| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Monadnock, NH |
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 | Trails: |
White Dot Trail, White Cross Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, December 9, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lots of room at the Poole Rd. trailhead, even with a 10:30 AM start. Entry fees charged year round at this trailhead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No major crossings. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
No dogs or pets allowed on Monadnock. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The lower part of the White Dot Trail had some scattered patches of bare ground mixed with areas of ice and hard packed snow. Past the Cascade Link junction, the snow was more widespread, but the trail got progressively more icy. Above tree line, the trail was mostly a mix of intermittent ice flows and frozen granular snow.
The White Cross Trail was significantly more icy than White Dot, with the steep middle section of that trail basically being a glacier. Crampons would not be overkill here- I descended this trail with microspikes, and I still had trouble going down many of the icy areas. (I did have crampons in my backpack, and although I didn't wear them, I could've if I absolutely had to.)
If you plan to hike Mount Monadnock in the coming days, microspikes are pretty much required with the current trail conditions. If you don't have them, I'd strongly recommend staying off the mountain. I saw several groups that didn't have traction of any kind, and they were really struggling. Also, use extreme caution if you choose to descend the White Cross Trail. |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-12-09 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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