A recipe for a downright nasty weekend

[DayTrip]

This weather is bummer, the snow conditions are the best in years and looking out the window the summits are in clear blue sky (but cold and windy). My house is oriented so that Pine Mountain in Gorham unfortunately blocks the sun in the AM for a couple of hours in early winter, once it makes it high enough to clear the mountain my mornings are sunnier and my mood for winter hiking increases. Usually these last 4 or 5 weekends of winter is when I have generally had my best winter hikes.

This winter has been a total bust for me. Between commitments at home, all these storms making for terrible driving conditions, etc I've barely been out this year. It seems like every day I get an opportunity to hike there is either a massive storm or it is a hundred below zero. All I'm doing this winter is getting fat and out of shape.....

 

[Mike P.]

This winter has been a total bust for me. Between commitments at home, all these storms making for terrible driving conditions, etc I've barely been out this year. It seems like every day I get an opportunity to hike there is either a massive storm or it is a hundred below zero. All I'm doing this winter is getting fat and out of shape.....

Then drive slower and don't drive as far. Wachusett should help keep you in shape. At this point, even tackling the roof or RI or the CT blue trails and state parks will provide (likely) an unbroken trail begging for your snowshoes.

 

[John in NH]

The Mount Washington Observatory is predicting windchills to hit -100 degrees F tonight!!!! (-35 air temp) That is really mindboggling if you think about it!! I'm guessing anyone needing rescue would be deemed "reckless" huh?

 

[Raven]

The Mount Washington Observatory is predicting windchills to hit -100 degrees F tonight!!!! (-35 air temp) That is really mindboggling if you think about it!! I'm guessing anyone needing rescue would be deemed "reckless" huh?

My guess is that for anyone out there for any length of time needing rescue in those conditions, that point will be moot.

-100 wind chill. Wow.

 

[MylesLI]

I agree. Im taking my new snowshoes and testing on steep icey sections NEAR my house...testing layers is easy when a warm house is a few minutes away..no dog today!!

 

[peakbagger]

The only minor plus with these conditions for survival situations is that there is enough snow to dig down in drift and do a bivy. Folks forget, dig down in a snow bank and wind chill isn't a factor. Of course the actual dry bulb temp is still a big one but if someone in a survival situation make the decision to bivy in snow cave early enough its survivable. Unfortunately I expect many folks pick the bivy option at the point where they are wet cold exhausted and potentially hypothermic.

I am curious if Hermit Lakes Shelters will get buried this year?. About 10 years ago, they were completely covered with snow and folks dug tunnels down to them. That wasn't a heavy snow year, we just had a couple of late snow dumps back to back.

 

[marnof]

Then drive slower and don't drive as far. Wachusett should help keep you in shape. At this point, even tackling the roof or RI or the CT blue trails and state parks will provide (likely) an unbroken trail begging for your snowshoes.

Couldn't agree more. I took a look at my waistline a few weeks ago and it was enough to make me hit the local trails 5 days a week. Conditions have ranged from well-packed snow (beautiful for running w/ microspikes) to fresh powder ideal for snowshoes. I'm fortunate to be able to leave work at 3:30 too, so with the sun up til 5:30ish I can get a good workout in. I've dropped 5 pounds doing this and am in the best shape in years. Wifey concurs.

 

[DayTrip]

Then drive slower and don't drive as far. Wachusett should help keep you in shape. At this point, even tackling the roof or RI or the CT blue trails and state parks will provide (likely) an unbroken trail begging for your snowshoes.

I've done a few small "hikes" but not much. And of course lots of shoveling.

 

[BooZiggy]

Wifey and I did 2.4 miles of snowshoeing in Sheldrick Forest today in Wilton, NH. Absolutely stunning place if you've never been. Had to break trail the whole time, so the pace was snail like- took us an hour and 40 to slog the 2.4. Great day- will get out for another local 'shoe tomorrow and then some xc throughout the week. The snow this winter has been some of the best I can remember in my 30+ years in New England- mostly due to the fact that it hasn't been warming/freezing or raining right after to ruin the nice powder. Loving it.

 

[Remix]

Turned around on Osseo at the outlook at 3500 ft (again) on Saturday..too much work breaking trail, no views in the heavy flurries, but fresh moose tracks on the trail for about a mile...must have heard me coming when it broke out to the north.
Four spin outs between Lincoln and Plymouth Saturday night.
Nice ski on Lower Nanamo on Sunday with blue skies. Odd- no animal tracks at all, but the woodpeckers and chickadees were out. Then the temps started to plunge. Thanks to the people from Putnam Ct for breaking it out.
Couple of police cars and NHFG or police snowmobiles on 118 south by Moosilauke Road Sunday night.

Hopefully everyone made it home ok.

 

[Quietman]

4 hours of skiing glades at Crotched Mtn yesterday, and 5 hours spent today clearing my 2 driveways, the roof, and a neighbors drive today were a good enough workout for me. Did a short local showshoe walk before the latest 12" fell and was amazed at how light and fluffy the base is here is S NH. I sunk in a good 18"+ with each step using 30" showshoes. I think that I'll return to skiing glades again tomorrow. Will bring my face mask and toe warmers!!

 

[DougPaul]

I've gotten in a good bit of XC skiing on a local rail-trail (just a short walk from my house ) and some skiing at a nearby conservation area. Unfortunately I've also had to spend a lot of time shoveling (a good upper body and core workout...). Got to use my snow shoes when raking the snow off my roof two days ago. (Not only is it easier than wallowing through the snow, they give me a much higher vantage point from which to work.) And today I got to shovel snow in "above timberline" conditions (4 deg F, windy) for a number of hours...

Doug

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Great conditions locally - I agree with the best-snowshoeing-in-30-years comment (it hasn't gotten warm or rained, HOORAY!) - Gryffin & I did 5+ miles each day. Yesterday, we were first through the 5.5 miles, and got to enjoy the new pow over a great existing track.

Tim

 

[MylesLI]

Nasty weekend...icey. windy and about 13 degrees

I agree. Im taking my new snowshoes and testing on steep icey sections NEAR my house...testing layers is easy when a warm house is a few minutes away..no dog today!!

It was great! The winmd was howling and it was cold and icey but the snowshoes did their thing.....My dog Piper hated it! hahahaha but we were only out for an hour or so

 

[Amicus]

From the Ellis River XC Trail, several hours ago:

The Nordic skiing in Jackson was very sweet today.

 

[Brambor]

would love to see a photo of this

The only minor plus with these conditions for survival situations is that there is enough snow to dig down in drift and do a bivy. Folks forget, dig down in a snow bank and wind chill isn't a factor. Of course the actual dry bulb temp is still a big one but if someone in a survival situation make the decision to bivy in snow cave early enough its survivable. Unfortunately I expect many folks pick the bivy option at the point where they are wet cold exhausted and potentially hypothermic.

I am curious if Hermit Lakes Shelters will get buried this year?. About 10 years ago, they were completely covered with snow and folks dug tunnels down to them. That wasn't a heavy snow year, we just had a couple of late snow dumps back to back.

 

[Brambor]

We skied this trail on Saturday from Rocky Branch to the xc center. Sunday I broke trail on a 4 mile track behind my house. Monday it was still blustery. Skied local xc center in the morning and then skate skied a little in the afternoon. Should have brought a kite. ;-)

 

[peakbagger]

would love to see a photo of this

5th posting down is pretty darn close. http://timefortuckerman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1206

The year I saw it the roofs were entirely covered, the big boulder with the first aid cross in lunch rocks was just about covered. I think we had a couple of 20" snow storms late in the winter.

 

[Brambor]

wohoo. that's pretty cool