Mount Pierce (Clinton)

Trail: Crawford Path

Conditions: Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes

“Not a beautiful day for our group of 10 students. We switched from microspikes to snowshoes after we hit consistent mashed potatoes about a mile in, and we kept the snowshoes on for the rest of the ascent and the full descent. Previous hikers left very significant postholing for us to navigate, which made for a bit of a frustrating hike, especially past the Mizpah Cutoff. We couldn't comfortably locate the last spur on the Webster Cliff Trail to the summit of Mt. Pierce due to a lack of foot prints, so we came up short of our goal by 100 yards and 50 feet of elevation. Absolutely no views today, but we enjoyed the high winds and sudden drop in temperature above tree line. The kids had a nice sense of accomplishment, but it probably wasn't a day that they'll be telling their grandkids about. Oh well.”

Trail: Crawford Connector, Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail

Conditions: Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes

“After the slushy post-holing mess of the weekend, the trail today was in decent condition. Monorail is evolving, and the sides are getting plenty of post holes, but the overall surface is not yet too chopped up.. Three of us wore micro-spikes with no problems as long as we stayed on the center [and when one doesn't, which one will, then more postholes are created. Or just wear snowshoes and significantly reduce the damage left behind for others]. One of us wore mountaineering snowshoes and was also happy.”

Trail: Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail, Mizpah Cutoff

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

“half of our crew of eight wore snowshoes up Crawford Path to Mount Pierce summit, half wore microspikes ... with this week's warm weather, you should bring snowshoes ... paths are firm but if you step a bit off center you'll posthole even wearing snowshoes ... we decided to hike over Pierce to Mizpah Hut, then out via Mizpah Cutoff and down Crawford Path ... snowshoes required on that cutoff and between Pierce and Jackson, or you'll be postholing up to your crotch and wondering whether the Mountain Gods love you ?”