| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Mansfield (The Chin), VT |
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 | Trails: |
Sunset Ridge Trail, Long Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 8, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The access road was unplowed - don't try to drive up like we did with a 4x4 and get stuck. Emergency shovel did the trick. We walked up about 1 mile in snowshoes to the trailhead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easily hop over water crossings |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Saturday morning at 7:30am was brutally cold: -5 degrees on the car thermometer. Forecast was for -15F windchill at the summit. After walking about a mile on the unplowed access road to the trailhead, we took the Sunset Ridge Trail which was broken. The snow was deep and drifts were over 6 ft deep in some areas. One of our group fell waist-deep into a spruce trap. Snowshoes were absolutely essential. Heel lifts on the snowshoes were very helpful on the steep ascents. It was a strenuous uphill climb with all our gear, clothing layers, and snowshoes. We delayered and re-layered throughout the hike. The exposed area below the summit was wind-blown and the surface was frozen. The frozen tundra moonscape made for spectacular scenery. Winds picked up and the forecast was for winds from the NW of ~20mps which were at our backs ascending the summit. The winds erased the tracks we were following below the summit, and we had to use our GAIA gps app and create a trail up toward the summit. We had beautiful, clear views from the summit and backcountry skiers and snowboarders made their way up to the summit to enjoy all the snow. The descent on the Sunset Ridge was much faster, and the stinging winds blowing into our faces rushed our progress. It was a superb winter hike. |
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 | Name: |
Christine C |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-12-11 |
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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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