NH/Maine paceliners-snow on the notches

[marciero]

Has anyone ridden Evans Notch lately? Is it passable?

[sitzmark]

Haven’t but ground is bare all around Bethel and up to Barker base lodge at SR. Notch gate not yet reported open but historically it opens around this date. Friends own Barker Mtn Bike in Bethel - no doubt if the Notch is rideable Don Jr has done it. Will ping them and post back.

[marciero]

Thanks. Over the years I've gotten turned around a couple of times in spring, having completely forgotten that snow may not have melted. Once I came across two mushers at the gate in the process of harnessing up their dog teams.

[sitzmark]

No word from the Seib’s yet. Pinged a friend in Lovell to see if he’s ridden it.
Big snowpack this year, but amazing how fast it has melted/is melting.

Not direct from anyone who’s ridden it this spring but a friend connected with Gould says Gould team has ridden it. At SR anywhere granite poked through up top it baked the snow from underneath and opened huge gaps of bare ground. Road at Evans most likely doing same. There have been a number of “summer” days in past 3 weeks - 50+ and sunny.

[sitzmark]

Shop hasn’t heard from anyone who’s ridden the notch. The friend in Lovell reported back this morning saying there is some snow on road above Hastings campground - as of 1 week ago.

[marciero]

Thanks for checking in.
So we rode to Bethel-not via Evans- and stayed over. We deliberated on trying Evans on the return. Local knowledge in town was inconclusive "sure! It *should* be open now". "I wouldn't try it". We decided to be conservative and not try it. Getting turned back would have added 30 miles to the ride. I will say that we did see increasing amounts of snow in patches on the way.