Outdoor Diversion: Snowshoe Hike to Mount Field

Summit: Mount Field (4,340')
Trail route: Avalon Trail, Willey Range Trail
Trail conditions: Lower half of Avalon Trail was broke out with bare boot tracks, past the Mount Avalon spur trail there was several inches of loose unconsolidated snow with one set of bare boot tracks
Weather: Cold temps, high thin cloud cover with subdued sun
Total miles: 5.6
Total time: 4:30

After not hiking for the past two weeks I was ready to get out on the trail. I have already hiked Mount Tom in December so the plan was to hike Field and Willey, that would change. The weather was looking favorable but the trail conditions were unknown after recent snow.

I arrived at the Crawford Depot and parked beside the road on Rote 302. There were several other cars there so I was hopeful that the trail would be broke out. The sun was showing through a high, thin cloud cover and had a halo around it as I began my hike.

I started out bare booting and had no problems but after the first water crossing I put on microspikes that helped in the loose snow. When I arrived at the A-Z Trail junction I switched to snowshoes knowing that the trail from here was going to be steep and loose. It was the right choice as the extra traction and televators were a big help on the steep sections of this trail.

Before I arrived at the Mount Avalon spur trail I was beginning to think that I might only be doing Mount Field today and Mount Willey would have to wait for another day. The loose, unconsolidated snow was wearing me down. It got tougher past the Avalon spur trail as there was only one set of bare boot prints and several inches of snow that I was packing down with snowshoes. So I decided along this section of trail that I would only be doing Mount Field today.

There was a few areas of deep drifts before I arrived at the Willey Range Trail. One last short, steep climb and I was at the summit of Mount Field. I saw more hikers while I was here and several of them had also changed their minds about continuing on to Mount Willey. I didn't stay long at the summit and was soon on my way back down the way I came up.

The trail was a little more packed down than when I came up but it was still loose snow. I saw where a few hikers had done some butt sliding, the snow cover wasn't deep enough for me to try that. There were several hikers coming up as I made my way down. I kept the snowshoes on for the rest of the hike.

This was the last Fall hike for this year although it has been winter hiking conditions for over a month. Let the official winter hiking begin!

Enjoy the photos and video!