Mount Cardigan

Trail: Access road, West Ridge Trail, Mowglis Trail, Clark Trail, South Ridge Trail

Conditions: Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches

“Typical late winter / early spring hiking. Ice was soft during ascent due to warm temps then firmed up midmorning once temps dropped below freezing. Microspikes worked the whole route but advise against descending West Ridge because of technical footing due to ice build up and running water. Trail easily lost between Cardigan and Firescrew due to ice and snow covering blazes and knocked over cairns. Keep aware of soft marsh areas and tree wells if off trail. If new to winter hiking, this is a good introduction mountain with an exposed summit.”

Trail: Holt Trail, Clark Trail

Conditions: Ice - Black, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Slush

“Trail getting very mushy. The snow was soft, the ice was soft. In the gully where the trail crosses over Bailey Brook, there was 3-6"" of slush with some semi-solid ice. We sunk our axes into the solider stuff and waded through the slush. At the crux about 200' below the summit, the snow was deep and sticky. Only towards the top of that pitch did the underlying ice get exposed. We used axes and half used snowshoes and half used crampons. The photo gallery shows the trail in the gully and the crux.”

Trail: Manning Trail, Mowglis Trail, West Ridge Trail, Ranger Cabin Trail, South Ridge Trail, Hurricane Gap Trail, Clark Trail, Holt-Clark Cutoff, Holt Trail

Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky

“Another bluebird day on Cardigan. I realized recently that I hadn't been out this way since the last trail maintenance trip in the fall, so a visit was due. I would recommend snowshoes on this entire loop for ease of travel be safety with the current conditions. Snow is softening with the warm temps. The upper parts of Manning and Mowglis were the most challenging, from the Duke's Ski Trail junction to the Cardigan summit. There are currently many false snowshoe tracks (some of them dead end) that lead way off the actual route into spruce trap territory, mixed in with a bevy of ski tracks. Also areas of drifting. Snowshoes and a sense of adventure are 100% needed in this stretch. The Cardigan summit cone is currently a mix of exposed ice, crunchy snow, and bare ledge. Looks like previous snowshoers had found their own routes up around the icy bits. I came down West Ridge to Ranger Cabin and this section was mashed potatoes in the sun. The rest of the route down had been traveled by snowshoes and skis but was still soft. Despite the gorgeous weather, I only saw two other hikers. Skiers, however, were all over the mountain and five of them skinned up past me as I was coming down Clark and Holt-Clark Cutoff.”