Mount Webster

Trail: Webster-Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail

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

“From 302 to the split is a packed winter sidewalk that is easily spiked. I was going CCW so I switched to snowshoes at the split and headed up the Webster branch. A few duck and crawl unders and leaners on the Webster branch from the split to the summit of Webster. Between Webster and Jackson the Webster Cliff trail was an adventure! I headed up that way today to check out the conditions since "Hikes with Maddie" and myself are the co-adopter maintainers for this section. We will certainly have our work cut out for us in the spring! Thankfully a few folks in snowshoes had been through there and the track was pretty true to the actual trail. There are heaps of drifts, leaners and crawl unders so conditions ranged from a nice packed powder cruise, thigh deep drifts to spruce trap extrications and army crawls. The approach to the summit from the top of the chute is pretty much a straight shot over the drifted over scrub. Switched back to spikes for the descent down Jackson branch which was a total cruise. I nominate this section for "the trail most improved by winter conditions." Overall, a great day that earned a summit Pop-Tart!”

Trail: Webster-Jackson Trail, Webster Cliff Trail

Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular

“I used microspikes throughout and it was largely fine. Trails to the two peaks were well packed. Sections of Webster Cliff Trail between Mt Jackson and Mt Webster wasn't as packed and I had a few (minor) postholing events. Snowshoes could be helpful in between the peaks, but I would say it's largely fine without them [except for the postholes left for future hikers to suffer through].”

Trail: Old Mountain Road, Crawford-Ridgepole Trail, Brooks Fisher Trail

Conditions: Snow - Unpacked Powder

“I went up Old Mountain Road from the west, then north on Crawford-Ridgepole to the summit of Mt. Webster. I returned south on Crawford-Ridgepole, went down Brooks Fisher, and walked on Perch Pond Rd back to my car. Old Mountain Road was broken out by people headed for Mt. Livermore. I had to break out about 2.5 miles of Crawford-Ridgepole and all of Brooks Fisher. Snow depth varied from about 8 inches at 2000 feet to 4 inches at the trailheads. I used snowshoes the whole way (except for the road walk). Mt. Webster has a wooded summit. So, no views from there, but there were a few restricted views along the way. There's a particularly good view on Crawford-Ridgepole about 0.5 miles north of the junction with Brooks Fisher. I could see Passaconaway (peeking over the Squam Range), Chocorua, the Ossipees, and Red Hill, to name just a few peaks. Beautiful.”