Its stupid season in the Whites

[Puddlefish]

It's shaping up to be a brutal winter.

Just got electricity back after a 46 hour outage, caused by another ten inches of snow. Nearly two and a half feet in the last two weeks. I'm snow raking the roof today, before the snow and rain arrives on the weekend, what joy!

[Slo-go'en]

Was last year considered a milder one for NH and the Whites?

Actually, it was a strange winter. We got a bit of snow early on, then it melted and then it got brutally cold around mid December, so much so my water supply froze up for 3 weeks until we had a massive January thaw. Then it was a real mild February, so mild it seems that winter had ended. Then in March it snowed non-stop for weeks.

[Slo-go'en]

Just got electricity back after a 46 hour outage, caused by another ten inches of snow. Nearly two and a half feet in the last two weeks. I'm snow raking the roof today, before the snow and rain arrives on the weekend, what joy!

Yeah, I need to get on my roof and clean it off too. Got between 2 and 4 feet up there. At least it stopped snowing here for the moment. Got a couple more inches overnight from flurries. Looks like it's still snowing about 2500 feet. It will probably do that for another day.

I sure the heck don't want to be the one who has to break trail after all this.

[Old Hillwalker]

Yah, hell freezes over up here every winter. heh heh

[Astro]

Actually, it was a strange winter. We got a bit of snow early on, then it melted and then it got brutally cold around mid December, so much so my water supply froze up for 3 weeks until we had a massive January thaw. Then it was a real mild February, so mild it seems that winter had ended. Then in March it snowed non-stop for weeks.

Thanks, reason I asked was that when I went from Glencliff to Garfield in early June this past summer I did not see much mud or any snow so thought it might have been milder. On the other hand didn't see any black files, so it was actually colder. Just trying to set expectations for Summer 2019, while I know in the back of my mind I need to be prepared for anything.

[coach lou]

The only thing you should expect is that you will be in New England

[Astro]

The only thing you should expect is that you will be in New England

Yeah, I am sure there will be great views, but with some effort in exchange.

[peakbagger]

Forecast is for some warm days cold nights followed by a bit of rain. That's going to really lock in the crust and make the woods great for navigating. Once the snow pack sets up all the annoying underbrush pretty well disappears.

[Slo-go'en]

I think we got enough snow now to smooth out the trails. The only problem with crusty snow is punching threw it. Snowshoes mitigate the problem, but not entirely. I'm up to my knees in snow walking around the cottage trying to rake the snow off the roof. It's gonna be real fun on crusty snow.

[Slo-go'en]

Last weekend after the big snow, a hiker showed up at Lowes Store (the gas station in Randolph, not the home improvement place) to hike up Lowes path to the Gray Knob cabin. An hour or so later, he came back to the store and complained that no one had gone up before him to packed down the trail. Did he have snowshoes? No, why would he need snowshoes?

[peakbagger]

No doubt given the forecast for the weekend that plenty of folks with inadequate gear will be heading up.

[Puddlefish]

I think we got enough snow now to smooth out the trails. The only problem with crusty snow is punching threw it. Snowshoes mitigate the problem, but not entirely. I'm up to my knees in snow walking around the cottage trying to rake the snow off the roof. It's gonna be real fun on crusty snow.

South of the Whites, we got two weeks of snow, followed by two days of slush, followed by two days of cold and sun. The local trails are currently a footstep patterned ice obstacle course. The prints range from 2 to 6 inches deep. The edge of the trail is the standard crunchy crust snow, but only a foot deep.

But, it's gorgeous out there, the rivers and falls are full, and that bright low sun was shining through the trees. A lot of big trees had come down across the trail, but some kind soul with a chainsaw already cleared away the worst of them.

[Slo-go'en]

Today was the first day in a LONG time which we had blue sky and some strange bright light in the sky. What's that called again?

So, I went for a walk. Definitely crusty snow over 1-2 feet of dense snow. But not crusty enough to walk on barebooted and not punch through 3-6" more often then not. A well traveled trail like the Valley Way was chopped up for the first 1/4 mile, then smoothed out as everyone broke down and put on the snowshoes or turned around. Currently it's well groomed for microspikes.

Looks like it would have been a nice day to be above tree line. There were three cars in the Appalachia parking lot, so at least a few were up there. Clouds are starting to move in from the west, might get some snow showers tomorrow evening into Friday.

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[GankenBerry]

random weather is a bit worrying.