Mount Chocorua

Trail: Champney Falls Trail, Piper Trail

Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder

“Snowshoes all the way from the lot to the top. Snow is still powdery and not fully packed out, especially after the falls. Once I popped out onto the knob below the cone, I switched to crampons for the rocky section up to the summit, then back to snowshoes past the rocks on the descent. Hopefully the upcoming snow will fill in and make that stretch fully snowshoe-friendly.”

Trail: Piper Trail, Middle Sister Trail, Carter Ledge Trail, Nickerson Ledge Trail

Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes

“Party of 4 up Chocorua via Piper, across the Sisters & down via Carter & Nickerson Ledge. Piper was moderately packed but the base was soft and there was minor drifting and postholing through it; we started in spikes but switched to snowshoes within 0.5mi. Passed other hikers barebooting and two folks coming down part of Piper in fat tire bikes. The summit cone slabs were a mix of ice, hardpack, drifts of varying depth, postholes through drifts. Ice wasn't bad except on the last scramble before the summit --crampons and/or an ax wouldn't be overkill on that sketchy spot (although I made it up in snowshoes and down in spikes). Middle Sister Trail, Carter Ledge, and Nickerson weren't broken out--any previous work there was thoroughly drifted in but there was a noticeable trough in some places. Some of the drifts on the sisters and upper Carter were mighty. Snow was alternately powder and sastrugi. All of the ledges were deep snow ramps which we butt-slid down or skied down on our snowshoes. No exposed ice. Despite our work, I wouldn't call it "broken out" given the snow depth and loose powder conditions, and wouldn't advise ascending via Carter Ledge unless you enjoy two steps forward- one step back shuffle. Nickerson steeps were sun-crusted and not as deep as Carter. Snow squalls all day with no accumulation. Where was the predicted sun?”

Trail: Hammond Trail, Liberty Trail

Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts

“Packed up to Bald Mountain and tracks ended at Weetamoo trail…. After that I broke trail to the summit of Mt Chocorua…. A lot of wind blown snow and drifts I plowed through….. tough hike…. The last 0.3 was a slog but I got there. I did my best to even it out on the way back. There is a small bump just before you get to Jim Liberty cabin when going up…. Follow my tracks, I bushwhacked over to a bald spot with excellent views. A lot of snow up there.”