Even though many previous posters have noted the difficult conditions since the recent Nor'easter, I've posted this trip to forewarn folks that even the lower elevation peaks were slammed.
10/30, still disoriented from the time change, I found the Success Pond road plowed and open to travel. The Success Trail itself was marked by a cairn, no sign; although there were signs at 0.2 mi from the main road (where the logging rd splits) and again at 0.5 mi (where the trail enters the woods).
The 6" of snow at the trailhead steadily increased in depth to 18". The trail would give way to open streams 2" to 6" deep then change back to deep snow repeatedly. Whether or not to wear snowshoes was a difficult decision, but post-holing was so tiresome that I ended up just keeping the snowshoes on and slogging through the the open water. The frequent blowdown and young spruce laden with heavy wet snow that obstructed the trail truly made this seem more like a bushwhack. This, combined with the snow falling and melting from overhead, made keeping dry very difficult.But the incredible views from the outlook and summit, the clean fresh smell of the new snow, and the challenge of the tough conditions made this a memorable and rewarding climb.
10/30, still disoriented from the time change, I found the Success Pond road plowed and open to travel. The Success Trail itself was marked by a cairn, no sign; although there were signs at 0.2 mi from the main road (where the logging rd splits) and again at 0.5 mi (where the trail enters the woods).
The 6" of snow at the trailhead steadily increased in depth to 18". The trail would give way to open streams 2" to 6" deep then change back to deep snow repeatedly. Whether or not to wear snowshoes was a difficult decision, but post-holing was so tiresome that I ended up just keeping the snowshoes on and slogging through the the open water. The frequent blowdown and young spruce laden with heavy wet snow that obstructed the trail truly made this seem more like a bushwhack. This, combined with the snow falling and melting from overhead, made keeping dry very difficult.But the incredible views from the outlook and summit, the clean fresh smell of the new snow, and the challenge of the tough conditions made this a memorable and rewarding climb.
