Winter Hiking Series Carter Notch Overnight Trip - March 4-6, 2016

TRIP DATE:      March 4-6, 2016                                

TRIP LOCATION: Carter Notch, Carter Dome, Wildcat A and B                   

MEETING TIME:  10:45 am                

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 11       

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS): app. 3.5 hours into the AMC Carter Hut 

LENGTH IN MILES:  3.8 miles each way on Nineteen Mile Brook Trail (plus 2.4 mi. r.t. for Carter Dome hike or app. 4 mi. r.t. for Wildcat A/B hike)         

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET): app. 1,900 feet into hut (plus app. 1,550 feet for Carter Dome hike or app. 1,400 feet for Wilecat A/B hike)

DIFFICULTY:   ranged from “average” on Nineteen Mile Brook Trail to “strenuous” on Carter Moriah and Wildcat Ridge Trails due to steepness and icy conditons

LEADER NAME(S): Paul Miller, Maureen Kelly, Wayne Anderson, Mike Woessner, Dexter Robinson

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Barry Young, Paul Brookes, Peggy Qvicklund

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION: Parked at Nineteen Mile Brook Trail trailhead on Rte. 16, one mile north of Mt. Washington Auto Rd.  Pay box was covered, so we didn’t have to insert usual WMNF use fee

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:      No                TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  Yes     

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:  Nineteen Mile Brook Trail mostly snow covered with a few icy spots, requiring microspikes; Carter Moriah and Wildcat Ridge Trails very icy, requiring full crampons with front points

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Very nice sunny and clear winter weather with daytime temps in the 20s and 30s and nighttime temps in the single digits and teens.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.) – Wonderful views from the summits of Carter Dome and Wildcat A.  Very challenging conditions on both Carter Moriah and Wildcat Ridge Trails kept groups from continuing on to Mt. Hight and Wildcat D, respectively.

 

Winter Hike Series #2 - Seven Sisters - Mt. Holyoke Hike

AMC SEM Post-Hike Trip Report

TRIP DATE: 1-9-16

TRIP LOCATION: Seven Sisters - Mt. Holyoke

MEETING TIME:  8:45 am

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 31

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS): 6  1/2 hrs.

LENGTH IN MILES: 6 .3 miles

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET): .

DIFFICULTY:    C                         (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S): Paul Miller, Leslie Carson, Walt Granda, Mike Woessner

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Barry Young, Peggy Qvicklund, Anne Duggan, Ken Carson

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION: Mountain Rd. Parking Lot/Notch Visitor Center

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:     Yes                   TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS: 15 minutes

WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  No

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:

We hiked the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail (section 7) from Notch Visitor’s Center (MA 116) west to Mt. Holyoke/Mountain Rd. parking lot (MA 47). The trail was

icy in spots and Microspikes were worn for the entire hike providing adequate traction. Despite the large group size, the group stayed together and a good time was had by all.

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE: Some sun, but mostly overcast. Temps in the high 30’s with no precipitation.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.)

SEM Winter Hike #1 - Mt. Wachusetts

AMC SEM Post-Hike Trip Report

TRIP DATE: 12-5-15

TRIP LOCATION: Mt. Wachusetts, Princeton, MA

MEETING TIME:  8:45 am

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 31

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS): 4 1/2 hrs.

LENGTH IN MILES: 4.1 mi.

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET): 1006 ft.

DIFFICULTY:      C                       (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S): Paul Miller, Walt Granda, Mike Woessner, Dexter Robinson, Leslie Carson

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Barry Young

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION: Mt. Wachusetts Ski Area Parking Lot

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:     No                  TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  No

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:

We hiked up Balance Rock, Old Indian, Semuhenna and West Side Trails to the summit and returned via the Harrington, Semuhenna and Balance Rock trails. Trail conditions were predominately dry, but there were some patches of slippery ice and wet leaves on the trails.

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE: 

The weather was quite nice for December, sunny with temperatures in the high 40’s - low 50’s.

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.)

 Good views with some haze at the top. The leaders talked about packing backpacks with winter gear as well as the upcoming winter overnight while eating lunch at the base of the tower on the summit.

IMPORTANT: Contact Hike Committee Chair ASAP with any medical emergencies or other serious incidents.

Winter Series Overnight Trip to Zealand Falls Hut

TRIP DATE:      March 13-15, 2015  

                          

TRIP LOCATION:          Zealand Falls Hut in NH

MEETING TIME:          11:00 am on Friday for hike into hut

     

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS):    17 

  

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS):       hike into hut on Friday – app. 4 hours, hike from hut to Zealand Mountain on Saturday – app. 4 hours, alternate hike from hut to Thoreau Falls on Saturday – app. 3 hours

LENGTH IN MILES:      hike into hut on Friday - app. 6.7 miles with app. 1,100 feet elevation gain, hike from hut to Zealand Mountain on Saturday – app. 5.8 miles r.t. with app. 1,600 foot elevation gain, alternate hike from hut to Thoreau Falls on Saturday – app. 5 miles r.t. with negligible net elevation gain

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET):    see above

DIFFICULTY:             Strenuous due to length and full winter packs

LEADER NAME(S):       Leslie Carson, Wayne Anderson, Mike Woessner, Paul Miller

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:    Parked at hiker/snowmobiler parking lot on Rte. 302 at western end of Crawford Notch.  Had to walk across Rte. 302 from roadside parking area and follow snowmobile trailhead for short distance to Zealand Rd. (closed to traffic in winter).  Important to use caution when crossing road!

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:         No               TIME REQUIRED TO SPOT CARS:

WAS TRIP WITHIN WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?              Yes

BRIEFLY DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:  Zealand Rd. hardpacked snow and barebootable.  Zealand Trail also barebootable as long as you stayed in middle of trail.  Used snowshoes for hikes from hut and for return hike to trailhead at Rte. 302

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:   Sunny with temps in high 20s and light wind on Friday; high 20s to low 30s on Saturday with increasing cloudiness throughout afternoon and snow in evening; same temps on Sunday, but with steady light snowfall

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.) – Excellent views on Friday, ok views early Saturday, very pretty hiking out from hut in snow on Sunday, which also made the first part of the drive home a little dicey.  Snow turned to rain further south…

2013-14 Winter Hike #3 - Mt. Pierce

TRIP DATE:  Feb. 1, 2014                                           

TRIP LOCATION: Mt. Pierce, Crawford Notch, NH             

MEETING TIME:   8:45 am                 

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 16       

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS): 6.5 hours  

LENGTH IN MILES: app. 6.6 miles

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET): app. 2,400 feet

DIFFICULTY:          B             (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):  Paul Miller, Mike Woessner, Wayne Anderson, Chris Pellegrini, Bill Pellegrini           

CO-LEADER NAME(S): Anne Duggan

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION: large Crawford Path parking lot off Mt. Clinton Rd. (at Crawford Connector trailhead)

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:        No

WAS TRIP WITHING WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  Yes

IF YES TO ABOVE, DESCRIBE SPECIFIC TRAILS HIKED AND TRAIL CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED:

Well-packed snow on Crawford Path, Mizpah Cutoff, and Webster Cliff Trails with a few icy spots on the Crawford Path and a little deeper snow on Webster Cliff toward the summit of Pierce

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Beautiful weather, with temps in the high 20s/low 30s and no wind.  Got a little cloudy in the afternoon on the way down...

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.):  excellent views from summit of Pierce toward Ike, Monroe, Washington, and even the Northern Presidentials

2013-14 Winter Hike #2 - Mt. Monadnock

TRIP DATE:  January 4, 2014                                      

TRIP LOCATION: Mt. Monadnock, Jaffrey, NH (White Spot Trail)                

MEETING TIME:   8:45 am                 

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (INCLUDING LEADERS): 13       

TOTAL HIKING TIME (IN HOURS): app. 5 hours         

LENGTH IN MILES:  4 miles    

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN (IN FEET): app. 1,800 ft.

DIFFICULTY:        B                     (A=very strenuous; B=strenuous; C=average; D=easy)

LEADER NAME(S):  Walt Granda, Paul Miller, Maureen Kelly, Mike Woessner      

CO-LEADER NAME(S):

TRAILHEAD PARKING LOCATION & DESCRIPTION:  Park headquarters off Poole Rd.         

CAR SPOTTING REQUIRED?:   No

WAS TRIP WITHING WHITE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST?  No    

WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR HIKE:  Very cold temperatures to start. Minus 4 degrees F. at trailhead, minus 20 degree wind chill at summit.  Mostly clear skies with moderate wind.  Fresh snow on trails. 

OTHER COMMENTS (problems, views, terrain, etc.):  Fresh snow on trails required microspikes, but not snowshoes.  Full crampons might have worked better on descent, but microspikes worked out ok.  Excellent views, but windchill prevented spending much time on summit, which (amazingly) we had all to ourselves.