bryan
New member
date: 4/13/12
trails: valley way, osgood trail
conditions: dry trail to start with patchy snow/ice starting beyond the drainage crossings about 1.5 miles in. this quickly became a full coating of wet sticky snow with 2-4 inches up to watson path junction. beyond that the depth increases quickly with over a foot of new snow by the upper climb to treeline. the new snow was tracked, but not packed out yet. some ice is apparent underneath in spots with one typical bulge just above watson junction. i noted some old monorail in a few spots above the tent sites, but for the most part it was covered by the new snow. above treeline was a mix of new snow and rock on the cone of madison. the snow filled many of the voids between rocks requiring cautious foot placement. some drifts over knee deep along the way as well.
equipment: i barebooted until the snow cover became continuous then switched to microspikes until the watson junction then used snowshoes to the hut. had some pretty serious balling underfoot at times in sunny sections of trail. i briefly used mini crampons (for their anti-balling plates) on madisons cone, but they were too much in the unconsolidated snow over rock so i went with microspikes which didn't ball up to badly.
comments: today was a great example of "it's spring in the valley, but winter on the summits". a whole bunch of new snow at elevation and cold and windy with blowing snow up on madison. then back down to t-shirt weather at appalachia. nice views in all directions across a wintery landscape. great to be out.
bryan
[email protected]
trails: valley way, osgood trail
conditions: dry trail to start with patchy snow/ice starting beyond the drainage crossings about 1.5 miles in. this quickly became a full coating of wet sticky snow with 2-4 inches up to watson path junction. beyond that the depth increases quickly with over a foot of new snow by the upper climb to treeline. the new snow was tracked, but not packed out yet. some ice is apparent underneath in spots with one typical bulge just above watson junction. i noted some old monorail in a few spots above the tent sites, but for the most part it was covered by the new snow. above treeline was a mix of new snow and rock on the cone of madison. the snow filled many of the voids between rocks requiring cautious foot placement. some drifts over knee deep along the way as well.
equipment: i barebooted until the snow cover became continuous then switched to microspikes until the watson junction then used snowshoes to the hut. had some pretty serious balling underfoot at times in sunny sections of trail. i briefly used mini crampons (for their anti-balling plates) on madisons cone, but they were too much in the unconsolidated snow over rock so i went with microspikes which didn't ball up to badly.
comments: today was a great example of "it's spring in the valley, but winter on the summits". a whole bunch of new snow at elevation and cold and windy with blowing snow up on madison. then back down to t-shirt weather at appalachia. nice views in all directions across a wintery landscape. great to be out.
bryan
[email protected]
