Mount Chocorua

Trail: Champney Falls Trail, Piper Trail

Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Small Patches

“Stacy and I ran back our “Meet me in the Woods” move and planned to meet at the Champney/Piper Junction. She came up Piper. I came up Champney, we hit the sign within 5 minutes of each other, military precision. Being that Champney is on the northern aspect I packed my spikes and was happy I did. Spotty snow/ice starting around 1400 feet and then just below the switchbacks around 2400 feet you will be dealing with it until treeline. I barebooted the whole way up, to the horror of my new friends Scott and Will. It was a fun game of hopscotch risk assessment. Jokes aside, there was zero chance I wasn’t putting spikes on for the descent. There’s a couple spots of slanted, hard water ice where you’d actually want a real crampon if you chose to stay right down the middle of the trail. So that being said, be mindful of where you are stepping, especially in Kathoola micros or rockspikes. Zero need for snowshoes, those can stay home. Great day out there sneaking some miles in before the rain. Stacy barebooted Piper both ways, though it sounded like she needed to make some careful steps in a few spots so it can’t hurt to have some traction in the bag.”

Trail: Brook Trail, Liberty Trail

Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Small Patches

“Just a few brief showers on this beautiful day with clouds below and views in all directions, including a domed cloud over Mt Washington. Wet ledges exciting to navigate. No videos were taken of creative ways down an exciting slab on Liberty Trail - frontal clinging, crouching tiger, butt slipping to name just a few in our group of six. While every type of trail condition was present - dry ground, mud, running water, ice, pockets of snow, all were easily navigated. The wet slabs were the sobering challenge of the day but we made it with dignity and all body parts intact.”

Trail: Champney Falls Trail, Piper Trail

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

“Beautiful day for Chocorua. Woke up to barely an inch of fluff in Lincoln, which was a poor indicator of what had actually happened elsewhere overnight. Stacy and I had already planned to give the roads some time. Coming from different sides of the world, the plan was for me to ascend from my side on Champney and her to ascend from her side on Piper. We met at the junction within 3 minutes of each other, not too shabby. Trails had a fresh 4-6 with some ice hiding underneath which made for challenging footing. Snow was wet down low, less dense up high. People were in a mix of snowshoes and spikes, pick your poison as everything changes day to day at this point. To the best of my knowledge, Coach and one other guy barebooted Piper. On Champney there were 3 people in misery slippers and two of us in spikes. No tracks to Middle Sister or down the falls loop on my way out. Summit cone was drifty in some places, icy in others. When you come out of the trees make sure you go right. We met a guy retreating after a failed summit attempt, do not follow his tracks to the left. Offered to show him the way but he was cold, wet, and burned out from his adventure. Great chatting with Denny for a few minutes up on the summit.”