "self-service"--it looks like kitchen (pots, cooking gas), some heat, and bunks. So it looks like it would be prudent to bring my 20 degree bag, pad, and emergency shelter (MSR Hubba, fly only) for the four nights...and lots of pasta dishes and oatmeal...maybe something to read as well, as the hiking days look like they will be pretty short.

Would probably rent snowshoes and may pick up an ice axe as well. I already have microspikes.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Slo-go'en]

Winters back today. Freash coating of snow above 3500 feet, huricane force winds on Mt Washington. More rain and snow coming Saturday. Thier still digging out the auto road, trying to get it open by the end of May. A little too early to tell what next week will bring.

Saw 30 collage kids from Montreal get off a bus this afternoon and head up Lowes path to Gray Knob (which holds 14 people, half the group will have to go to Crag Camp) good luck to them! (Thier not suppost to do that)