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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mendon Peak, Killington Peak, VT
Trails
Trails: Gated road, backcountry ski trails, bushwhack, Long Trail, Killington Spur, Bucklin Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, March 9, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Wheelerville Road is passable for anyone right now. Pleanty of parking. I know that in muddy conditions they may post 'residents only' on this road. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Some of the snowbridges over the crossings on the way to Mendon are getting very weak. One did start to give out on me.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Started out on snowmobile trails (the gated road next to bucklin tr.) Snowmobile tracks stopped as the crossings are not passable for them. Snowshoe/ski tracks continued. This area is a little confusing for me and I did have to turn around and retrace my steps once. I used crossings and trail direction to keep track of my location on the road. I followed the road to where it turns south west and heads up hill. I continued on the road to where it makes a very sharp turn east. At this point I followed a straight compass line to the summit of Mendon. The snow was soft in many places and quite deep. However, there were a few breaks where a good crust was present. I was the first to sign in since November but I know many can’t in sign in winter if it is frozen (I got it open by tapping it with the side of the head of an ice axe. I don’t think I could have opened it otherwise). I followed my tracks back to the road/trail.

From here I intended to follow the road to where is follows the 3600 contour and head for Killington that way. At first I was following tracks, but these soon turned sharp uphill and south and I worried that they headed up to the Mendon little kill. col. So I took the unbroken route which soon faded and I found myself bushwhacking again in very deep snow. Eventually I hit the tracks again, realizing that I should have stayed with them. They took me to the top of the Killington gondola.

Killington spur is doable in snowshoes. Bucklin trail is well broken.
 
Name
Name: zporter ColdRiverCampCook 
E-Mail
E-Mail: zap88@tds.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-03-09 
Link
Link: https:// 
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