Game on in The Presies

[skiguy]

Posted today on The RMC FB Page:
Trail report as of December 8

Winter conditions are in full effect up here with lots of powder and snow drifts to play around in!
Above treeline there is a layer of decently packed snow which covers the rocks and boulder fields for some truly smooth cruising. In less exposed areas, particularly in the krummholz, the wind has deposited heaps of powder in drifts up to three feet. Snowshoes are definitely the way to go this weekend.
Gray Knob has 19 inches of snow at the stake.
Below treeline the snow is mostly soft and unpacked, and, below about 3000 feet, has not smoothed out the trail. Snowshoes are useful above this elevation.
Please note that trail conditions can change very quickly in the Northern Presidentials. The conditions posted on this page may have changed since they were recorded. Always check local forecasts before you leave the trailhead, and be sure to check out the higher summits forecast on the @mwobs webpage.

Definitely been a chilly week up in the higher elevations. Although we have a warm up and some liquid precip coming the latter half of the weekend that will change things up.

 

[peakbagger]

Snowshoeing was nice in Randolph on Friday. Loads of animal signs in the woods.

Given the cuurrent forecast, I dont know what will be left on Tuesday.

 

[NH2112]

Snowshoeing was nice in Randolph on Friday. Loads of animal signs in the woods.

Given the cuurrent forecast, I dont know what will be left on Tuesday.

Not the Presis, but I’m satisfied enough with this forecast for my nearest mountain. There’s probably 15” now at lower elevations, quite a bit more higher up. I just want enough to cover all the stickers and undergrowth at lower levels!

 

[peakbagger]

The snow zone has definitely shifted west from Northern NH to Western Maine in the last few years. My guess is that the whites tend to block the more prevalent storms that run up the coast while the northly parts of Western Maine seem to consistently get higher totals and less transitions to rain.

Its looking like Jackman is going to be one of those "climate refuge" towns.

 

[NH2112]

The snow zone has definitely shifted west from Northern NH to Western Maine in the last few years. My guess is that the whites tend to block the more prevalent storms that run up the coast while the northly parts of Western Maine seem to consistently get higher totals and less transitions to rain.

Its looking like Jackman is going to be one of those "climate refuge" towns.

Not going by the last few years! The year I moved up here (2018) we got 18” on Thanksgiving and that weekend there was 4-5’ of snow at the lower elevations on Boundary Bald. In Feb 2019 I could push my poles just short of 5’ into the snow and not touch ground. The underbrush, bushes, and grasses haven’t been covered by snow since then, grabbing poles and trying (often successfully!) to put me on my face.

1st pic: Feb 2019. 2nd Pic: Christmas Day 2020 at the POW camp. Snow has been coming later and there’s been less of it overall. By mid-March it’s either all corn snow or there’s more dirt than snow.

 

[peakbagger]

Still raining in Gorham as of 6:30 AM. Its supposed to change over to snow but I think the bulk of this storm was rain in my area. Other spots in the whites may look a lot different.

 

[DavidG]

8 inches of heavy wet snow in the western facing slopes of the Green Mountains.
Powers out. Surprise Surprise