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Lowes path to Adams-Jefferson-Washington-Nelson Grag-Alpine Garde 3/1/09
Trail Conditions:
Well packed and consolidated below treeline. Solid ice, ice-glazed rocks, and icy-crusted snow above treeline. Hardly a spot with unconsolidated snow all 15 miles. We worried about descending Lions Head in microspikes but the steep parts in the woods were easy packed snow with no ice at all.
Special Equipment Required: Bareboots below treeline, microspikes above. Full crampons could work better in a few spots but felt that microspikes were safer overall. You mileage can wary though.
Comments: hardly any wind, plenty of sun, felt warm, generally easy going. By far the best hiking conditions of the entire year for us. Ice pools everywhere were amazing. Hard icy snow slopes with strange and beautiful reflections. Fast conditions: we made it in exactly 9 hours from Rt 2 to Pinkham notch but traversed all summits - stayed on Gulf Side trail. Made a detour around Mt Washington to visit Alpine Garden via Nelson Crag trail. Much recommended instead of the usual descent from Mt Washington via Tuckerman Ravine trail.
Trail Conditions:
Well packed and consolidated below treeline. Solid ice, ice-glazed rocks, and icy-crusted snow above treeline. Hardly a spot with unconsolidated snow all 15 miles. We worried about descending Lions Head in microspikes but the steep parts in the woods were easy packed snow with no ice at all.
Special Equipment Required: Bareboots below treeline, microspikes above. Full crampons could work better in a few spots but felt that microspikes were safer overall. You mileage can wary though.
Comments: hardly any wind, plenty of sun, felt warm, generally easy going. By far the best hiking conditions of the entire year for us. Ice pools everywhere were amazing. Hard icy snow slopes with strange and beautiful reflections. Fast conditions: we made it in exactly 9 hours from Rt 2 to Pinkham notch but traversed all summits - stayed on Gulf Side trail. Made a detour around Mt Washington to visit Alpine Garden via Nelson Crag trail. Much recommended instead of the usual descent from Mt Washington via Tuckerman Ravine trail.
