kerry13
Member
- Joined
- May 10, 2005
- Messages
- 349
- Reaction score
- 15
12-19-09
Trails were mostly hard pack snow, but there were many long ice flows with very hard cold ice which made gripping with stablizers impossible and even with microspikes it was hard to get a hold. In icy sections poles were almost more of a hinderance as they would slip. The upper portion of the Pumpelly was very slow. Not much snow and many of the rocks were coated with a thin layer of very hard ice. We had to pick our way up icy cracks in order to get some traction. Dublin side and Dot side of cone in not too bad but icy in spots. Many weraring crampons today, but then some barebooting.
Most of us used microspikes and one with stabilizers. We all carried crampons but chose not to use them.
Very unusual weather conditions up there today. As we were walking on Pumpelly we kept looking north. Washington and Whites were as clear as I have ever seen them in many years hiking Monadnock. Cloud cover in our area and sunny up north was a perfect combination. Almost like looking at Whites through a dark tube with a light at the end. With a light snow cover conditions on could be very slick Sunday for anyone venturing out.
Trails were mostly hard pack snow, but there were many long ice flows with very hard cold ice which made gripping with stablizers impossible and even with microspikes it was hard to get a hold. In icy sections poles were almost more of a hinderance as they would slip. The upper portion of the Pumpelly was very slow. Not much snow and many of the rocks were coated with a thin layer of very hard ice. We had to pick our way up icy cracks in order to get some traction. Dublin side and Dot side of cone in not too bad but icy in spots. Many weraring crampons today, but then some barebooting.
Most of us used microspikes and one with stabilizers. We all carried crampons but chose not to use them.
Very unusual weather conditions up there today. As we were walking on Pumpelly we kept looking north. Washington and Whites were as clear as I have ever seen them in many years hiking Monadnock. Cloud cover in our area and sunny up north was a perfect combination. Almost like looking at Whites through a dark tube with a light at the end. With a light snow cover conditions on could be very slick Sunday for anyone venturing out.
