Eric
01-20-2006, 08:24 PM
Well conditions were quite interesting today. At times today it was hard to tell if it was late fall or late winter. There was a fair amount of snow on the trails today and it would be better to snowshoe instead of barebooting. The snow at times was thick due to warm temps and recent rain. A good amount of ice under snow in higher elevations under snow, making it slippery here and there. Not enough snow to slow you down, Very hard to pack due to the melted snow. I found from Dial to Noonmark shoulder very time consuming, a lot of up and downs due to Significant Blowdown. Many Pine Martin tracks, it seems they had a busy day running around. Rik and I started at about 10minutes to 7 from Parking lot. The ranger was just getting to his station when Rik and I began the AMR road. The road was a bit icy for the first mile or so then as we climbed the hill on the road there was a bit of snow. We could have either snowshoed the road or barebooted. We barebooted. The AMR Road on the way out was extremely icy and would require ice skates, crampons, or snowshoes. Very very icy. If someone is heading to Dial-Nippletop, the conditions to Nonmark shoulder was very poor, there was really no snow, mainly ice and dirt trail. Not something I would bare boot
Rik and I initially set out for Colvin and Blake. We followed the AMR road for about 3 miles. We then put our snowshoes on and proceeded up. The conditions were not to bad, it was still early and somewhat cold out. There was a packed trail to follow all the way to the trail head for Elk Pass and Colvin. The were about 2-4 inches of fresh snow on the trail to Colvin. The hike to Colvin wasn't to bad, there was some blow down, not enough to confuse you. At Colvin some pics were taken. There were some views but without sun. The trail to Blake was about the same, some blow down but not enough to confuse you. I say this because where there is blow down you can still see trail markers and a reverted trail around the markers. Some great butt sliding was going on to and from Blake, more so from Blake. Some great views of Elk Lake from Blake, although no sun, but still great.
It was 11:30 when we headed down Colvin, Rik brought up the idea of going to do Nippletop and Dial. I felt great he felt great and it was still early. the only concern was it was sprinkling off and on. on the way to the trail marker for Colvin we ran into a fellow from New Hampshire, he was out solo. He was planning on C&B. We headed up to N&D. The trail had some significant blowdown, it is managable but a nuisance. At the trail head for Nippletop again some significant blowdown, enough to make you revert to different routes that make you pause and this for a few minutes. By the time it was very cloudy and was raining lightly. The trail was mushy, not easily packed. It was very wet from melting and the recent rain. Each step you could feel how thick the snow was by each thick buid up in the crampons of the MSR's. By the time we reached Nippletop it was well in the clouds, and raining alittle bit. From here the trail was fine to Dial, this snow thick, and melting so packing a good trail was not happening. At Dial more clouds and very very windy. From Dial all the way to the Shoulder of NoonMark the was so much blowdown, I was here 2 years ago and the trail was completely different. Again blowdown was very very significant, at least that is my interpretation. The trail is manageable but expext to walk around, climb over duck, crawl, get smacked in the face often by limbs. From the shoulder it was easy going. Again going down the steeep decent, a mile from the road there is really no snow, all ice and dirt trail, I wouldn't bare boot it due to the ice. It seemed we chased the sun all day, looking at Noomark you could see it was clear all around and wondered if there were good views and if it was any warmer. Even though views were limited it was a grea day. Something about standing on a summit in the winter when it really isn't tha cold, watching the clounds just go by. Awasome day and another great experience
in the High Peaks.
At the parking lot Rik and I ran into Slamdog and Ward. They had just come back from Noonmark.
Rik and I initially set out for Colvin and Blake. We followed the AMR road for about 3 miles. We then put our snowshoes on and proceeded up. The conditions were not to bad, it was still early and somewhat cold out. There was a packed trail to follow all the way to the trail head for Elk Pass and Colvin. The were about 2-4 inches of fresh snow on the trail to Colvin. The hike to Colvin wasn't to bad, there was some blow down, not enough to confuse you. At Colvin some pics were taken. There were some views but without sun. The trail to Blake was about the same, some blow down but not enough to confuse you. I say this because where there is blow down you can still see trail markers and a reverted trail around the markers. Some great butt sliding was going on to and from Blake, more so from Blake. Some great views of Elk Lake from Blake, although no sun, but still great.
It was 11:30 when we headed down Colvin, Rik brought up the idea of going to do Nippletop and Dial. I felt great he felt great and it was still early. the only concern was it was sprinkling off and on. on the way to the trail marker for Colvin we ran into a fellow from New Hampshire, he was out solo. He was planning on C&B. We headed up to N&D. The trail had some significant blowdown, it is managable but a nuisance. At the trail head for Nippletop again some significant blowdown, enough to make you revert to different routes that make you pause and this for a few minutes. By the time it was very cloudy and was raining lightly. The trail was mushy, not easily packed. It was very wet from melting and the recent rain. Each step you could feel how thick the snow was by each thick buid up in the crampons of the MSR's. By the time we reached Nippletop it was well in the clouds, and raining alittle bit. From here the trail was fine to Dial, this snow thick, and melting so packing a good trail was not happening. At Dial more clouds and very very windy. From Dial all the way to the Shoulder of NoonMark the was so much blowdown, I was here 2 years ago and the trail was completely different. Again blowdown was very very significant, at least that is my interpretation. The trail is manageable but expext to walk around, climb over duck, crawl, get smacked in the face often by limbs. From the shoulder it was easy going. Again going down the steeep decent, a mile from the road there is really no snow, all ice and dirt trail, I wouldn't bare boot it due to the ice. It seemed we chased the sun all day, looking at Noomark you could see it was clear all around and wondered if there were good views and if it was any warmer. Even though views were limited it was a grea day. Something about standing on a summit in the winter when it really isn't tha cold, watching the clounds just go by. Awasome day and another great experience
in the High Peaks.
At the parking lot Rik and I ran into Slamdog and Ward. They had just come back from Noonmark.