We got to the trail at 7:45 and started up. The trail is snow free until about the half way point then there is intermittent compacted snow and ice. We were able to walk 3/4 of the way without spikes. After the halfway point there is a creek running down the trail  that is deep enough to get shoes wet, so I recommend waterproof shoes. 3/4 of the way up the trail starts to be at more of an angle, making it unsafe you walk on without spikes. I highly recommend taking some with you. It would be really easy to slip and fall in many places. There is ice and compact snow the rest of the way to the top. Poles would be helpful, but I left mine at home. It took us 3 hours up and 2 hours down and my watched tracked 9.6 miles RT. 

I had an incredible hike today. With fallen trees, flooded trail, snow and rain, snow covered trails, and a lot of elevation gain, this is not an easy hike. However, there’s nothing that an experienced hiker can’t easily handle, so it adds to the charm of the trail rather than takes away. Plenty of charming views and different scenes on the way up, and some flat sections to balance the steeper portions. The snow-shoe packed trail was fine with just boots going up, but microspikes are essential for coming down.

I arrived at the parking lot at 7:45 am and was the second car in the lot. There are a few rough patches on the gravel road, but taken slow it's fine for any car. The bathroom is open, and is pretty clean, there is also TP.

The first 0.5 miles of this trail are in many ways the hardest with the current state of the trail. It's been washed out bad, and there are multiple blowdowns(see pics below). This means lots of large and sometimes loose rocks, the sort of terrain I'd expect much father up a mountain. The trail needs to have the drainage improved.

The trail was a rocky mess at times, a literal creek, a frozen creek, and a snow drift. Lots of different terrains to contend with at this time.

After the cave it's easy going until the snow line. I always find it weird that a good 0.7 miles of this trail are pretty flat. After the big creek crossing is where the snow begins on the trail, intermittent at first but pretty quickly gets deep. Its solid, and is really easy with spikes.

The upper slopes are steep, and the trail narrows considerably, and is slanted in many areas. It would be unsafe to attempt this section without trekking poles or an ice axe(I had poles). There are a few points where if you slipped(and that would be easy to do) you'd slide a good amount. No signs of recent avalanche activity on the slopes that are the concern on this trail. I wouldn't recommend the mountain at this time for people who have never traveled on snow before, but it's easy with the right gear/footing. Still basically follows the summer route. It's really not bad, I just want to emphasize to people that it is still very much winter at the top of this mountain.

I was the first to summit and the views were amazing. Saw all the usual mountains, and Chester Morse lake.

The Gray Jays – ¾ of a mile from the summit a few gray jays started following me. They'd land near whenever I stopped to adjust gear or take a picture. At the summit there must have been 10 + I was unable to eat up there because these birds were literally flying in my face. While they are cute, please remember that feeding wild animals is not safe(not even cute birds) they can carry disease, and it teaches them to expect food from humans. Remember LNT means keeping wild animals WILD. These were some of the most forward gray jays I've encountered, they are clearly used to being fed by humans often. I ate back down in the forest, past the point I first saw them approach me.

The descent was quite easy and quick going. The worst part was the rocks at the very end again. 5 hours total. Saw a few other parties on the trail today.

There were maybe 10 cars in the lot when I returned.

Great mountain, so glad I did it on a good weather day!

A beautiful day in the mountains with minimal trail traffic (zero other cars at 8:30am). The first couple miles are predominately either active streams or show signs of recently flow. Its a lot of small to medium sized rocks piled loosely which made the snow pack a welcome change. There was only one set of tracks since the last snow but a big thanks to whoever that was because they saved me a few times (OnX's map of the trail doesn't get you all the way to the top).

The snowpack started right around the turnoff for the Great Wall trail and then alternated between streams and snow for awhile. In the snowy sections there were only a couple inches of softer material with solid concrete underneath it. The final switchbacks to the summit got icy underneath the trees but I found poles to be adequate on the climb and a few times wished I had dug out the spikes on the descent.   

I was able to tackle the smaller trees with my new Sven saw but there are still a couple clumps of larger trees that are ready for someone with bigger toys and more experience. However, nothing out there presents a major obstacle to hikers.

Fresh snow on Washington! Parking lot is clear; trail was a bit slick in the morning. Traction of some form recommended, especially near the water crossings. Snowshoes not needed on the Mt. Washington trail proper, but I took the Great Wall loop around Change Peak on the way up, and they were definitely necessary there.

Very quiet on a bluebird Wednesday, only saw 2-3 other folks out all day.