MonadnockVol
New member
Date of hike: Saturday, 2/16
Mountain: Mt. Monadnock
Trail: White Dot Trail
Trail conditions: the Dot has been broken about a sidewalk's width. Snow down low is an icy crust about 1/2 inch thick over softer snow. If you weigh more than 150 pounds you will break through the crust after a few steps. Higher up it was hard ice and boiler plate. The summit cone was all ice. Conditions were starting to soften in the early afternoon.
Other trails: These reports are all viewed from the White Dot as of Saturday morning. The Spruce Link: unbroken except for one set of post-holes. Cascade Link: several people had post-holed out it, but it was not well-broken. The White Cross: similar to the Cascade Link. Old Ski Path: Unbroken.
Equipment: With bare boots and determination, you could make it to Paradise Valley. It was impossible to summit without some sort of traction device and early in the morning even people with Stabilicers and Microspikes we having a hard time of it. A good day for full crampons. Poles optional. On unbroken trails, small snowshoes with cleats that prevent lateral slippage (such as the MSR lines) would be ideal.
I will post some pictures under trip reports later today.
- Monadnock Volunteer (aka Steve)
Mountain: Mt. Monadnock
Trail: White Dot Trail
Trail conditions: the Dot has been broken about a sidewalk's width. Snow down low is an icy crust about 1/2 inch thick over softer snow. If you weigh more than 150 pounds you will break through the crust after a few steps. Higher up it was hard ice and boiler plate. The summit cone was all ice. Conditions were starting to soften in the early afternoon.
Other trails: These reports are all viewed from the White Dot as of Saturday morning. The Spruce Link: unbroken except for one set of post-holes. Cascade Link: several people had post-holed out it, but it was not well-broken. The White Cross: similar to the Cascade Link. Old Ski Path: Unbroken.
Equipment: With bare boots and determination, you could make it to Paradise Valley. It was impossible to summit without some sort of traction device and early in the morning even people with Stabilicers and Microspikes we having a hard time of it. A good day for full crampons. Poles optional. On unbroken trails, small snowshoes with cleats that prevent lateral slippage (such as the MSR lines) would be ideal.
I will post some pictures under trip reports later today.
- Monadnock Volunteer (aka Steve)
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