| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Cabot, The Bulge, The Horn, Unknown Pond Peak, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
York Pond Trail, Bunnell Notch Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Horn Spur, bushwhack, Unknown Pond Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, January 17, 2017 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The lots were plowed at the Fish Hatchery and we parked right at the Unknown Pond Trailhead |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Water crossings on Unknown Pond Trail ranged from easy to most difficult due to fast open water and icy rocks |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nearing Cabot's cabin the trail could use some clipping. There are few blazes on KRT and even less on the Unknown Pond Trail (should be more aptly named the Unknown Trail). |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
sure |
|
 | Bugs: |
none |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Not sure this report will help much since it is snowing as I type.... With just mirco-spikes on our feet we easily motored up to Cabot on a well packed track, bare booting didn't even leave a dent. As we passed the KRT heading towards Terrace there was a good track and evidence that people had camped at the intersection, not sure how old the track but it looked pretty good. Sad to see the cabin deteriorating, steps have been ripped off apparently on purpose since nails were all bent over, logs notebooks in the cabin are full-if anyone wants to bring a new notebook up that would be swell.
I attempted to find spring spur for Danielle but there was just too much snow in the woods off the trail to find it, guess she'll have to come back in the summer.
We put on our snowshoes and from Cabot to the Bulge and all the way to the top of the Horn there was a solid track with an occasional snow drift. A pair had bare booted a head of us with some post holing resulting. After the Horn spur the track was less packed and later took a short detour off the trail but came back to it, I think moose tracks caused some confusion. We were glad to have snowshoes and we moved right along.
We went out on the Unknown pond's glassy ice and I pointed out the ledge above the pond. Danielle wanted to go to Unknown Pond Peak so we did-an old snowshoe track perhaps made when snow was soft could still be seen, we sunk down maybe an inch or two. At the height of land I pulled out my compass and we set out for a nice bushwhack through open woods and nice birches and still our snowshoes floated well and we only sunk a few inches. We found the recognized highpoint and last person to sign the register was in November. Going down the Unknown Pond Trail was a bad as I remembered--plenty of side hill, no blazes and too many brook crossings. We were happy to have an old track with bare boot tracks and post holes to follow. Just below the outlet of the pond we met a couple bare booting up to the pond and they had marked a few places by drawing arrows in the snow where the track went off the trail, that was helpful. As we descended the snow got less and less, springs and southern exposure had made some bare areas. Nice obstructed views of the KR--Cabot, Terrace, Weeks, rather nice. We had a super day. Highlights were the view from the Horn of the Presis and beyond, the nice whack to UPP and not falling in the brook. |
|
 | Name: |
Nordic Gal, Danielle |
|
 | E-Mail: |
amybike@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2017-01-17 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
