S
Some Scout Guy
Guest
Trail Conditions: Left Ski Area parking lot at about 8AM, temp about 20F. Used microspikes from the beginning. Trail is firm, and well packed on the lower sections, all stream crossings are either totally frozen or easy. I was following 2 sets of tracks with crampons, and hoped this wasn't somebody who knew the conditions better than I did.
Another hiker (James) passed me near the junction with the Sosman Trail. At this point, there was some drifting, but not enough to convince me to switch to snowshoes. The 2 people I had been following up the trail passed on the way down at about this point.
At the junction of the 2 trails to the summit, James & I both took the left (Sosman?) trail, which appeared more heavily travelled. The stretch to the summit was softer, with more drifting, but microspikes were still fine. While on the summit, I enjoyed a thermos of Hot Chocolate, and greeted the arrival of Pat & Michelle. As expected, no view due to both trees and lots of clouds.
At the summit, we could find no evidence of the "other" summit trail. As the book says "it is poorly marked". Returned following the same trail I ascended. The Sosman trail to the ski area looked in good shape at the junction, so I decided to make a side trip for a possible view. The Sosman Trail quickly deteriorated to foot-plus deep drifts, and I wasn't willing to put on the snowshoes and pack it out for a "quick side trip", so returned to the Mt Tecumseh Trail and continued down.
The lower section on the descent was quick, and even better packed than on the way up, due to several sledders preceding me on the downhill, and the snowshoers coming up after me. By the time I reached the parking lot around noon, the temp was about 35F-37F, and the trail was starting to get a little slushy.
Comments: The trip up was very quiet compared to December's trip up the same trail, since the ski run and lift closest to the trail were closed due to ice. The trip downward became very busy. I stopped counting at a over a dozen people headed up as I was going down the section from the trail junction to the view. Even 1 guy skiing up, and 1 guy carrying skis planning to ski down the ski slope. So I expect the Sosman Trail is now packed out.
Some photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029752&id=1097030147&l=d1cbecfc82
Another hiker (James) passed me near the junction with the Sosman Trail. At this point, there was some drifting, but not enough to convince me to switch to snowshoes. The 2 people I had been following up the trail passed on the way down at about this point.
At the junction of the 2 trails to the summit, James & I both took the left (Sosman?) trail, which appeared more heavily travelled. The stretch to the summit was softer, with more drifting, but microspikes were still fine. While on the summit, I enjoyed a thermos of Hot Chocolate, and greeted the arrival of Pat & Michelle. As expected, no view due to both trees and lots of clouds.
At the summit, we could find no evidence of the "other" summit trail. As the book says "it is poorly marked". Returned following the same trail I ascended. The Sosman trail to the ski area looked in good shape at the junction, so I decided to make a side trip for a possible view. The Sosman Trail quickly deteriorated to foot-plus deep drifts, and I wasn't willing to put on the snowshoes and pack it out for a "quick side trip", so returned to the Mt Tecumseh Trail and continued down.
The lower section on the descent was quick, and even better packed than on the way up, due to several sledders preceding me on the downhill, and the snowshoers coming up after me. By the time I reached the parking lot around noon, the temp was about 35F-37F, and the trail was starting to get a little slushy.
Comments: The trip up was very quiet compared to December's trip up the same trail, since the ski run and lift closest to the trail were closed due to ice. The trip downward became very busy. I stopped counting at a over a dozen people headed up as I was going down the section from the trail junction to the view. Even 1 guy skiing up, and 1 guy carrying skis planning to ski down the ski slope. So I expect the Sosman Trail is now packed out.
Some photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029752&id=1097030147&l=d1cbecfc82
