New England late winter/early spring torch thread

[grouseking]

Report here how warm it's been in your area, how much snow you have/had, how much has melted, etc etc.

We hit 80 degrees in Lebanon today. I took a walk along some hills about 900 feet tall, then onto the AT in Hanover up along Velvet Rocks (1200 ft), and I saw only 3 patches of snow, and a few ice patches. Winter looks like it is over. The torch is nearly complete.

 

[Raven]

I hiked up to Lookout Ledge in Randolph today - it's a little over 2000'. A few patches of good snowball snow are left, some icy stretches on the trail up higher. Lots of bare ground though. I expect it will be gone this week. Saturday I was out to Castleview Ledge, also Randolph, and about the same elevation. There was a bit more snow on the Carleton Notch Trail than others. Almost like a summer day today.

 

[una_dogger]

We skied Stowe, VT all weekend. It hit 70 degrees today at the top of the Gondola (3675') ~ what a wonderful sunny weekend, although it is sad to see all the snow quickly disappearing!

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

2012: the winter that warn't, and summer in March

Small patches of thin ice on Mt Tom in Woodstock VT this afternoon, mainly on the north side of ridges and in shady spots where the frost is still leaving the ground. Big excitement of the day was digging ramps to pull a van that was bottomed out from Prosper Rd, then walk dry carriage roads to intercept my Meetup hike...

If this weather continues I can see starting the trailwork season in earnest by mid-April. Mind you, it is still a bit snowier above 2000', but not for long, and I like the frost to be out of the ground before we start digging. First day I expect to pull down some hangers and salvage uprooted fir to replace wood steps. Quite fun in Spring when the bark is full of sap and peels in one piece...

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Walked up Tripoli Road and Russel Pond Road to the pond, high point on road at 1,800 feet.

Lowest part of Tripoli Road is sheltered from the sun by a small ridge with conifers, so the first half mile or so was icy. As soon as the road got exposure to the sun the snow vanished ... snow free all the way to the top.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I rode to / from work yesterday, and it was above 60 by the time I got to work (before 9am) and still above 60 when I got home. I stopped to talk to Bob (Bob n Geri) and while we were conversing, we were attacked by swarms of mosquitoes and black flies. I heard spring peepers, and saw many people out walking or riding in shorts and short sleeves. Red wing blackbirds have been around for at least a week. There is no ice on any ponds - people were fishing in the Pennichuck in Merrimack - all open water.

On Sunday, my daughter was seen running around the yard in her bathing suit and dousing herself with the hose. She asked me if the town pool was open yet.

Tim

 

[grouseking]

After today, Lebanon is approx 12.7 deg above normal for highs during March, 8.4 deg above for lows, so overall its a +10.52. Never seen anything like this is March. BTW, we hit 80 degrees again today.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Today hiked in Hubbard Brook experimental Forest -- took roads and Weasel Trail to ridge at 2,550 feet. All on south facing slope with open hardwoods, just a very few small patches of snow, i.e. essentially snow free.

 

[RoySwkr]

Mon 3/19 climbed Pk 1852 in 13 Mile Woods, had never been in that area in winter and really still haven't as nearly all the snow was melted along the road including plow drifts. Left snowshoes in car and not sure there was even one spot on way up with enough snow they would have been useful, although maybe they could have been used in mud on skid trails. Back in Milan, put on snowshoes and walked around back yard to say I'd been snowshoeing this year, a few places with a foot of snow with a lot of bare spots between. Pond surface was slush but some hard ice underneath, walked around awhile where I knew the water was less than a foot deep in case I fell through (but I didn't).

Tues 3/20 Presidential rail trail Appalachia-Rte.16, mostly bare with some muddy sections. A couple sections of packed ice in shade but level enough to hike without traction. Woods mostly bare but some interesting ice formations in one rock cut.

Wonder when the FS will open Zealand Rd for grid hikers.

 

[Gritter]

this post is so true...but it makes me sad...it feels like august in March!

 

[grouseking]

Lake Winne Ice out

Earliest on record this morning 9:30am...beats 2010 by one day.