1998 Ice Storm

Thanks to Bill Der for the following photos. Here is the note that he included. I cramponed up to the Wapack Trail from Temple Mtn ski area on January 11, 1998, just after the infamous ice storm. I recall it to be a beautiful, sunny, and breezy day. I was truly amazed at the damage -- the number of snapped and downed trees, and I had a difficult time skirting obstructions across the trail. Nonetheless, it was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. The air was filled with the sound of ice laden branches swayed by the wind and the constant clatter of ice debris falling through the trees. I made it to the Ledges, and beat a hasty retreat in consideration of grape-fruit sized chunks of ice and heavy branches occasionally thumping to the ground nearby me. I thought that you might appreciate the enclosed photos I took that day. Regards, Bill Der

Mt. Monadnock from Temple Mountain summit.

The cairns on Temple Mountain.

Photo by George Carmichael (thank you!)
View of the ridge between New Ipswich Mountain and Pratt Mountain. Taken from the West from a 180 Cessna.

The trail is cleared!

Last winter's ice storm caused extensive damage to trees and trails along the Wapack. The Friends of the Wapack Trail Crew has spent many hours this spring clearing the trail. Thanks to all for a great effort!

Thank you!

1998 trail cleanup crew! - Temple Mtn, Sharron Ledges

Photos by Ollie Mutch.

Trail Conditions following the Ice Storm clean up as of 5/24/98:

Rt. 119 to Binney Hill Road

The dirt roads around the base of Mt. Watatic are cleared. There were many trees down on Nutting Hill Road (formerly part of the Midstate Trail now the State Line Trail) and along the Wapack trail from Nutting Hill to Binney Hill Road. Thanks to Dwight Horan for all the chain saw work in this area to clear the trail. The last leg of the Midstate Trail (through the woods) is still in bad shape. Many trees are down. Mt. Watatic is in good shape. The culvert a few yards north of 119 is plugged and the road is flooded.

Binney Hill Road to Pratt Mountain

The trail around Binney Pond has been cleared by the Harvard MA Boy Scout Troop. The ridge from Pratt Mountain to New Ipswich Mountain was cleared April 18. Thanks to Jack Dorsey and Bob Rolke for their help!

New Ipswich Mt. to Rt. 123/124

This section is now cleared. There were many trees down on the trail, some very large. Thanks to Jane Mutch and Ed Blanchette for clearing this section. Thanks also to Al Jenks for clearing the trail in Windblown Cross Country Ski Area.

Rt. 123/124 to Nashua Road

This section is in good shape. Just a couple of trees down on Chapman Road.

Nashua Road to Burton Peak

This strech of trail is now cleared. Thank you to Curt O'Dell for his many hours of work on this section. The Berry Pasture Trail had a couple of trees down near the top of the trail. All cleared now thanks to Sean McInerney.

Burton Peak to Holt Peak

This part of the trail had seven or more places where trees were down on the trail. All was cleared on May 23. Thanks to Jane and Ollie Mutch, and Sean McInerney and Curt O'Dell for clearing these trees. On May 23 we also cleared brush and reblazed the entire section from Nashua Road to Holt Peak.

Holt Peak to Rt.101/Miller State Park

There are several trees down on the trail from Holt Peak to the ski area. Many tree tops were snapped off in this area.

Rt. 101 to Pack Monadnock summit (Miller State Park)

The trails in Miller State Park are in pretty good shape. The Marion Davis Trail is mostly all cleared thanks to Don Stoops. There are a few trees down on the Wapack in the Park but they are easy to step over. The Raymond Trail is in pretty good shape.

Pack Monadnock summit to North Pack summit

This streach of trail may have been the worse hit by the ice storm. The section from Pack Monadnock summit to the intersection with Cliff Trail is now cleared. Thanks to Ollie and Jane Mutch for clearing this difficult section. This section had many large trees down, and many trees leaning dangerously over the trail. Thanks to Brian Carovillano, writer for the Monadnock Leger, who wrote an excellent article (February 12 issue) about his snow shoe hike through this section. According to the article, the Cliff Trail was very badly hit, and this entire section of the Wapack Trail had many trees down. The Cliff Trail and the Wapack on the south face of North Pack still need a bit of work.

North Pack summit to East Mountain Road

This section of trail is in good shape.