Negus Mountain, MA
Date Hiked: 03/04/07
Trails(s) Hiked: Unnamed trail from Zoar Gap
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
Conditions: Snow drifts, ice, high winds
Special Required Equipment: Stablicers, snowshoes would have been handy in some locations
On my way to the trailhead, I was debating whether I would snowshoe or Stabilice this hike. Not having a big enough backpack with me to carry both, I knew I'd either have to choose to get up the steeps with ease (Stabilicers) or hike the gradual parts without postholing (showshoes). My choice was Stabilicers.
And a good choice, early on. Upon reaching the trailhead, I saw that the trail was already broken. With the large sections of blue ice under the snow, I was able to get good traction up steeps (something I was missing in my previous two Negus Mountain hikes). However, upon reaching the treeline, I saw that the previous hikers had stopped and turned around. Due to the high winds, the snow was not too deep and a somewhat thick layer of ice was on the surface for the next few hundred vertical feet.
Once I made it a bit more than halfway up the vertical, I was confronted with two choices - one, stay on the west side of the spine of the ridge and continue to get blown around, or two, hike up the east side of the spine and posthole up to my knees. I chose the wind and was blown around until I reached the last third of the vertical. At this point, it was posthole and snow drift city.
Upon reaching the summit of the southern peak of Negus, I decided I was not going to bother going to the real summit. The snow was easily up to my knees, a big snow squall was coming across the valley, and quite frankly the best part of the hike was already behind me.
Date Hiked: 03/04/07
Trails(s) Hiked: Unnamed trail from Zoar Gap
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
Conditions: Snow drifts, ice, high winds
Special Required Equipment: Stablicers, snowshoes would have been handy in some locations
On my way to the trailhead, I was debating whether I would snowshoe or Stabilice this hike. Not having a big enough backpack with me to carry both, I knew I'd either have to choose to get up the steeps with ease (Stabilicers) or hike the gradual parts without postholing (showshoes). My choice was Stabilicers.
And a good choice, early on. Upon reaching the trailhead, I saw that the trail was already broken. With the large sections of blue ice under the snow, I was able to get good traction up steeps (something I was missing in my previous two Negus Mountain hikes). However, upon reaching the treeline, I saw that the previous hikers had stopped and turned around. Due to the high winds, the snow was not too deep and a somewhat thick layer of ice was on the surface for the next few hundred vertical feet.
Once I made it a bit more than halfway up the vertical, I was confronted with two choices - one, stay on the west side of the spine of the ridge and continue to get blown around, or two, hike up the east side of the spine and posthole up to my knees. I chose the wind and was blown around until I reached the last third of the vertical. At this point, it was posthole and snow drift city.
Upon reaching the summit of the southern peak of Negus, I decided I was not going to bother going to the real summit. The snow was easily up to my knees, a big snow squall was coming across the valley, and quite frankly the best part of the hike was already behind me.
