N
NH Tramper
Guest
Date of Hike: March 17, 2012
Trail Conditions: Supportive hardpack in morning, soft, wet snow by afternoon. Post holing, prevalent in the afternoon, averaging only 6-12" but some there were a couple 3-footers so tread carefully. Brook Trail was pretty icy and sections nearing Liberty Trail were a bit dangerous, wet rocks in places, icy in others. Liberty Trail was a walk on the beach by comparison. Both quite doable with reasonable care, but conditions changing daily what with our unseasonable temps. Be prepared.
Special Equipment Required: Crampons pretty useful for Brook Trail, less so for Liberty Trail. Snowshoes not really needed on either, despite the occasional sinking. The main issue is you'd have to take them off every other minute whereas crampons could be worn most of the way up (I wore them most of the way up Brook Trail and on a good part of Liberty, too, but the need for them there was far less). I brought an ice axe but it never used it. Poles, however, I recommend. I used them both ways with exception to the very last bit of rock.
Comments: Man, it's March. It was gorgeous up there. Warm, sunny, very light breeze. Life is good.
Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
Trail Conditions: Supportive hardpack in morning, soft, wet snow by afternoon. Post holing, prevalent in the afternoon, averaging only 6-12" but some there were a couple 3-footers so tread carefully. Brook Trail was pretty icy and sections nearing Liberty Trail were a bit dangerous, wet rocks in places, icy in others. Liberty Trail was a walk on the beach by comparison. Both quite doable with reasonable care, but conditions changing daily what with our unseasonable temps. Be prepared.
Special Equipment Required: Crampons pretty useful for Brook Trail, less so for Liberty Trail. Snowshoes not really needed on either, despite the occasional sinking. The main issue is you'd have to take them off every other minute whereas crampons could be worn most of the way up (I wore them most of the way up Brook Trail and on a good part of Liberty, too, but the need for them there was far less). I brought an ice axe but it never used it. Poles, however, I recommend. I used them both ways with exception to the very last bit of rock.
Comments: Man, it's March. It was gorgeous up there. Warm, sunny, very light breeze. Life is good.
Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
