I last hiked this trail a month ago. It's amazing how much difference a month makes.
With all the precipitation that has happened in the last couple of weeks, there are several large puddles (ponds?) in the last 9 miles of dirt road. Seems like there were more dips/potholes that a month ago too. It still passable for any vehicle, but it's rough.
I underestimated the amount of snow that I was going to run into. There were probably about 4-5 inches of powder in the last mile leading up to the pass. The snow actually starts on the trail about 0.5-0.75 miles before the stream crossing (the one with the little log waterfall). Before you hit snow, there are about another 0.75 miles of occasional ice-mud to contend with. Thankfully, I am familiar with this trail and there was enough of a depression in the snow where the trail is, that I was able to stay on course and make it to the pass. In my haste to leave the house I forgot to put my microspikes in the bag. I could have used them. It would have helped me make the climb a little quicker and also gave me more security on the descent. I slid quite a bit, but thankfully avoided any serious falls.There were plenty of fall colors to enjoy on the lower 2 miles of the trail. Also, there were two new downed trees just before you hit the first steep section. They weren't difficult to step over though.
I had planned to photograph the Napeequa Valley at sunrise and then take some more photos on the approach side of the pass on the way back down. Due to the cold, my pant legs and gloves froze up while taking the photos from the pass and I decided to just hoof it back to the car to warm up and avoid frostbite. Too bad, because it was so beautiful seeing the whole area covered in a blanket of snow. I would have taken a couple of phone snapshots, but the cold killed my battery.
The water on the river crossing at the start/end of the trail has come up a bit since a month ago. It made it all the way up to the bottom of my knee at the deepest point (I'm 6'2"). And it felt quite a bit colder too. :)
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