Adirondacks/White Mountains Conditions?

[nyker]

Hi all,

Have any of my east coast neighbors been to either area in the last week or two?

Was planning on potentially heading up there this weekend and wanted to see what conditions were like:
snow level, mud conditions down low, etc. Assume need traction above 3000ft?

I know the Marcy Dam is out and there has been some flooding..

Thanks!

[lmkapl08]

'was in the dacks doing Algonquin and Wright the weekend before last and needed traction above 3,000, but the conditions were good and the weather was nice. Flooding wasn't too bad as we didn't really get that much snow this winter. A friend of mine was there this past weekend hiking Giant -- said the conditions were about the same. Due to the ice/snow, hikes are a bit slow, so i wouldn't attempt anything too ambitious. If you stick to any of the trailed peaks (instead of the herd paths), you should have a great day. Also, the bald summits are free of ice and snow, so you might want to do some baldies.


Cheers

[nyker]

ok, thanks Imkapl08. Was lower elevation dry or a mudfest? On Algonquin and Wright, how was the higher sections (before the bald granite tops) with the scrambling - was the rock coated in that thin ice or was it bare?

[mambwe]

I hiked Mt Adams and Mt Jefferson this past weekend in the White Mountains. We didn't encounter any mud, but traction is definitely needed as you get higher. We were in microspikes most of the time, but broke out the crampons a few times going up Adams. They got a few inches of snow the night before we went hiking. Fresh powder plus bare rock plus 50 MPH winds made for an interesting trip up Adams.

[nyker]

ok thanks. I hear the Daks just got some snow over night too.

[nyker]

Was able to get up Whiteface and Cascade this past weekend. I'll post some more details later tonight.
Given the snow and ice, Whiteface was a great, challenging, albeit long climb from the Connelly Pond, winter closure on R86.
Cascade, ordinarily fairly easy was a a bit tedious with all the ice up higher.

[Elizabeth37]

I've spent many nights in the Adirondack lean tos. I'm only about half way to 46.
Sure do miss it! But I definitely don't miss the rain and mud.

I haven't been there since Hurricaine Irene. Sounds like it was pretty bad

[highcomm]

I have been hiking quite regularly in the White Mountains this past winter. Definately much less snow than previous years. This past weekend I did Mt. Passconaway, elevation 4,019 feet. Trail was completely dry until the last 1/4 mile of so. After that I had to use microspikes. There was ice on the trail but hardly any snow in the woods.

[robby40]

this was unusual - fall into a crevasse on Mt. Washington: http://www.unionleader.com/article/2012 ... /704049967" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[nyker]

Interesing about the Mt Washington Crevasse...

For those interested, I just posted a trip report for Whiteface:

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... size=large" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jrbren_vt]

Very nice report, thanks for posting. This is a good reminder I have not been hiking in the mountains since last October (Gothics). I do not remember any sunshine recently but your photos don't lie. FYI, Mt Mansfield got 2 feet of snow this week, biggest snow "storm" of the season. Whiteface probably got similar dump but I have not heard any total from there. It has just been in the low 40's with rain showers in the Champlain Valley while these snow totals are piling up above 3K'. Nice touch with the Whiteface Ice cream. Did you get to try the 46er sandwich shop in lake Placid (Vanilla Bean Cafe I think) ? They are very good sandwiches.

[nyker]

I didn't try the 46er sandwich! Will have to try next time.
Actually didn't spend much time in Lake Placid village this time because of timing and stayed in Saranac Lake.

When did that two feet of snow come in? Was is last week mid week? Or a later storm?
When we left on Sunday morning, there was something moving in then, but the snow was expected yesterday/today.