City slicker needs help.
 

Couple of questions:

1. Do I really need snow shoes to walk on the lake (say Wenworth since it is ice-in now there) or since there is plenty of snow on top of the ice can I just get away with good water-proof hiking boots?

2. When the weather gets back to 30's, is Mount Shaw summitable, again just with good hiking boots?


Thanks folks.

I think you only need snow shoes if there is plenty of snow (I think that's how they got their name ;)) If it is ice, try these http://www.yaktrax.com/productspro.aspx - they make walking on ice much easier.

Always carry yaktraks or similar product
 

I have them in my backpack all the time in the winter... Never go on the ice without them... much too easy to fall and break something.

IG

ls, I meant if there is a small layer of semi-packed snow which my hiking boots seem to get great traction on.... versus sheer ice or snow 6+ inches deep.

There is virtually no snow on the ice.Check the webcams and see for yourself.

Get the YakTrax anyway...
 

The nice thing about the YakTrax is that you can wear them in snow or ice. That way, if it is solid ice you are set, and if you can walk in the snow, they don't get in the way. I always feel it is better to be over-prepared than under...

I've never used snowshoes on the ice. If there's a layer of snow, walking should be no trouble. If not, it could be slippery but will still be walkable.

Thanks all, I will look in to the YakTrax.

So Albee Beach to the islands on Lake Wenworth tomorrow is safe?

Nobody answered my Mount Shaw question.

walking on the ice
 

Walking conditions on the ice vary greatly depending on what the weather's done. A small amount of snow on the ice will be slippery as h*&$. Wear ice grippers on your boots. Once there is a fair amount of snow on the ice, you can often walk in snowmobile tracks. If it's fresh, heavy snow on the ice, probably snowshoes. If it thaws and freezes there may be pockets of slush and water that make walking difficult. Bring your boots, grippers and snowshoes and adjust. HAVE FUN!:)

Mount Shaw
 

Your Mount Shaw question is best posed to DCR. You may have noticed his informative pictures on PhotoPost. He hikes the Lakes Region at all times of the year and is very knowlegable. I suggest sending him a private e-mail.
He’s a great guy and won’t steer you wrong.

(hi RG! Looks like you are feeling a little better!)
I posted this over on the ice-in thread....Wentworth is iced in and there was a photo of people snow-shoeing on the snow on top of the ice last Saturday on the Lake Wentworth site.

SNOW-SHOEING PHOTO

A check on the archived web cam photos from today looks like there still may be some snow on the ice over there. (??)

ARCHIVED WEB CAM PHOTOS

:D

They were reporting 5-6" of ice thickness near Hersey Shore last week-end.

About the shortest walking distance to Mt. Shaw, would be from White Lake State Park right on rte 16 in Tamworth. I've been up to Mt. Shaw from many different trails by snowmobile, and if I were going to hike up, I'd do it from there. That being said, in winter the weather can turn from good, starting out, to bad in a hurry. You want to be well prepared for that.
"Do Not go by yourself".

Good luck and happy trails.


http://www.nhmountainhiking.com/shaw.html

Mt. Shaw
 

Mt. Shaw has a snowmobile trail running to the summit. Would it be possible to simply hike up a snowmobile trail?

Mt. Shaw is “summitable” year round. But walking on a lake is very different than climbing a mountain. Yaktraks have been known to fail while hiking or come off the foot. The Mt. Shaw trail has several water crossings as well as ice flows that may need something with more grip. Sometimes ‘Stabilicers’ will work or you may even need ‘crampons’. Some boots are very difficult to wear crampons with.

As for walking the snowmobile route. I find it very unpleasant to hike in snowmobile tracks – if there are any yet. It is also a much longer route than the hiking trail.