Mattl
New member
So there has been very few times I have had to turn around, I think I remember 2 ever in my hiking lifetime. Today unfortunately was one of those times. Starting at the parking area for Cascade Trail, there was a solid 2 feet of snow on the picnic bench, already impressive for December 14th. Moderate snow was falling and what had been forecast by Gray yesterday for 1-3 inches which I knew was wrong, turned out to be 4-6 inches. The trail was fine until the Kinsman Pond Trail, where the snow rapidly increased in depth. The cascade trail had a layer of freezing rain under the new snow which made it easier, above 3000 feet the layer disappeared and 2 feet increased to 3 feet or all powder. I was breaking trail the entire storm and it really was starting to get to me. At 3500 feet there was 40 inches or possibly more and my snowshoes were sinking over a foot down. I was breaking 2 feet of snow, what happened to other hikers using this?? I finally had to turn around, still a beautiful day! There will be an incredible amount of snow in the Whites after this storm Sunday. usually there is a melt or rain which makes a hard base, it was 40 inches of powder! -Mattl
