Yeesh, these trails are not looking so pretty right now. Thanks to the rain and warm temps this week, many mountain trails are sheets of sheer ice right now, like Burrows (photos taken 12.7.2022). If you're thinking of tackling these trails, at the very least Microspikes are an absolute must, and we recommend trekking poles and/or crampons. Better yet, stick to low-elevation dirt roads, which may be muddy or icy but not quite so treacherous. https://www.greenmountainclub.org/are-you-ready-for.../
One more word of advice: If you do encounter ice-covered trails like these and don't want to turn around, please do your best to stay on the trail rather than walking through brush around them. Doing so exacerbates trail erosion and widening, which our crews must spend laborious hours addressing during the field season.
Thanks to Mark Kelley, a very seasoned hiker, for sharing these images as a word of caution for the hiking community. Do your snow dance!
Original source can be found here.
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