TDawg
Well-known member
Date hiked: Tuesday, 5/28/08
Special equipment: None really, gaiters for what short stretches of unavoidable soft snow there was.
Trail conditions: Skookumchuck is pretty good right now, no blowdowns, snow starts around 4500 ft. a 1/2 to 3/4 mile below Garfield Ridge Tr. but wasn't too soft, only postholed twice. There's an abandoned camp 15 yards off the trail at around 2900 feet. Anyone else scared to find a body when they investigate these? If Skookumchucks snow was soft I would have been postholing 3+ feet in places or falling off the tricky sidehill monorail. Greenleaf Tr. only had intermittent patches of snow within a half mile below the hut, in the sag near Eagle pond, and in Eagle pass, all avoidable, one easy blowdown.
Comments: Very windy day above treeline, glad I brought windproof pants, long underwear and my Marmot Precip for wind breaking puposes. Beautiful day above treeline, wind was consistent and strong, very glad I brought full zip snowpants for the wind. Didn't see anyone until just above the Skookumchuck/Garfield junction, only a handful overall, views were spectacular, I've had good luck weather wise on Lafayette. It was my first time on both of these trails, very nice. My 5th time up Lafayette, most of any NE 4k, probably won't ever get sick of this awe inspiring peak.
I also liked the view from Eagle Pass over at Cannon cliff, very unique. I saw two bears on the trip, one was a cute cub near the greenleaf trailhead, and one big one on the bike path who was not very afraid of me (not that he/she should be
) . I've seen 3 bears this May in NH, but only 2 others in my 25 years, go figure. The bike path walk back to Skookumchuck TH wasn't as bad as I expected, just under 3 miles I think, took an hour. GREAT DAY!
Email: [email protected]
Special equipment: None really, gaiters for what short stretches of unavoidable soft snow there was.
Trail conditions: Skookumchuck is pretty good right now, no blowdowns, snow starts around 4500 ft. a 1/2 to 3/4 mile below Garfield Ridge Tr. but wasn't too soft, only postholed twice. There's an abandoned camp 15 yards off the trail at around 2900 feet. Anyone else scared to find a body when they investigate these? If Skookumchucks snow was soft I would have been postholing 3+ feet in places or falling off the tricky sidehill monorail. Greenleaf Tr. only had intermittent patches of snow within a half mile below the hut, in the sag near Eagle pond, and in Eagle pass, all avoidable, one easy blowdown.
Comments: Very windy day above treeline, glad I brought windproof pants, long underwear and my Marmot Precip for wind breaking puposes. Beautiful day above treeline, wind was consistent and strong, very glad I brought full zip snowpants for the wind. Didn't see anyone until just above the Skookumchuck/Garfield junction, only a handful overall, views were spectacular, I've had good luck weather wise on Lafayette. It was my first time on both of these trails, very nice. My 5th time up Lafayette, most of any NE 4k, probably won't ever get sick of this awe inspiring peak.
I also liked the view from Eagle Pass over at Cannon cliff, very unique. I saw two bears on the trip, one was a cute cub near the greenleaf trailhead, and one big one on the bike path who was not very afraid of me (not that he/she should be
) . I've seen 3 bears this May in NH, but only 2 others in my 25 years, go figure. The bike path walk back to Skookumchuck TH wasn't as bad as I expected, just under 3 miles I think, took an hour. GREAT DAY!Email: [email protected]
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