Current Conditions in Whites - Mt. Adams ?

[tjd]

Can anyone in the Mt. Adams NH area report on current conditions ? Any snow yet ? If so, recommendations - bare boot / crampon / snowshoe. Thanks! (I know, it's the whites, anything could happen at any time, just curious about how it looks for the upcoming weekend)

 

[MichaelJ]

Well, at this moment the temperature on Mt. Washington is 10°F with 78mph winds and a wind chill of –24°F. Any kind of precip at all is going to be frozen solid. I'd say crampons or at the most-awesome-for-the-between-seasons microspikes are going to be necessary. The spikes may do a lot better for transitioning from an icy step to a bare one.

It looks like it's going to clear up but stay cold for the weekend, based on my reading of the forecast, so warm clothing, goggles, balaclava are all going to be necessary.

Keep an eye on the Obs north view webcam which is pointed at Jefferson and Adams to get an idea of what's up there as the week progresses. And maybe we'll get some up to date first-hand information, too.

 

[Shroud]

We hiked Mt Eisenhower via Edmunds Path today without traction. The parking lot and the initial parts of the hike were ice and snow free. Fairly quickly however, you start to get ever increasingly amounts of ice along the path. It wasn't completely treacherous however because there were often plenty of dry patches that allowed one to pick a path through the icy areas. Around 2/3 of the way up, the trail was covered in a few inches of snow but the conditions were far from nasty and going was pretty easy.

Light traction would have been useful in spots to be sure but we had very few problem areas barebooting it. Crampons would've been massive overkill.

Hiking poles were a HUGE help today however.

Wind was the major enemy today and only of any real concern once we got within sight of Crawford Path and on the way up to and returning from the summit. There was almost no wind for the majority of the hike but once you crest that ridge...be prepared.

We saw 6 people the entire day and felt like we had the place to ourselves.

 

[Mike P.]

Thanks Shroud for the conditions. I'm heading up this weekend, Tom & Moosiluake hopefully.

 

[Shroud]

A friend and I are considering heading up to hike on Saturday. Weather forecasts peg it as a cloudy day with varying periods of rain. We did Moosilauke, Lafeyette and Lincoln last month so I'm undecided on where we're headed. It sounds like a decent day to hike something with less of a view.

 

[billski]

Fairly quickly however, you start to get ever increasingly amounts of ice along the path. It wasn't completely treacherous however because there were often plenty of dry patches that allowed one to pick a path through the icy areas. Around 2/3 of the way up, the trail was covered in a few inches of snow but the conditions were far from nasty and going was pretty easy.

Light traction would have been useful in spots to be sure but we had very few problem areas barebooting it. Crampons would've been massive overkill.

I have a set of four-point, under-arch crampons. Not even sure you would call them crampons. I put them on in areas when conditions are marginal and I likely will find areas I can't pick around, or I just want to feel a wee bit more secure. I don't even know I have them on. I am fairly fastidious about taking them off when I'm clear of icy areas, I want to keep the trail impact (especially root damage) to a minimum. I really like them.

 

[deadheadskier]

...spam deleted...

:???:

 

[deadheadskier]

...spam deleted...

and again :???:

 

[MichaelJ]

Let's keep the spammers out ... the conditions on Adams have long since changed since this thread was last active.