btausend
New member
Date: 03-02-2013
Trails: Valley Way and Osgood
Trail Conditions: On the way up Valley Way was in pretty good condition until just before the Valley Way tent site. Valley Way is pretty solid to the Brookside trail intersection. Everyone that started up Valley Way about the same time as us, including us, started out either barebooting it or with light traction. After the intersection of Brookside trail we started to sink more into the trail and occasionally would posthole so we switched to snowshoes for the rest of the way to Madison. As we approached the Valley Way tent site the trail became choppy because of the side slope in the trail. Above the tent site we ran into 6 people coming down the trail without snowshoes on. They really tore up about a quarter mile of the trail which made a lot of extra effort for us to get through it. Above that the trail condition improved.
As we approached the hut it started to get windy. At the hut we layered up for the wind and continued up Osgood. Visibility was limited to about 100' to 150' and winds were about 30 MPH. We knew there was someone about 10 minutes ahead of us, but his tracks were not always visible. The cairns on Osgood are pretty easy to see so we didn't have any problems following the trail. We used snowshoes all the way up to the summit. There is more than enough snow on the trail to not bang up your snowshoes. The snow was for the most part wind packed with some minor drifting. The wind wasn't causing the snow to be blown around. I didn't have any issue traps around the rocks, but I did see a few deep postholes from people that were not wearing snowshoes.
On the way down Valley Way the upper part of the trail was in better condition because of the amount of people coming up the trail with snowshoes on. Further down the trail the trail was in worse condition than when we came up because of all the people that waited too long before switching to snowshoes.
There were two water crossings on Valley Way. They were easy to hop over. If there are more they were bridged.
Special Equipment Required: Snowshoes and poles
Comments: Thanks to John for another great hike. This peak was #45 for him.
Brian
Trails: Valley Way and Osgood
Trail Conditions: On the way up Valley Way was in pretty good condition until just before the Valley Way tent site. Valley Way is pretty solid to the Brookside trail intersection. Everyone that started up Valley Way about the same time as us, including us, started out either barebooting it or with light traction. After the intersection of Brookside trail we started to sink more into the trail and occasionally would posthole so we switched to snowshoes for the rest of the way to Madison. As we approached the Valley Way tent site the trail became choppy because of the side slope in the trail. Above the tent site we ran into 6 people coming down the trail without snowshoes on. They really tore up about a quarter mile of the trail which made a lot of extra effort for us to get through it. Above that the trail condition improved.
As we approached the hut it started to get windy. At the hut we layered up for the wind and continued up Osgood. Visibility was limited to about 100' to 150' and winds were about 30 MPH. We knew there was someone about 10 minutes ahead of us, but his tracks were not always visible. The cairns on Osgood are pretty easy to see so we didn't have any problems following the trail. We used snowshoes all the way up to the summit. There is more than enough snow on the trail to not bang up your snowshoes. The snow was for the most part wind packed with some minor drifting. The wind wasn't causing the snow to be blown around. I didn't have any issue traps around the rocks, but I did see a few deep postholes from people that were not wearing snowshoes.
On the way down Valley Way the upper part of the trail was in better condition because of the amount of people coming up the trail with snowshoes on. Further down the trail the trail was in worse condition than when we came up because of all the people that waited too long before switching to snowshoes.
There were two water crossings on Valley Way. They were easy to hop over. If there are more they were bridged.
Special Equipment Required: Snowshoes and poles
Comments: Thanks to John for another great hike. This peak was #45 for him.
Brian
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