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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Hancock, South Hancock, NH
Trails
Trails: Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, October 18, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Lots of parking at the Kanc hairpin. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Water was running high in several places, not possible to keep feet dry without waterproof footwear. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No issues, a walkover blowdown or two perhaps. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: On trail early in an attempt to beat the rain. Did the loop ascent to North Hancock, descended via South Hancock. Very wet day. Started out without rain, but water was still a bit high. Test of new winter boots was thorough. Waterproofing worked better than I could have hoped. I only got the waterproofing to fail by stepping into water deeper than the top of the boot. ;-)

Light rain kicked in on South Hancock, and just added to the sloshy hike. Lots of mud, water running down the trail, higher than normal stream crossings, standing puddles, ponding.

Heading to North Hancock, there was a flooded area at the stream crossing where the real ascent begins. Seemed to be a drainage problem. Could see a large downed tree at where I think the outlet was for the stream we were crossing. Summerset remembered that area as mostly dry. Would have been tough to walk around the flood zone to find the root of the problem. Thick woods.

Saw maybe a dozen people, all as we were descending. One trio was doing the oddest stream crossing we'd seen all day. They'd bushwhacked to get to the crossing point, were headed into a thick, nasty area of blowdowns and wooded sadness, and were helping a ~10yo boy in tennis shoes to get across. The normal stream crossing, which was a bit wide and wet but relatively easy, was just a little further down the trail. Hard to piece together what was going on. Trying to keep dry feet (a hopeless endeavor) was our best thought.  
Name
Name: Ethan Banks 
E-Mail
E-Mail: 020655@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-10-19 
Link
Link: https://nh48.wordpress.com 
Bookmark and Share Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

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