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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Madison, NH
Trails
Trails: Valley Way, Osgood Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, May 29, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: One other car at Appalachia at 9AM, only two others when I left at 3PM 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Water was incredibly high everywhere, but not really an issue. Right before the hut there's a pretty steady stream running right over the trail with some 1-2 feet deep spots. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: 3 or 4 big blowdowns, but only one in the first 0.8 miles is actually significant. This one is in the beginning near Snyder Brook and completely covers the trail with its massive trunk. A little goat path leads around it to the right when going up. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Didn't see any dogs (or people for that matter), but I have to imagine with the incredibly slippery rocks and sketchy monorail that a dog might have some trouble. 
Bugs
Bugs: Didn't have any issues 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Incredible day in the Northern Presidentials, but definitely hardcore spring conditions. Didn't see a single other person all day. I took Valley Way up and down today, using Osgood Trail to ascend the summit of Madison. The first 1.5 miles of Valley Way is excellent, with little running water and mud. As the trail ascends away from the brook, mud and running water become much more prevalent. The upper sections of Valley Way are very rocky, and while the excellent trail structure provides solid footing while dry, the running water from the spring melt made these sections miserable, especially on the descent. Sections of patchy snow started appearing 2 miles in, and by the Watson Path junction at 2.4 miles an extremely decayed and unavoidable monorail is present. The section between the Watson Path junction and the hut is very slow going due to the monorail. The top section of the monorail is only about 8"-12" wide, meaning there was a lot of heel-to-toe walking. Microspikes were a must, especially when Valley Way starts to get steep and rough near treeline. The monorail was melted on the left side of the trail on the ascent, making a narrow, sloping monorail on the right side of the trail. With Valley Way already being narrow, walking along the top of the rail was very difficult. The trees hung over most of the rail, so I had to just push through the brush. A lot of the snow has melted, even up top, so postholes weren't too incredibly deep (up to the knees rather than the waist, hah). The extreme heat lately though has made the monorail very delicate, meaning if your step is less than perfect you'll go straight through, often to running water below. Prepare for wet feet, absolutely unavoidable. The monorail ends pretty much right at tree line where you can see Madison Spring Hut. There's patches of snow up there, but insignificant. The running water however seems to be pooling in the col that the hut lies in, making the trail an active stream, with some very deep spots. These sections were simple to pass by, but something to pay attention to. From the hut to the summit of Madison the trail is perfect, no water, snow, or ice, just huge awkward rocks. I had the summit, and what felt like the entire Northern Presidential Range, to myself, not a soul in sight. Very exalting.

The descent was very frustrating for me. The running water and and snow made the first 1.4 miles down Valley Way probably the slipperiest conditions I've ever seen on a hike. The "monorail" at this point in the day was essentially a continuous pile of slush, so every step postholed, or slipped right off the side. The slanted rocks and rail made for constant uneasy footing. I never use poles on a descent, but for the 1.4 miles from the hut to the Watson Path my poles definitely helped balance and footing. About 2-1.5 miles from the trailhead it started to rain off and on, but with the extreme heat and humidity it felt amazing.

All in all, very manageable hike, even with the annoying spring conditions. If this heat keeps up, and snowfall holds off, I could see Valley Way being entirely bare in the next couple weeks. Weird to see Madison Spring Hut entirely boarded up, hopefully things can change soon.  
Name
Name: idnasyarrel 
E-Mail
E-Mail: dylancsierra95@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-05-30 
Link
Link: https:// 
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