Glad today is over
All in all not a bad day, just one to be glad to put behind me.
This morning started out with a exhaustive check of snowmobile trail conditions and weather forecasts for the day. It was raining in Bartlett, but various weather sites were saying it was mostly snow west and north of here. So we saddled up and drove through Crawford Notch to Fabyan’s in Twin Mountain. Still raining however they got a lot more snow than on this side of the Notch.
After a quick conference with Heather we decide to head north a little ways. Quick drive up to Jefferson and it’s snowing! Clayton even spotted a groomer on the trail. One problem though, I can’t find parking for the truck and trailer. Well, that can be solved by continuing into Gorham. However once we get to Gorham we discover two things. Moose Brook Park no longer has parking and once we get to the new lot a little down the road it’s pouring rain again.
We’re far enough around Mount Washington that it’s easiest to get home via Rt 16 and Pinkham Notch so that’s the way we go. Pinkham Notch is high enough up that it’s snowing again and we spot several spin outs through the notch. We make it back down to Jackson safely however, and back to rain with very little base snow depth. By this point Clay and Cam have been in the truck for over two hours so I decide to humor them with a brief trip to Bear Notch Road. They can at least unload the sleds and drive up and down the road for a few minutes before they get too soaked.
However I didn’t consider that the parking lot would be unplowed with a foot of snow/slush/water over very slick ice. About 100 feet into the lot I get stuck. Even after shoveling out the tires I’m still stuck due to the trailer. Unhitch it and get the truck out. Then unload the trailer and head back in to get it. Eventually we get the trailer out and we have enough time to go for a little ride. On a positive note it stopped raining by this point.
Bear Notch Road is a mess. Trees are down and the trail is ungroomed. However volunteers have been out cutting up the downed trees and the groomer has pushed them aside for the most part. We only go a few miles up the road, to the second turnout. In that distance the new fallen snow goes from a foot or less at the parking lot to about three feet of very heavy wet new snow when we turn around. Luckily we can follow in the path of the work crews and the heavy wet snow packs well so the sleds don’t get stuck anyways.
By 5:30 we are back to the trailer, loaded up and heading back to Michael’s house. Park in the driveway and begin the drying out process. I’m not sure how long that will take though. Hopefully Saturday will be better.
