btausend
New member
This is my first post since I just became a VFTT member so I thought I would make it a trip report. Thanks to BIGEarl for sponsoring me.
Today was a beautiful day in the White Mountains. For me it started on my way to the trailhead. I came in from the north through Bethlehem and Twin Mountain. It was just after 6 am and I already had great views of the Presidentials from Eisenhower north. As I headed over to Rte 115 and then onto Rte 2 the views of the Northern Presidentials were awesome. When I went through Gormam the bank sign temp was 21.
I am finishing up my NH48 and I have Moriah and Cabot left. I have Cabot scheduled for Saturday so I was headed to Moriah to get #47 checked off my list. I wanted to do it via the Carter- Moriah Trail over Mt Surprise, but I've only seen one trail condition report on Moriah since the snow storms last week. Since I couldn't be sure the Carter-Moriah Trail had been broken out after each snow fall, I decided to take the Stony Brook Trail which seems to be the most popular route.
I hit the trail at 7 am. The trail was broken out and seemed to be hard packed so I put my snowshoes on my pack and started out with Microspikes. Just as I got to the Upper Crossing of Stony Brook the trail was getting softer so I decided to put on my snowshoes and take advantage of the televators. At the top of the Stony Brook Trail I found the only trail broken out was the Carter Moriah-Trail to Moriah. At this time the sun was getting high in the sky and getting warm. I continued onward to Moriah. Along the way the views were amazing. The winds were non existent to light. Even the winds seemed warm and at no point did I need to layer up even when I stopped to eat. When I got to the intersection with the Kenduskeag Trail again the only trail broken out was the Carter-Moriah Trail. I continued up to Mt Moriah. When I got to the spur to the peak I noticed that the Carter-Moriah Trail appeared to have been broken out since the last snow storm, but not since the last couple snow falls. I'm glad I took the Stony Brook route.
Now there is a downside to such a beautiful day. The warm sun was turning the snow into wet snow and it was balling up on my snowshoes. My snowshoes felt like they weighed 10 lbs each and I felt like Herman Munster hiking a 4000 footer. The trail was too soft so I couldn't take my snowshoes off and they would ball right up immediately after cleaning them off. The snow on the tree branches was melting and it was like it was raining out. Snow was also failing off the branches and of course a large amount of snow landed on my pack and went right down my back. I couldn't wait until I got back down to the Stony Brook Trail where it was shaded and the snow was a little drier.
As I went back through Gorham the temp was 44.
So 47 down and 1 to go.
Brian
Today was a beautiful day in the White Mountains. For me it started on my way to the trailhead. I came in from the north through Bethlehem and Twin Mountain. It was just after 6 am and I already had great views of the Presidentials from Eisenhower north. As I headed over to Rte 115 and then onto Rte 2 the views of the Northern Presidentials were awesome. When I went through Gormam the bank sign temp was 21.
I am finishing up my NH48 and I have Moriah and Cabot left. I have Cabot scheduled for Saturday so I was headed to Moriah to get #47 checked off my list. I wanted to do it via the Carter- Moriah Trail over Mt Surprise, but I've only seen one trail condition report on Moriah since the snow storms last week. Since I couldn't be sure the Carter-Moriah Trail had been broken out after each snow fall, I decided to take the Stony Brook Trail which seems to be the most popular route.
I hit the trail at 7 am. The trail was broken out and seemed to be hard packed so I put my snowshoes on my pack and started out with Microspikes. Just as I got to the Upper Crossing of Stony Brook the trail was getting softer so I decided to put on my snowshoes and take advantage of the televators. At the top of the Stony Brook Trail I found the only trail broken out was the Carter Moriah-Trail to Moriah. At this time the sun was getting high in the sky and getting warm. I continued onward to Moriah. Along the way the views were amazing. The winds were non existent to light. Even the winds seemed warm and at no point did I need to layer up even when I stopped to eat. When I got to the intersection with the Kenduskeag Trail again the only trail broken out was the Carter-Moriah Trail. I continued up to Mt Moriah. When I got to the spur to the peak I noticed that the Carter-Moriah Trail appeared to have been broken out since the last snow storm, but not since the last couple snow falls. I'm glad I took the Stony Brook route.
Now there is a downside to such a beautiful day. The warm sun was turning the snow into wet snow and it was balling up on my snowshoes. My snowshoes felt like they weighed 10 lbs each and I felt like Herman Munster hiking a 4000 footer. The trail was too soft so I couldn't take my snowshoes off and they would ball right up immediately after cleaning them off. The snow on the tree branches was melting and it was like it was raining out. Snow was also failing off the branches and of course a large amount of snow landed on my pack and went right down my back. I couldn't wait until I got back down to the Stony Brook Trail where it was shaded and the snow was a little drier.
As I went back through Gorham the temp was 44.
So 47 down and 1 to go.
Brian
