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Trail: Whiteface via Research Center-Toll Road loop Date Hiked: 2/17/07 Conditions: Several feet of dense, dry snow from the midweek "Nor'easter." No sign of the trail being broken last week. Drifts up to 5 feet. Significant blowdown and trees bent over the trail. Extremely difficult to break trail in this depth/type of snow. Trial now broken (but not broken out) from Research Center to toll road retaining wall; NOT broken from the official trailhead to Marble Mt. Toll Road was windblown snow/ice near summit; lower down had a nice ski/snowshoe trail packed out which allowed me to descend on XC/D skis with no effort. Special Required Equipment: Snowshoes (and poles) absolutely needed for all trails, the bigger the better. Powder baskets for your poles if you have them (My poles with "regular" snow baskets were going several feet into the snow). Be aware that skis strapped to your pack will make it hard as you duck/crawl under tons of blowdown and bent trees on the Research Center and Wilmington trails. I took the road/steps from the retaining wall to the summit; if you instead continue up the ridge trail you will likely need crampons.
Comments: Breaking this trail alone on this "short, easy" hike may have been the most strenuous thing I have ever done. It took me NINE HOURS to break the roughly 4 miles of trail from the research center to the wall. Not to boast, it was a Herculaen effort requiring extreme physical and psychological stamina. After only a few steps down the trail I had second thoughts, but I decided to go for it. I had 30 inch snowshoes and was sinking 2-3 feet into the snow. The snow is very dense, but not dense enough to hold my weight (225 lbs with winter pack). The first group out to Esther will have a very difficult time if these snow conditions persist. I wanted to bag Esther but in these conditions, I estimated it would take 4-5 hours r/t from the start of the herd path! Submitted by: The Ogre |